SEO in 2025 - Our guide to Understanding Recent Google Updates

As we move into 2025, it’s clear that Google isn’t slowing down when it comes to refining its search algorithms. November and December 2024 were particularly active months, with Google rolling out not one but three significant updates: the November Core Update, the December Core Update, and the December Spam Update. Each update brought its own focus, aiming to improve the quality, relevance, and safety of search results. For businesses and content creators, staying informed about these changes is crucial to maintaining and improving online visibility.

The November 2024 Core Update: Laying the Groundwork

Google’s November Core Update, which began on 11 November and completed by early December, was a broad update designed to refine how content is evaluated and ranked. While details about the update were sparse at first, its effects became clearer as the rollout progressed. This update primarily aimed to:

Promote User-Focused Content : Websites offering genuinely helpful and relevant content were rewarded, while those relying on manipulative tactics saw reduced visibility.

Emphasise AI Overviews : Google enhanced traditional search results by incorporating AI-driven overviews, providing users with more contextual and helpful information.

Key Insights from SEO Experts:

Jack Olrod, Senior SEO & Content Marketing Manager at Next Chapter, advised removing outdated or low-value content, noting, “Don’t be afraid to remove old and outdated content which can’t or won’t be updated. Just don’t forget to add redirects – no one likes a 404 error, especially Google.”

To adapt to the November update, businesses were encouraged to:

Audit and improve existing content to ensure it is aligned with Google’s Helpful Content Guidelines.

Expand short or underperforming articles and optimise content for relevancy and user intent.

Conduct keyword research and content gap analysis to identify new opportunities.

For most websites, the November Core Update served as a foundation for the more targeted updates that would follow in December.

The December 2024 Core Update: Elevating Quality Content

Rolling out just a week after the November update’s completion, the December Core Update began on 12 December and focused on refining Google’s Helpful Content System. This update:

Rewarded High-Quality, User-Focused Content : Websites with original, in-depth, and helpful content saw improvements in rankings. This encouraged creators to prioritise user needs over search engine manipulation.

Refined Content Evaluation : By further enhancing its AI-driven ranking systems, Google ensured that only the most relevant and valuable content was presented to users. 

Seasonal Trends and the Update’s Impact

It’s worth noting that some ranking drops observed during this time may have been influenced by the festive season influx of updates. Traffic fluctuations are common in December anyway, making it essential for website owners to compare performance metrics with the same period in the previous year. This provides a more accurate picture of trends and helps to isolate the true impact of the update, which may only become fully apparent after the holiday season.

The December Core Update reinforced the importance of:

– Crafting comprehensive, user-focused content that addresses specific queries or problems.

– Regularly auditing and updating older content to keep it relevant and accurate.

– Improving technical elements like page speed, mobile-friendliness, and site navigation to enhance user experience.

The December Spam Update: Cracking Down on Manipulation

Starting on 19 December and concluding on 26 December, the December Spam Update was a direct response to harmful or deceptive practices. This update:

– Targeted Black-Hat SEO Tactics : Websites engaging in keyword stuffing, link schemes, or other manipulative practices were penalised – showing a continued focus on promoting successful SEO strategies.

– Improved User Safety : By identifying and removing deceptive or harmful content, Google aimed to foster greater trust in its search results.

For website owners, this meant:

– Avoiding any practices that might be considered manipulative or spammy.

– Ensuring that backlinks were earned organically rather than through paid or low-quality link schemes. This can be done by creating reports including in-depth data and graphs, industry survey results, including expert quotes and expert guest blogs on your site. 

– Creating authentic, user-centric content that aligns with ethical SEO practices.

Seasonal Trends and the Update’s Impact

It’s worth noting that some ranking drops observed during this time may have been influenced by the festive season influx of updates. Traffic fluctuations are common in December anyway, making it essential for website owners to compare performance metrics with the same period in the previous year. This provides a more accurate picture of trends and helps to isolate the true impact of the update, which may only become fully apparent after the holiday season.

What These Updates Mean for SEO in 2025

Together, the November and December updates have significantly reshaped the SEO landscape. Here are the key takeaways:

– Prioritise Quality : Original, helpful, and in-depth content will continue to be rewarded. Conduct regular content audits to ensure your website meets Google’s evolving standards.

– Focus on User Experience : Beyond content, technical factors like site speed, mobile usability, and intuitive navigation are more important than ever.

– Avoid Manipulative Practices : Black-hat tactics are no longer viable. Ethical SEO practices are not just recommended but necessary to maintain visibility.

– Stay Informed : Google’s updates are frequent and impactful. Regularly reviewing your site’s performance and adapting to changes will help you stay competitive. Check back on this blog for regular updates.

– Always Wait for Full Rollout : It’s important to wait until an update is fully rolled out before making any major changes to your SEO strategy. Premature adjustments can sometimes lead to misinterpretations of the update’s impact, causing unnecessary disruptions to your site’s performance.

Also, as AI Overviews became more prominent, it is leading to changes in user behavior. Many users now prefer receiving a quick answer from an AI Overview rather than navigating to a website for detailed information. This shift in user behavior is reshaping how websites attract visitors and may have a direct impact on click-through rates. Since AI Overviews often answer questions directly in the search results, users may be less inclined to click on the websites that traditionally provided those answers. For websites that previously ranked high for such queries, this shift may lead to a decrease in traffic, particularly for short-answer content. To adapt to this change, businesses should focus on optimising their content for AI Overviews. The key is to provide well-structured, expert-led answers that directly address common questions. Ensuring that your content is concise, authoritative, and formatted for easy extraction by AI-driven search features can increase the likelihood of appearing in AI-generated responses while maintaining valuable organic traffic.

Planning Ahead – SEO in 2025

The updates from late 2024 are a clear signal that Google is doubling down on its commitment to quality and user experience. For businesses, this means an opportunity to build stronger, more sustainable SEO strategies rooted in value-driven content and ethical practices. If you’re unsure how to navigate these changes, seeking advice from SEO professionalscan help you optimise your website and maintain your rankings in 2025 and beyond.

Need help adapting to Google’s latest updates? Get in touchto ensure your SEO strategy is future-proof.