Google Algorithm Updates List

Updated 9/18/2024

This update focuses on promoting high-quality content while reducing the rankings of low-value SEO-driven content. The rollout took about a month to complete.

Aimed at improving the detection and handling of spammy websites, enhancing the quality of search results globally.

Expanded AI Overviews, more planning and research capabilities, and AI-organized search results

Primarily a continuation of the March 2024 core and spam updates. The update aimed to enhance the quality of search results by refining how Google handles spammy content, expired domains, and site reputation issues. This update also included several manual actions taken by Google to address search spam policy violations. Additionally, Google rolled out improvements to Core Web Vitals and clarified their importance as ranking factors.

The spam update targeted sites that engaged in manipulative SEO practices, such as link spam or keyword stuffing. This update was part of Google’s ongoing effort to fight spam by penalizing or deindexing sites that use unethical techniques to manipulate search rankings.

The March 2024 update was notable for merging the Helpful Content System into the core algorithm, making helpfulness a key aspect across multiple ranking factors. This core update also introduced new spam-related policies and targeted low-quality, manipulative content. It took about 45 days to fully roll out.

Effort to improve the quality of product review content in search results. This update emphasized promoting in-depth, well-researched reviews that provide unique insights rather than brief or surface-level summaries.

The fourth and final core algorithm update of the year. It began rolling out on November 2 and finished on November 28. The update was characterized by significant volatility, similar to previous updates, and had a notable impact on many websites’ search rankings. It also overlapped with the November 2023 Reviews Update, which focused on all types of review content, including services and media, making it challenging to separate the effects of each update.

Began on November 8 and took 29 days to fully roll out. It broadened its scope beyond product reviews to include reviews of services, businesses, destinations, and media, encouraging more detailed and original content. This update aimed to reward high-quality, insightful reviews and downgrade low-value, shallow content

This update further refined Google’s emphasis on high-quality, relevant content. Like most core updates, it caused significant shifts in rankings, especially for content-heavy websites.

Started on September 14 and concluded on September 28. It focused on improving the relevance of search results by prioritizing original, helpful content and downgrading content created primarily for SEO purposes. The update significantly impacted sites with unoriginal or overly optimized content, especially within the SEO industry.

Another core update focused on ranking high-quality content while reducing the impact of lower-quality material.

Expanded Google’s focus beyond just product reviews to include reviews of services, media, and other items. It aimed to reward content that provides detailed, in-depth, and original analysis, especially from people with firsthand experience or deep knowledge of the subject. The update encouraged reviews that go beyond generic summaries, offering unique insights and helpful information to users.

The first major core update of 2023, it focused on improving the relevance and accuracy of search results. Many sites saw shifts in rankings, but Google did not specify the exact factors it targeted.

The reviews system aims to better reward high quality reviews, which is content that provides insightful analysis and original research and is written by experts or enthusiasts who know the topic well.