March 2024 Core Update
Google's 45-day March 2024 core update moved helpful content into core and added three spam policies. Here is how to check your site and recover.
Core Updates● Active
UPDATE TRACKER
Google Algorithm Updates, explained in plain words.
The biggest Google updates since 2011: what it looked for, which sites lost traffic, and what to check on your own site. Dates come from Google's own announcements.
12updates explained
16years of history
4now part of core
2spam updates
2024
2022
Link Spam Update 2022
In December 2022 Google aimed SpamBrain, its AI spam system, at links. Bought and swapped links stopped passing credit, in every language.
Spam Updates● Active
Helpful Content Update
The helpful content update hit search-first content from August 2022. Since March 2024 it is part of core ranking, so recovery means site-wide fixes.
Content Quality◆ In core
2021
Page Experience
The 2021 page experience update made Core Web Vitals a ranking signal. Google retired it as a named system in 2023, but the signals still count.
Local & Mobile■ Retired
Product Reviews Update
Launched in April 2021, the product reviews update pushed thin, copied reviews down. It is now the reviews system, and Google updates it quietly.
Content Quality● Active
2019
BERT
BERT helps Google understand each word in the context of the whole search. It launched in October 2019 and is still active today.
Ranking Systems● Active
2018
Medic (August 2018 Core)
The August 2018 broad core update hit many health and money sites. The industry called it "Medic", but Google never used that name.
Core Updates◆ In core
2015
RankBrain
RankBrain is Google's machine learning system for understanding searches. Google revealed it in October 2015, and it is still active today.
Ranking Systems● Active
Mobile-Friendly Update
On April 21, 2015, Google made mobile-friendliness a stronger ranking signal in mobile search. The named system is retired, but mobile usability still counts.
Local & Mobile■ Retired
2013
Hummingbird
Hummingbird was a new core engine that helped Google understand the meaning of whole queries. Google announced it in September 2013 and says it went live in August 2013.
Ranking Systems■ Retired
2012
Penguin
Penguin launched in April 2012 to demote link schemes and keyword stuffing. Since 2016 it runs in real time inside Google's core algorithm and devalues spam links.
Spam Updates◆ In core
2011
Panda
Panda launched in February 2011 to push down shallow and copied pages. It became part of Google's core ranking systems in 2015, and its lessons still apply.
Content Quality◆ In core
No update matches that search.