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Google has rolled out its December 2025 core update, which was officially announced on the afternoon of Thursday, December 11th. The update already shows a notable impact on search results, with the most significant changes beginning on Saturday, December 13th, although signs of turbulence appeared starting Friday, December 12th.
This core update, communicated around 12:25 pm ET on December 11th, is expected to take up to three weeks to fully implement. It’s described as a regular update aimed at improving the visibility of relevant and satisfying content across various sites. Typically, shifts in rankings from these updates start to emerge a day or two after the announcement, with more substantial changes often occurring a week or two into the rollout. Additional smaller adjustments might happen even after the primary update concludes, including possible follow-up minor updates.
It’s important to note that reporting through Google Search Console remains delayed, which complicates tracking the precise effects of the update.
What’s being observed in the SEO community? Here’s a summary of initial reactions and discussions:
– Several webmasters report significant drops in traffic, especially from Google Discover, with some noticing declines of up to 98%. Many sites have experienced a loss of rankings overnight, with some falling from top positions to the second or even fourth pages after years of stable performance.
– There are reports of fluctuating keyword positions, where rankings bounce between pages, and discrepancies between mobile and desktop search results.
– Early signs indicate that Google appears to be prioritizing content quality and the intent behind searches. Some sites observe a modest rise in certain well-optimized pages amidst overall turbulence.
– SEO professionals suggest not to obsess over daily position changes, as volatility tends to be high during such updates. Instead, patience and ongoing effort are recommended, with an understanding that these fluctuations are part of the update process.
Various tools monitoring ranking volatility have shown increased activity over the weekend, indicating widespread fluctuations across different platforms such as Semrush, Mozcast, Wincher, and others. These platforms display spikes in ranking instability, reinforcing that the search landscape is shifting significantly.
Many in the community anticipate that more discussions and analyses will surface once more SEO professionals review their data after returning to work on Monday. The overall sentiment is that this update is causing notable upheaval in search rankings, prompting many to reevaluate their strategies accordingly.
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