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A recent update from Digital Phablet reveals that Google announced its December 2025 core update on Thursday, December 11th. The initial signs of major fluctuations appeared early on December 13th, with some stabilization midweek, but signs of heightened volatility resumed on Saturday, December 20th.
The update was officially disclosed around 12:25 pm ET on December 11th and is expected to roll out over approximately three weeks. Google clarified that this core update aims to enhance the visibility of content that is relevant and satisfying for searchers across diverse website types, with ranking changes typically appearing within a day or two of the announcement. Usually, larger shifts tend to occur one to two weeks in, followed by smaller or even more significant fluctuations over time, possibly including subsequent minor updates.
Currently, it seems we may be witnessing the final wave of fluctuations for this update, although predictions could be off—it’s a common occurrence for the reality to differ from expectations.
Monitoring Tools Indicate Heavy Fluctuations
Various SEO tracking tools show notable spikes, especially over the past two weekends. Some of the prominent tools and their visual data include:
- Semrush: Displaying substantial fluctuations, with a clear spike over the recent weekend.
- Mozcast: Indicating increased volatility, reflecting rapid ranking changes.
- Mangools: Showing a spike in SERP volatility during the same period.
- Accuranker: Confirming significant shifts in rankings.
- Wincher: Reporting notable fluctuations across tracked keywords.
- SERPstat, Algoroo, Advanced Web Rankings, SimilarWeb, Data For SEO, Sistrix, CognitiveSEO, Zutrix, and Wireboard’s Aggregator: All reflect heightened instability, with observable peaks aligning with the update’s rollout.
An aggregated view from Wireboard’s combined tools illustrates these fluctuations on a single, comprehensive chart, emphasizing the widespread impact of this core update.
Industry and Community Sentiment
SEO professionals are actively discussing the recent changes. Some report that the update’s repercussions seem unfavorable, especially in sectors like finance and trending topics like AI-generated content. Notably, some sites experienced significant declines in traffic despite rankings remaining steady or even improving, suggesting user search behavior might be shifting due to broader economic concerns or changes in how Google displays results, such as the reduction of ads or the absence of all-in-one snippets.
Others observe that their ranking positions remain high, yet traffic has decreased markedly, hinting at reduced user engagement or interest. Several site owners report dramatic drops in revenue and traffic—sometimes over 85%—starting around the time the update was released, with some attributing this to Google targeting smaller niche sites.
Industry expert Glenn Gabe notes, through his daily update posts, that initial signs point to ongoing fluctuations, with tools showing spikes and some sites experiencing additional shifts. This ongoing instability underscores the importance of closely monitoring rankings and traffic during this period.
Community Observations
Forum discussions reveal a general consensus of uncertainty and concern. Many site owners report steep declines in traffic and revenue, with some expressing frustration over the unpredictable nature of the algorithm changes. The overall sentiment indicates that the update is affecting a wide range of websites differently, with ongoing monitoring needed to adapt strategies accordingly.
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