Google has confirmed that the December core update rollout is officially complete. The update, which began on December 12, took six days to finish.
The impact so far:
Data from SISTRIX reveals early effects of the December core update on search results. Changes started appearing on December 15, just three days after Google’s announcement. Positive trends were observed for sites like pinterest.com and bbc.com in the US, while some UK e-commerce sites also saw improvements.
On the other hand, some e-commerce and informational sites experienced declines on the same day.
This update coincided with major domain shifts, such as Twitter’s move to x.com and Virgin Holidays’ content transition to virginatlantic.com. While it’s unclear if these changes are related to the core update, large domain moves can impact search results.
The full effects of the update will become clearer in the coming weeks. Search Engine Journal will continue to monitor and provide updates as more data emerges.
Google announced it was rolling out the December core algorithm update, expected to be completed within two weeks. This news came just a week after the completion of the November core update.
Advice For Websites
As with previous core updates, the specific changes introduced in the December update remain unclear. However, Google consistently emphasizes that the best approach for creators is to focus on producing helpful, reliable, and people-first content.
For site owners experiencing changes in traffic following an update, it’s important to review Google’s update-specific guidance, available on the Google Search Status Dashboard. The dashboard also allows users to monitor the status of update rollouts and subscribe to an RSS feed for timely alerts.
Wrapping Up a Year of Algorithm Updates
The December core update concludes a year filled with algorithm adjustments for Google Search.
As the update continues to unfold in the coming weeks, we’ll be closely observing traffic patterns and search rankings to assess its impact. Search Engine Journal will keep monitoring the situation and provide updates as new information becomes available.
