December 2024 brought not one but two significant updates to Google’s search algorithms: the December 2024 Core Update and the December 2024 Spam Update. Both were designed to improve the quality of search results, but they’ve certainly kept website owners and SEOs on their toes.
The timing of the updates does seem a bit mean as they were so close to the Christmas holiday period. It’s a horrible time to see a core update rolled out as there are already natural rank fluctuations at Christmas due to the season changes. It might take some businesses a long time to even realise that they had been hit, and then when they did it could be difficult to recover during a holiday period
Let’s break it down so you know what’s happened and what it means for your website.
(I have included references to the relevant Google documentation at the bottom of this post – I highly recommend that you bookmark them)
Google makes core updates several times a year and they are announced in advance. The December 2024 Core Update rolled out between 12th and 18th December, making it one of Google’s quickest core updates yet. It followed hot on the heels of the November 2024 Core Update, which had barely settled in before this new one came along.
This is what Google said about the previous November Core Update
“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.”
As with most core updates, there were winners and losers. Some websites saw a nice traffic boost, while others experienced a drop – particularly sites that had gained during November’s update.
It’s not always easily possible to determine exactly what has changed due to the secretive nature of the updates, but it’s possible that this update could have been a “fix” to the November update. That could explain why it was so quick to roll out and so fast in succession. It would also explain why we have observed a reversal of some of the website that had dropped in November.
Not long after the core update, the December 2024 Spam Update began on 19th December and wrapped up by Boxing Day. This one wasn’t about links (as some recent updates have been) but tackled general spam instead. Google used this update to crack down on practices that violate their spam policies, like keyword stuffing or sneaky cloaking techniques.
If your website follows Google’s rules and focuses on creating genuine, user-focused content, you’ve probably got nothing to worry about. But those using shortcuts or spammy tactics may have noticed a drop in rankings.
It seems that Google is trying hard to use their technology and their algorithm to find and deliver helpful content to users. Content that people will read and will look for again.
As a website designer and developer, I know how much effort goes into building and maintaining a website – and updates like these can feel daunting. The good news is that Google’s updates are always aimed at improving the user experience, so focusing on quality will always pay off.
Here are some tips to keep your site in good shape:
If your rankings took a hit in December, don’t panic. Algorithm updates can shake things up temporarily, and the key is to keep focusing on what matters most: great content, a solid user experience, and staying true to your brand.
If you’re unsure how these updates have affected your site or need help improving your search performance, let’s chat. Whether it’s SEO tweaks or a full website overhaul, I’d love to help you get things back on track!
You can also read all our SEO tips & articles here.
References from Google
