December 11, 2025 — PST:
Google has launched the December 2025 Core Update, and it is expected that it will take a maximum of three weeks for completion. It is among Google’s biggest broad core updates, which are some system-wide enhancements made by Google with an intention to improve search result quality, usefulness, and accuracy.
Google makes it very clear that core updates are not aimed at specific sites and pages. Google rescales the entire internet with an intention to rank better and more useful content.
Core Update and Google’s Ecosphere
Core updates might cause observable changes in rankings, particularly among sites engaging in competitive niches. Although some might not be immediately affected, it is recommended that sites that experience an abrupt drop in traffic check their value for users and relevance.
Google illustrates core updates with an analogy related to maintaining a “Top 20 list”:
These core updates are
“If some restaurants move down, it doesn’t mean they got worse. It just means new, better options have emerged.”
In SEO parlance:
It can happen that you lose rankings not because your content is no good, but because someone else’s content improved more.
How to Check if Your Website Has Been Impacted By December 2025 Core Update
Google advises on a structured approach like this:
Throughout
More Read
- Verify the Rollout Timeline
It is recommended that you check the Search Status Dashboard to check the dates for your search engine update.
- Wait 1 Week After Rollout Completes
It prevents reaction based on temporary changes in rankings.
- Comparison of Search Console Performance
Compare and analyze the week before and after completing the rollout.
- Assessing Position Drops Except for
- Small drop (Position 2 → 4): No drastic action required
- Large drop (Position 4 → 29): Diving into content and site evaluation
- Check by Search Type
Drops in Web, Images, Video, or News might have different considerations.
What To Do If Your Rankings Dropped
If your rankings
- Google recommends SEOs against “quick fixes.”
- Prioritize Meaningful and User-Centric Improvements
- Enhance Depth, Understandability, and Usefulness
- Improve internal linking and topical relevance
- Improve readability and organization
- Update old sections with new findings
Be more specific with real-world examples and data
Real-world Example I
Deleting Content Should Only Be A Last Resort
And only when content is:
- Outdated beyond repair
- Thin, low-quality, or created without value
- Designed for search engines, not people
Eliminating unhelpful pages may improve search engine rankings for more useful pages.
When Will Rankings Recover?
Improvements could be realized in:
- Days – for small and qualitative changes
- Months – Major site-wide enhancements
Google also makes it clear that there’s no need to wait for a core algorithm update in order to improve your search rankings. Smaller updates happen constantly and will result in your content improving as soon as Google detects these changes.
Key Takeaway for SEO Teams
The December 2025 Core Update continues Google’s movement towards:
- People-first content
- Specialized knowledge
- Reliable, verifiable information
- Depth vs. keyword repetition
A drop in rankings calls for more than technical tricks; it calls for better content.
