Google Algorithm Updates
Every Google algorithm update from 2003 to today, newest first, with the date, the type of update and a one-line summary.
Click any update for our full breakdown: what changed, who was affected and what to do. When Google releases a new update, it is added at the top of this page.
140 updates · newest first · page 2 of 6
- Google’s November 2023 Reviews Update: The Last Announced Reviews UpdateReviews
Google’s November 2023 reviews update was the last it announced; reviews system improvements now happen continuously. Here are the facts and what review sites should do.
- Google’s November 2023 Core Update: Back-to-Back Core UpdatesCore update
Google’s November 2023 core update started two weeks after October’s ended. Google said it improved a different core system. Here are the facts and analysis steps.
- Google’s October 2023 Core Update (and the Concurrent Ranking Issue)Core update
Google’s October 2023 core update overlapped a spam update and a confirmed Discover bug. Here is what Google confirmed and how to untangle the data.
- Google’s October 2023 Spam Update: Expanding Language CoverageSpam
Google’s October 2023 spam update improved spam detection in many languages and overlapped with a core update. Here are the confirmed facts and what to do if you were hit.
- Google's September 2023 Helpful Content Update: Why It Hit Small Publishers So HardHelpful content
Google's September 2023 helpful content update improved the classifier and rewrote key guidance, and many independent publishers reported severe losses. Here is what was confirmed and what we have…
- Google's August 2023 Core Update and the Rise of ForumsCore update
Google's August 2023 core update rolled out over 16 days as Reddit and forums surged in search. Here is what Google confirmed, what trackers measured and where sources disagree.
- Google's April 2023 Reviews Update: From Product Reviews to All ReviewsReviews
In April 2023 Google renamed its product reviews system the reviews system and widened it to services, places, media and other things. Here is what changed and how to adapt.
- Google's March 2023 Core Update ExplainedCore update
Google's first core update of 2023 rolled out over 13 days and caused far more volatility than September 2022. Here is the timeline, the context and the practical lessons.
- Google's February 2023 Product Reviews Update: Beyond EnglishReviews
Google's February 2023 product reviews update took the system beyond English to ten more languages. Here are the confirmed facts and what non-English review publishers should do.
- Google's December 2022 Link Spam Update and SpamBrainLink spam
Google's December 2022 link spam update used SpamBrain to spot both sites buying links and sites passing outgoing links. Here is what that meant and why lost link credit does not come back.
- Google's December 2022 Helpful Content Update: Going GlobalHelpful content
Google's second helpful content update improved the classifier, extended it to all languages and took 38 days to roll out over the holidays. Here is what changed and what it means.
- Google's October 2022 Spam UpdateSpam
Google's October 2022 spam update rolled out globally in all languages over just two days. Here is what was confirmed, how it relates to Google's spam policies and how to respond.
- Google's September 2022 Product Reviews UpdateReviews
Google's fifth product reviews update rolled out over six days in September 2022, right in the middle of a core update. Here is how to tell which one moved your rankings.
- Google's September 2022 Core UpdateCore update
The September 2022 core update rolled out over 14 days, overlapped a product reviews update and caused less volatility than many core updates. Here is what was confirmed and what it teaches.
- Google's August 2022 Helpful Content Update: The Site-Wide Classifier ArrivesHelpful content
Google's first helpful content update rolled out from 25 August to 9 September 2022, launching a site-wide classifier aimed at content made primarily for search engines.
- Google's July 2022 Product Reviews UpdateReviews
Google's July 2022 product reviews update rolled out in about six days, from 27 July to 2 August 2022, refreshing the English-language reviews system without new guidance.
- Google May 2022 Broad Core UpdateCore update
Google is constantly updating its algorithms to improve search results. There is no specific frequency of algorithms being rolled out for a matter of fact that people…
- Google's March 2022 Product Reviews UpdateReviews
Google's third product reviews update rolled out from 23 March to 6 April 2022, adding guidance on ranked lists, comparisons and justifying "best" picks.
- The Page Experience Update for Desktop (2022)Page experience
Google extended page experience ranking to desktop from 22 February 2022, bringing over Core Web Vitals, HTTPS and interstitial signals but not mobile-friendliness.
- Google's December 2021 Product Reviews UpdateReviews
Google's December 2021 product reviews update ran from 1 to 21 December 2021 and asked reviewers for evidence of hands-on use and links to multiple sellers.
- The Vicinity Update (November 2021): Proximity in Local RankingsLocal
Google confirmed a local search update between 30 November and 8 December 2021, nicknamed Vicinity by SEOs. Here's what was confirmed, what was observed and what to do.
- Google's November 2021 Core Update: A Pre-Holiday Core UpdateCore update
Google's November 2021 core update rolled out from 17 to 30 November 2021, overlapping Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Here's what Google said and how to analyse it.
- Google's November 2021 Spam Update ExplainedSpam
Google's November 2021 spam update rolled out from 3 to 11 November 2021, days before the November core update, and is the first ranking entry on Google's Search Status Dashboard.
- Google's Title Link Update (August 2021): When Google Started Rewriting TitlesAlgorithm
Rolled out mid-August 2021. Google began generating search titles from H1s, headings and anchor text instead of title tags, then refined it in September to use title tags about 87% of the time.
- Google's July 2021 Link Spam Update and Link Qualification RulesLink spam
Google's July 2021 link spam update nullified spammy links across languages and reminded sites to qualify affiliate, sponsored and guest-post links. Here are the facts and an audit checklist.
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