If you’ve noticed your website traffic shifting this month, you’re not imagining things. Google started rolling out the December 2025 core update on December 11th, and it’s affecting search rankings across the web.
Here’s what’s happening and what you should (and shouldn’t) do about it.
What’s Happening Right Now
Google released its third core update of 2025 on December 11th. The rollout takes up to three weeks, meaning things should settle by early January.
Google described this as “a regular update designed to better surface relevant, satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites.”
In plain English: Google is re-evaluating how it ranks content. Some pages will rank higher. Others will drop. This happens several times per year.
What Is a Core Update, Exactly?
Unlike targeted updates that address specific issues (spam, product reviews, helpful content), core updates affect everything. Google adjusts how its algorithms assess and rank all content across the web.
Think of it as Google recalibrating its entire ranking system. They’re not penalising specific tactics or targeting particular industries. They’re changing how they weigh thousands of signals that determine which pages appear for which searches.
During a core update:
- Rankings shift as Google reassesses content quality
- Some pages gain visibility, others lose it
- The changes aren’t about what you did wrong—they’re about Google deciding what’s more relevant
A page that drops isn’t necessarily “bad.” It might just be that Google now considers other pages more helpful for those searches.
Why Your Traffic Might Be Changing
If you’re seeing fluctuations in your search traffic this month, the core update is the likely explanation.
Normal during a rollout:
- Daily traffic varies more than usual
- Some pages rank higher, some lower
- Different keywords affected differently
- Rankings bounce around before settling
What the data shows:
Multiple SEO tracking tools registered significant ranking movements after the announcement. This is typical. It doesn’t mean your site specifically has a problem—it means Google is making widespread changes.
What You Should Do
Wait.
Seriously. The most important thing you can do right now is nothing.
Google’s own guidance: there are no special recovery techniques. Negative ranking impacts don’t necessarily mean your pages are problematic. Focus on creating helpful content for people, not optimising specifically for search rankings.
Specifically:
- Don’t make panic changes. Rewriting pages, removing content, or restructuring your site based on early fluctuations usually makes things worse.
- Don’t assume the worst. A dip during rollout often recovers once the update completes.
- Do monitor, but don’t react. Track your traffic and rankings, but save your conclusions for January.
- Do focus on your business. Your customers still need you. Keep creating useful content.
Changes made mid-rollout are based on incomplete data. You might “fix” something that was about to recover on its own.
When Should You Be Concerned?
Not every traffic drop requires action. Here’s when to take it seriously:
Concern is warranted if:
- Traffic drops significantly AND stays down after the rollout completes
- Multiple important pages are affected, not just one
- The drop persists for 2-3 weeks after Google confirms the update is finished
- Your traffic doesn’t recover during the next core update cycle
Concern is premature if:
- You’re comparing day-to-day numbers during the rollout
- Only one or two pages are affected
- It’s still December (the update is still rolling out)
If You’ve Been Genuinely Hit
Once the update is complete and you’ve confirmed a sustained drop, then it’s time to act.
Review your content quality:
- Does your content answer what people are actually searching for?
- Is the information accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date?
- Would you trust this content if you found it on someone else’s site?
Check Google’s guidance:
Google publishes questions to help evaluate content quality. Search for “Google helpful content guidelines” and honestly assess your pages against their criteria.
Make sustainable improvements:
Don’t chase quick fixes. The sites that recover from core updates do so by genuinely improving their content—not by tweaking meta tags or adding keywords.
Consider professional help:
If a significant portion of your business depends on organic search and you’ve experienced a major, sustained drop, a professional SEO audit might be worthwhile.
2025 Core Update Timeline
This is Google’s third core update this year:
| Update | Started | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| March 2025 | March | ~14 days |
| June 2025 | June | ~17 days |
| December 2025 | December 11 | Up to 3 weeks |
The pattern is normal. Google typically runs several core updates per year. Each one creates temporary volatility before rankings stabilise.
The Bottom Line
Traffic fluctuations during a core update rollout are normal. Most sites see some movement. Many recover once the update completes.
The worst thing you can do is panic and make hasty changes. The best thing you can do is wait, monitor, and focus on creating genuinely useful content for your audience.
If you’re still seeing significant drops in January after the rollout is confirmed complete, then it’s time to investigate. Until then, patience is your best strategy.
The December 2025 core update began rolling out on December 11, 2025. Google expects it to complete within three weeks.
