Google’s algorithm is at the heart of every search query, helping determine which content ranks well – and why. Over the years, Google has refined its algorithm hundreds of times to improve the quality and relevance of its results. Understanding the Google algorithm update history helps businesses, marketers, and SEO professionals better navigate changes in rankings and search visibility.
What Does It Mean When Google Updates Its Algorithm?
When Google rolls out an algorithm update, it means changes are being made to how it evaluates and ranks websites. These updates can range from minor adjustments to significant core updates that impact search rankings across the board.
For business leaders and brand managers, staying informed about these updates is essential to ensure your site remains visible, compliant, and competitive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Major Google Algorithm Updates (Since 2014)
Pigeon Update (July 2014)
This update refined local search rankings by aligning them more closely with traditional web search signals, improving accuracy and visibility for location-based queries.
Mobile-Friendly Update (April 2015)
Known as “Mobilegeddon,” this update prioritized mobile-optimized websites in search rankings to reflect the surge in mobile device usage.
RankBrain Update (October 2015)
Google introduced machine learning through RankBrain to better interpret user intent and deliver more relevant results, especially for unfamiliar or complex queries.
Medic Update (August 2018)
The Medic update primarily impacted health and finance sites, boosting authoritative content in YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) categories using strong E-A-T signals.
BERT Update (October 2019)
Using advanced natural language processing, BERT enabled Google to better understand the context and intent behind conversational or long-tail search queries.
January 2020 Core Update
This broad core update aimed to elevate high-quality content across industries, emphasizing trustworthiness and user-focused relevance.
May 2020 Core Update
Google fine-tuned how it values user-first content, rewarding clarity, originality, and purpose-driven website experiences.
December 2020 Core Update
Ranking systems were adjusted to place greater emphasis on useful, relevant, and well-organized content across the board.
June 2021 Core Update
In the first part of a two-phase rollout, this update improved content relevance and user experience signals site-wide.
July 2021 Core Update
As the second phase of the June update, it focused on refining relevance and further aligning search results with user intent.
November 2021 Core Update
This update emphasized rewarding helpful content that best matched searcher intent and delivered value beyond keyword targeting.
May 2022 Core Update
Google enhanced its evaluation of content quality, ensuring original and helpful pages rank more effectively in search results.
September 2022 Core Update
Focused on boosting people-first content and reducing visibility for pages created solely to manipulate search rankings.
March 2023 Core Update
Google refined its page experience systems, rewarding content that is insightful, trustworthy, and well-structured.
August 2023 Core Update
This update continued Google’s trend of rewarding user-focused content and penalizing manipulative or low-quality practices.
December 2023 Core Update
Content helpfulness remained a focus, as Google further prioritized trustworthy, well-sourced, and meaningful information.
March 2024 Core Update
Elevated people-first content by improving recognition of intent and topical relevance within user queries.
July 2024 Core Update
Refined how engagement and satisfaction metrics influence rankings, rewarding content that meets users’ needs more effectively.
October 2024 Core Update
This update enhanced E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust) signals to support high-quality, accurate content.
November 2024 Core Update
Google devalued low-value or repetitive content, spotlighting fresh, unique, and helpful resources in search results.
December 2024 Core Update
The algorithm update recalibrated how freshness and topical depth contribute to content rankings.
March 2025 Core Update
This update focused on aligning rankings with relevance in emerging topics, surfacing timely and authoritative content more quickly.
Stay Up to Date on Google Algorithm Updates with V Digital Services
Whether you’re managing a national ecommerce site or a local business, understanding the list of Google algorithm updates is essential to keeping your strategy sharp. If you’ve ever wondered how often Google changes its algorithm, the answer is: often – sometimes multiple times a month. That’s why having a team of local and organic SEO experts monitoring every Google algorithm update is invaluable.
Need help navigating the latest algorithm updates? Contact V Digital Services today to learn how we can help protect your rankings and grow your visibility.
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