Google Announces and Rolls out Core Update in June & July 2021

Yesterday Google announced and began rolling out a broad core update to its algorithm. Whilst many are used to Google’s unpredictable updates and announcements, it still can leave the most prepared webmaster or SEO feeling panicked and concerned about how the update will affect their rankings.

Later today, we are releasing a broad core update, as we do several times per year. It is called the June 2021 Core Update. Our guidance about such updates is here:https://t.co/e5ZQUA3RC6

This will be followed by the July 2021 Core update. Here’s more information about that…

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) June 2, 2021

What can we expect from the core update?

It’s important to note that core updates are different from other updates Google releases throughout the year. Notably, core updates are not released as frequently as they change Google’s ranking processes meaning they can have a greater impact on rankings and search overall. 

Whilst many were preparing for the Core Web Vitals update this month, Google announced that they would roll out a core algorithm update on June 2nd and again in July. As this is a broad core update, many sites could be impacted meaning companies may see their rankings go up, down, or remain the same.

The update is a global one, meaning all languages and pages will be updated and it may take up to two weeks to complete. Google has said they will be announcing a date for the July update nearer to the time.

Why are Google releasing two core updates?

Google revealed that some of the improvements for the June update aren’t completely ready, meaning only the parts that are ready will be released in June and when other updates are completed we will see them in the July update.

What happens if my rankings are affected by the update?

For the most part, many will find their rankings might not be affected – however, you might notice your rankings go up or down – in this instance, don’t panic! As there are two updates, you might be impacted by the June update but this could also reverse itself in the July update, meaning you could save yourself a lot of time and work on trying to improve things that may change in a few weeks.

In the instance that your rankings are impacted, remember that doesn’t mean your content or site is bad, the update might just recognise it’s not relevant for how users are searching for that term or product now. Whilst it’s recommended to wait for the second update in July, you might want to start considering how and if users have changed the way they search for terms and if your content needs a refresh in the near future.

Again, if you are lucky enough to see your rankings increase, be prepared to see changes in July. 

Jamie Grant, SEO Strategist here at Kaizen says:

“The release of broad core algorithm updates always makes for interesting times within the SEO industry. Not only do we now have 2 core algorithm updates to keep an eye on, but the page experience update is also still scheduled to roll out in mid-June separately. With these 3 updates in mind, we can expect the SERPS to become incredibly volatile over the next 6-8 weeks.

Whether you start to gain or lose position, it’s critical to keep calm and remember that there will be many readjustments to follow, especially as the 2nd update is rolled out in July.”

Tips on how to approach this core update:

• Don’t panic! First things first, do not panic and do not start changing everything on your website to try and improve your rankings. You might see recovery after the second update in July!
• Get your house in order – whilst we suggest staying away from making major reactionary changes, that doesn’t mean you should neglect your SEO completely. Maybe start to consider how to improve your page quality and experience, you can check your website against Google’s quality rater guidelines and E-A-T signals.
• Wait. SEO is a long game, so being patient helps.
• If you’re still concerned about how the update has impacted your rankings, get in touch with us to speak to an SEO specialist who might be able to help guide you in the right direction.

If you’d like to find out more about Google’s updates and how they can impact your SEO, check out their webmaster’s blog here.