Google finishes its December core update ahead of schedule: a volatility earthquake in just six days

The December core update lasted only six days, which is quite unusual for Google. Typically, these central algorithm updates are rolled out over a two-week period. Looking at historical data, the only faster instance we found was in January 2020, lasting just three days.

A Core Update characterized by volatility

If you assume a shorter duration means less impact, you’d be wrong. The December 2024 core update will be remembered as a significant shake-up in terms of volatility. It is even more notable in markets like the United States, where volatility has been exceptionally high for several days according to Semrush .

The same happens in Spain:

Other tools, like Wincher, confirm this:

From what we’ve observed using these tools and from discussions on social media, it seems that this volatility particularly affected sites that experienced major ranking changes during the November core update, either amplifying or reducing the effects of that update.

What to Do if a Core Update Affects Your Website

It’s completely normal to see changes in the organic traffic of your site following a Google core update, due to shifts in search result rankings. If these changes are positive, congratulations 🙂

However, if you notice a significant drop in your rankings, Google suggests conducting a self-assessment to ensure your entire site’s content—not just specific pages—is useful, trustworthy, and user-focused. Here are the recommended steps:

1. Objectively Evaluate Your Site

Perform a detailed review of each section of your site. If possible, have trusted individuals not involved in your project evaluate your site using Google’s self-assessment questions. This can help you gain an objective perspective on the usefulness and reliability of your content.

2. Analyze the Most Affected Pages

Identify which pages have seen the most significant performance changes. Analyze them thoroughly and answer the relevant self-assessment questions. Other pages on your site might provide a more valuable experience for users, so it’s important to focus on improving areas that have lost ground.

3. Considerations When Making Changes

• Avoid Quick Fixes: Don’t remove elements from your pages just because you think they might hurt your SEO. Instead, focus on implementing improvements that provide real value to your users and are sustainable in the long term.
• Optimize Your Content: Rewrite or reorganize information to make it more accessible and easier to understand, always prioritizing the user experience.
• Remove Content as a Last Resort: Only consider this option if you are certain the content cannot be improved. If you find entire sections that seem designed primarily for search engines rather than users, removing them could enhance the overall performance of your site’s valuable content.

By following these steps, you can better adapt to Google’s core updates and maintain the effectiveness of your online presence. Remember, as explained by the company, Google’s goal is to ensure “we are fulfilling our mission of providing useful and reliable results to users. These changes are broad and not focused on specific sites or pages. As the content on the web changes, we evaluate and update our systems to keep pace.”