Google Rolls Out December 2024 Core Update

Just as digital marketers were breathing a sigh of relief as last month’s Organic Search volatility seemed to subside, Google announced yet another core update.

How could they possibly have released another one so soon? Is there anything specific that site owners should be aware of? Are Google core updates occurring more frequently? We’ll answer these questions and more as we cover the latest Google core update.

Google announced the update on December 12, estimating the rollout would take roughly two weeks.

December’s core update dropped just one week after the prior core update finished its rollout. The November core update started on November 11 and finished over three weeks later on December 5.

It’s this rapid-fire timing, not the update itself, that has irked so many digital marketers.

Yes, core updates are happening more frequently.

Google confirmed this at the Google Search Central Live event in Zurich, saying we should expect more frequent core updates.

It remains to be seen whether that means Google announces more rollouts or the updates occur in real-time and go unannounced.

Why does Google plan to step up the volume and frequency of core updates to Search?

Because Google is constantly working to improve Search, and there’s no good reason to hold back or postpone updates that would immediately improve searchers’ experience.

In the big picture, Google intends to make these updates continual; a steady, ongoing effort rather than significant events.

That doesn’t necessarily mean we should expect less disruption and volatility. However, it does mean we should continually optimize our pages in line with Google’s direction for Search to maximize visibility.

To be fair, Google core updates aren’t the easiest things to learn about, in part because Google tells us virtually nothing about them.

Occasionally, Google announces the specific system(s) or issue(s) targeted by a core update, but even this is rare. Other than that, Google releases no practical information about the function or impact of its core updates.

Despite being told so little, it’s vital that we keep up with core updates because each one marks a step forward in the evolution of Search.

Search isn’t static, so your website can’t afford to be, either. If you want your brand to appear on increasingly crowded SERPs, you must optimize your site to align with Google’s vision of a valuable search result.

You can’t optimize for Search if you don’t understand how Search is changing. And if you aren’t optimizing, you run the real risk of being left behind.

When it comes to Organic Search marketing, we’re all dreading the same thing: Google’s latest core update tanked our keyword rankings for reasons that aren’t immediately apparent.

Adding insult to injury is Google’s boilerplate guidance: Just because your rankings suffered, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with your site. Other sites are outranking yours simply because they’re doing better, so you really don’t have anything to worry about.

Are you serious?

While that may be technically true, it doesn’t change the fact that you need high Organic Search rankings to drive traffic, conversions, and revenue. You can’t afford to simply ride it out, as Google’s guidance may seem to suggest.

The first step is to perform a technical audit, either using tools from a paid platform or exploring data in Google Search Console and Google Analytics.

Through this audit, you can identify any technical issues (indexing, robots.txt, 404s, etc.) that could have caused a sudden drop in your rankings.

If your Core Web Vitals or PageSpeed scores have suddenly plummeted, it’s a sign that your dev team needs to examine anything causing these performance issues.

Performance itself isn’t what Google cares about. Remember, it’s all about how your site’s performance contributes to or detracts from UX.

After that, look at your content, especially if you haven’t updated it in a while or your brand isn’t consistently publishing content in accordance with industry best practices.

Remember, since Google’s huge updates in late 2022 and early 2023, we’ve been living in the Helpful Content era. That means placeholder copy on PDPs, thin blog posts stuffed with keywords, and pieces of content containing jargon or devoid of practical guidance are no longer helping your pages rank.

Follow Google’s guidance for creating helpful, reliable, people-first content and avoid over-leveraging AI writing tools. Focus on E-E-A-T, write for your audience, and cover each topic comprehensively to serve individual users and establish your brand as an authoritative voice within your vertical.

Remember, what the rest of the ecosystem thinks of your website matters. If you don’t have trustworthy sites linking back to your content, it will hinder your brand’s Organic Search visibility.

That’s why link building is key to Organic Search success. By creating best-of-web content and performing outreach to have your content syndicated elsewhere on the web, with links back to your site, you can establish or enhance your brand’s authority.

This is a crucial signal that Google evaluates in determining whether (and where) your brand should rank in organic results. Yes, link building requires a fair amount of bandwidth, but it’s an effort that pays dividends in the long run.

Working proactively to stay ahead of Google’s core updates takes some effort, but recovering from a severe drop in rankings can be even more labor-intensive. The best way to stay ahead of the curve is to partner with a trusted digital marketing agency and start optimizing today.

As an ROI-focused agency, VELOX creates and manages fully tailored campaigns to drive exponential growth. Our experts conservatively target 400 to 800% ROI and consistently exceed client expectations, which is why we’re recognized as a Google Partner, among the top 3% of agencies worldwide.

Don’t let the next core update erase your Organic Search visibility. Contact VELOX today for your free marketing plan and chart your course to sustained search dominance.