The December Core Update Rolled Out. Now What?

Over the weekend, reports of ranking volatility were published, announcing the inevitable arrival of the December 2024 Core Update. Google announced the update on December 12, 2024, in a post on X.

Many SEOs are not thrilled, as reports are coming in of massive drops in traffic and rankings. As to why Google rolled out an update during the holidays, the search engine giant posted a link to its Q+A on Search Updates documentation, where they answered:

“Q: Aren't there supposed to be no updates during the holiday shopping season?

A: We do try to avoid having updates during the late-November to mid-December period when possible. But it's not always possible. If we have updates that can improve Search, that have been developed over the course of several months, we release them when they're ready.”

The December core update comes out on the heels of the November update, with just one week in between for SEOs to get their bearings. This timing is not unusual; however, amid the holiday season, SEOs are feeling pressured. Below are some screenshots from X in reply to Google’s announcement:

Now What?

It’s important to note that this is a core update, not a ranking systems update. Google explains in its documentation that a core update improves the ranking systems already in place. 

This means there is not much to do regarding changing SEO strategies. If you create helpful content and comply with Google’s guidelines, you should sail through this update uninterrupted. However, Google created core update guidance if you experience a significant loss in traffic. 

1. Check if there’s a drop in Search Console.
2. Make sure the dates of the traffic dip line up with the dates of the update. 
3. Review your pages and queries to assess their ranking before and after the update. 
4. Analyze different searches separately to understand better why they dropped. 

If you find a significant drop, evaluate page-by-page and self-assess your pages to determine the next steps. 

Google recommends avoiding “quick fixes” and instead making SEO changes that make sense for your audience. For example, if you want to add a table of contents to your blog articles, do so because it will help the reader, not your rankings. 

The company also reminds SEOs that deleting content should be considered a last resort, only to be considered if it’s unsalvagable. 

After you complete these steps, the only option is to wait and see. Remember that SEO is a long-term strategy; patience and consistency often yield the best results. If you implement recommended improvements and keep your audience’s needs front and center, you’ll be better positioned for success, not just during this update, but in the future as well.