Google’s December 2025 Core Update: What It Means For Your SEO

 

 

Search moves fast, and Google continues to shape how brands appear online. On 11 December 2025, Google launched its December 2025 Core Update, the third broad core update of the year, immediately putting SEO performance back under the spotlight for marketers and business owners.

If you’ve noticed fluctuations in rankings or organic traffic recently, this update could be the reason. In light of these changes, we’re going to break down what this update is, what’s changing, how it may affect rankings, and what you should be doing next to protect and improve your search performance. 

What Is the December 2025 Core Update? 

The December 2025 Core Update is a broad algorithm update designed to improve how Google evaluates and ranks content across its search results. 

Unlike targeting updates that focus on spam, links, or specific ranking factors, core updates adjust Google’s overall ranking systems. This means: 

• No specific industry, website type or tactic is being targeted. 
• Ranking changes are the result of Google reassessing content quality and relevance. 
• Gains or losses are relative with some sites rising while others fall. 

The rollout is expected to take up to three weeks, meaning volatility during this period is completely normal. 

What’s Changing With This Update? 

A Broader Re-Evaluation of Content Quality

Google is refining how it determines which content is the most useful, relevant and satisfying for users. Pages that better align with search intent and demonstrate real value may see improvements, while others may lose visibility. 

This isn’t about introducing brand-new ranking factors, it’s about re-weighting existing signals to surface better results. 

Increased Ranking Volatility 

Early data and SEO community feedback indicate noticeable ranking fluctuations, particularly in the days immediately following the update’s launch. Some websites are seeing significant movement, both positive and negative. 

Delayed Performance Reporting 

Google Search Console and other SEO tools may lag behind real-time changes, making it harder to immediately assess the true impact. Clear trends often only emerge once the rollout has fully completed. 

How Will This Affect Search Rankings? 

The impact of the core update can vary widely: 

• Some sites may see traffic and ranking increases without making recent changes. 
• Others may experience drops in impressions and clicks, even if best practices have been followed. 
• Many sites will see little to no noticeable change. 

Importantly, a ranking decline during a core update does not mean your site has been penalised. Instead, it usually means other content is now considered more relevant or useful for certain queries. 

What Should You Do If Rankings Change?

The most important advice during a core update is don’t panic. 

Focus on Content Quality

As critical questions about your content: 

• Does it genuinely answer the user’s question? 
• Is it written for people, not just search engines? 
• Is it comprehensive, accurate and up to date? 

Improving content depth, clarity and usefulness is far more effective than making reactive SEO tweaks. 

Align Content With Search Intent 

Ranking well isn’t just about keywords, it’s about the intent. Review pages that have lost visibility and check whether they truly match what users are trying to achieve when they search. 

AI Snippets

To secure your spot in Google’s AI Overviews alongside the December 2025 Core Update, your content must transition from merely “covering a topic” to providing immediate, answers. This requires an “answer first” structure: place a concise, data-rich summary at the beginning of your pages to serve as a perfect “snippet” for AI models to scan. Pairing this with clear heading hierarchies (H1s, H2s and H3s) and FAQ Schema markup, you provide the technical roadmap Google needs to paraphrase your expertise efficiently. Ultimately, visibility in AI Overviews is an extension of the Core Update’s main goal—prioritising content that satisfies search intent with zero friction.

Strengthen Technical Foundations

While content is central, technical SEO still matters: 

• Page speed and mobile usability 
• Clean site architecture and internal linking 
• Clear indexing and crawlability 

These elements support strong performance during algorithm updates. 

Monitor, Don’t Overreact 

Wait until the rollout is complete before drawing conclusions. Track trends over time rather than day-to-day fluctuations, and avoid making sweeping changes too quickly. 

Best Practices Moving Forward 

Core updates reinforce long-term SEO fundamentals rather than short-term tactics. To stay resilient: 

• Prioritise high-quality, user-focused content. 
• Regularly review and refresh existing pages. 
• Invest in great user experience and site performance. 
• Avoid chasing algorithm loopholes or quick fixes. 

SEO success comes from consistency, not shortcuts. 

Final Thoughts 

The December 2025 Core Update is another step in Google’s ongoing mission to deliver better search results. While ranking changes can be unsettling, they also present opportunities for businesses that focus on quality, relevance and user value. 

If your site has been affected, positively or negatively, now is the time to assess, refine and strengthen your SEO strategy. 

Need help navigating Google’s Core Updates? 

At Laser Red, we help brands stay visible and competitive through algorithm changes with date-driven SEO strategies, content optimisation and performance analysis. 

Whether you’re seeing ranking drops or want to capitalise on new opportunities, our team can help you move forward with confidence. 

Get in touch today to review your SEO performance and build a strategy designed for long-term growth.