Google’s December 2024 core update rolled out quickly, coming just one month after the November core update. This back-to-back release was unusual, and the timing made volatility even trickier to pin down. The sweet spot remained the same: reward helpful, high-quality content and reduce visibility for thin or spammy material.
Update Alert:
December 2024: Google released the December 2024 core update on December 12, with the rollout completing on December 18, 2024.
Timeline & Volatility
- This update lasted just 6 days, much faster than November’s 23-day update.
- Ranking turbulence was noted during the week of Dec 12–18, followed almost immediately by a spam update (Dec 19–26) (ADD LINK).
- Because the spam update overlapped, some traffic changes were harder to attribute purely to the core update.
Sweet Takeaways
- Unusual timing: Two core updates in back-to-back months is rare for Google.
- Volatility felt stronger in some niches like health and eCommerce, while fintech saw more stability in top results.
- Signs of recovery: Some sites negatively hit in earlier 2024 updates saw small rebounds this time.
- Spam overlap: Drops right after Dec 18 may be tied more to the spam update than the core algorithm itself.
What You Should Do
- If you saw recovery, keep feeding Google fresh, trustworthy content to hold your sweet spot.
- Check Search Console and GA4 for shifts between Dec 12–18 (core update) vs Dec 19–26 (spam update).
- Audit affected pages: Are they thin, outdated, or lacking authority signals?
- Watch for competitors who may have gained ground. What candy are they offering that you aren’t?
cyberlicious® Tip: When updates come this close together, it’s extra important to separate noise from the real signal. If your site felt the December shakeup, our SEO experts can help review your recipe and whip up a plan for the next rollout.