Google has just launched the November 2024 core update, which is expected to take approximately two weeks to fully roll out. Core updates are significant changes to Google’s search ranking algorithms, often impacting website rankings globally.
What You Need to Know About the November 2024 Core Update
Key Highlights:
- Rollout Timeline: The update began on November 20, 2024, and will complete in two weeks.
- Purpose: This update focuses on enhancing the quality of search results by prioritizing helpful and genuinely useful content.
- Previous Update: It follows the August 2024 core update.
Google stated:
“This update is designed to continue our work to improve the quality of our search results by showing more content that people find genuinely useful and less content that feels like it was made just to perform well on Search.”
Advice for Website Owners
If your site is impacted, Google recommends:
- Focus on Helpful Content: Write for people, not just to rank on search engines.
- Evaluate Your Pages: Refer to Google’s list of questions to ensure your content is helpful and reliable.
- Patience: Recovery may happen gradually, often during future core updates.
Google added:
“There’s nothing new or special that creators need to do for this update as long as they’ve been making satisfying content meant for people.”
Recent Core Updates Timeline
| Update Name | Start Date | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| August 2024 Core Update | Aug. 15, 2024 | Sept. 3, 2024 |
| March 2024 Core Update | March 5, 2024 | April 19, 2024 |
| November 2023 Core Update | Nov. 2, 2023 | Nov. 28, 2023 |
| October 2023 Core Update | Oct. 5, 2023 | Oct. 19, 2023 |
| August 2023 Core Update | Aug. 22, 2023 | Sept. 7, 2023 |
| March 2023 Core Update | March 15, 2023 | March 28, 2023 |
Why It Matters
Core updates can cause significant volatility in Google rankings, which may affect your website’s traffic and conversions. Keep monitoring your site’s performance, and use this opportunity to refine your content strategy.