Google confirmed on the 3rd of December that the third core algorithm update of the calendar year has begun rolling out. A fair amount of time has passed since the last core update, compared to the average time between these types of updates. The last core update rolled out on May 4th.
It’s likely the pandemic delayed the rollout of Google’s next core update. As more time than usual has passed, could that mean the impact of today’s update will be more impactful?
We won’t know the answer to that today, or even tomorrow, as the rollout process of a core update can take weeks.
Possible impact to websites
Sites that have been diligently working toward improving their rankings may see a reversal of fortunes, so to speak. On the other hand, sites that have not made a concerted effort to optimize their content may see results reflective of that effort.
One thing that’s certain is there will be a noticeable impact. Broad core updates are designed to produce widely noticeable effects across search results in all countries in all languages.
Sites will inevitably notice drops or gains in search rankings when a core update rolls out. Changes in search rankings, either positive or negative, are indicative of content relevancy.