Google rolls out the December 2025 Core Update: what you need to know
Google has officially rolled out a new major update to its search algorithm: the December 2025 Core Update. The rollout began on December 11, 2025 and may take around three weeks to fully deploy.
What is a Google Core Update
A Core Update is a global update to Google's ranking systems. It does not target a specific criterion or a particular type of website, but instead adjusts how Google evaluates content relevance and quality overall.
Unlike spam-related or technical updates, a Core Update can impact all industries, all languages, and all geographic regions.
Context of Google updates in 2025
The year 2025 was marked by several major algorithm updates:
- March 2025: Core Update
- June 2025: Core Update
- August 2025: Spam Update
- December 2025: Core Update currently rolling out
The deployment pace remains high, confirming Google's ongoing effort to continuously improve the quality of search results for users.
What Google says about this update
Google states that this update aims to better surface content considered useful, reliable, and relevant for users. As with previous Core Updates, no specific industry is explicitly targeted, and no precise technical action is required during the rollout.
Ranking fluctuations in the SERPs are normal during this period. Real impacts can only be properly assessed once the update is fully completed.
Impact on SEO
Core Updates often lead to significant ranking volatility. Some websites experience visibility gains, while others may see declines, even without having made recent content changes.
Google emphasizes that these changes are not penalties. A drop in rankings generally means that other pages are now considered more relevant for a given search intent.
Best practices to follow
During the rollout, it is recommended to:
- Monitor performance in Google Search Console without drawing premature conclusions
- Wait for the official end of the update before making major adjustments
- Reassess content quality: topic depth, clarity, and real usefulness for users
- Strengthen signals of trust, expertise, and credibility
- There is no quick fix to "recover" from the impact of a Core Update. Improvements must be part of a long-term strategy.
The December 2025 Core Update follows the ongoing evolution of Google's algorithm. It reinforces the importance of useful, well-structured content that truly meets user expectations.
Definitive effects will only be visible once the rollout is complete. Until then, the best approach remains observation, analysis, and continuous work on overall site quality.