Google December 2025 Core Update Rolling Out

12/11/25
Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article

TL;DR Summary of Google December 2025 Core Update: What SEOs Need to Know

The Google December 2025 Core Update began rolling out on December 11 and will take up to three weeks to complete. It is a broad, global update aiming to improve the relevance and satisfaction of search results across all site types and languages. This update is not a penalty but a reward system promoting high-quality content and also affects Google Discover and featured snippets. SEO professionals report notable ranking fluctuations and traffic volatility during the rollout period.

Optimixed’s Overview: Understanding the Impact and Timeline of Google’s December 2025 Broad Core Update

Rollout Details and Core Update Characteristics

Google officially announced the December 2025 Broad Core Update on December 11, 2025, at approximately 12:25 pm ET. The update is expected to take up to three weeks to fully roll out worldwide. This core update continues Google’s ongoing effort to better surface relevant, satisfying content for users across all types of websites, languages, and regions.

Key Features of the December 2025 Core Update

  • Global Reach: Applies to all regions and languages, impacting search results universally.
  • Content Focus: Targets all types of content with no penalties; instead, it rewards high-quality and relevant pages.
  • Impact on Google Features: Affects Google Discover, featured snippets, and other search features.
  • Periodic Refreshes: Google may periodically refresh this update without always announcing future changes.

Historical Context and Previous Updates

This is the third confirmed core update of 2025 following the March and June core updates, alongside a significant spam update in August. Google has a long history of such core updates, with periodic announcements since 2019. The December 2025 update aligns with Google’s goal to provide more frequent core updates, although the schedule has varied this year.

SEO Community Reaction and Volatility

The SEO community has noticed increased ranking volatility and traffic fluctuations coinciding with the update’s rollout. Some site owners report significant traffic drops, demotion of top-ranking pages, and reduced conversions. This aligns with typical patterns observed during core updates, where site owners must reassess and improve their content quality to recover or gain ranking improvements.

Tracking and Resources

Several SEO tracking tools like Semrush, Mozcast, Algoroo, and others are monitoring the update’s impact. Website owners and SEOs are encouraged to analyze their performance data and follow Google’s core update advice to adapt effectively.