Millions of searches land on Google every minute. Its ranking systems decide, within milliseconds, which pages deserve the click. This guide explains how Google’s algorithm works and tracks the most important updates, including the core updates in 2024-2025.
What is the Google Algorithm?
You may have heard of a Google algorithm update coming up but don’t fully comprehend what it means. Algorithms refer to the systems that a search engine uses to retrieve data from its index in response to a query. It is because of algorithms that Google can rank websites on SERPs.
How the Google Algorithm Works
Google first crawls pages, then indexes content it can fetch and understand, and finally ranks results using hundreds of signals. Since March 2024, Google has rolled multiple ‘helpfulness’ signals into its core systems, with additional core and spam updates through 2025 to reduce unoriginal or reputation-abuse content.
Google Algorithm Update History (2003-2025)
From Florida (2003) to the June 2025 Core Update, Google’s changes have aimed to surface original, satisfying results while reducing spam and unhelpful content.
November 2003, Florida Update
Google wiped out platforms that employed dirty tricks to move up the SERPs like invisible text, keyword stuffing and hidden links.
September 2005, Jagger
Google’s Jagger update was in three phases with the first one in September and Jagger 2 being the most significant. It got rid of manipulative link building.
December 2005, Big Daddy
A restructuring of the infrastructure that changed how Google dealt with certain technical aspects like redirects and URL canonicalization.
January 2009, – Vince
The update benefited big brand domains that use competitive keywords.
August 2009, Caffeine
This algorithm increased the indexing efficiency of Google, which improves results.
April 2010, MayDay
The update improved results for long-tail queries.
February 2011, Panda
The update focused on keyword stuffing, thin content and plagiarised/duplicate material.
April 2011, Panda 2.0
Google added more signals.
August 2011, Panda 2.4
International update
October 2011, Panda 3.0
Additional signals to the Panda update.
November 2011, Freshness
Change in the algorithm to provide fresher results.
January 2012 Page Layout
The update focused on pages with too many ads at the top.
February 2012, Venice
Google used IP addresses and physical location to improve searches.
April 2012, Penguin
This update in the Google algorithm change history, Penguin, shifted from punitive penalties to real-time devaluation (2016), reducing the impact of manipulative links without sitewide punishment.
May 2012, Penguin 1.1
Refresh
June 2012, Panda update
Google confirmed a refresh of the Panda algorithm started rolling out on this date, impacting less than 1 percent of U.S. queries and ~1 percent of worldwide queries. Ranking tools suggested it was bigger than more recent Panda updates.
September 2012, Exact Domain Match
It got rid of spammy and low-quality EDMs.
June 2013, Payday Loan
An update targeting spammy searches for industries like payday loans.
August 2013, Hummingbird
The update improved how Google responded to searches by factoring in more complex queries using co-occurring terms, semantic indexing and synonyms.
June 2014, Payday
The Google algorithm update concentrated on spammy queries and negative SEO attacks (read here for more information about SEO).
July 2014, Pigeon
The Pigeon update concentrated on local search. By linking the core and local algorithm, Google could influence search results, depending on the location of the user.
September 2014, Panda update
Additional signals helped Panda detect low-quality content.
October 2014, Penguin 3.0
A refresh of the Penguin update.
April 2015, Mobile
The update improved the ranking of mobile responsive sites on mobile searches.
May 2015, Quality update
An update on the engine’s access to signals.
October 2015, RankBrain
It incorporated machine learning to deliver the most suitable results for search queries.
January 2016, Panda Core Algorithm
Google incorporated Panda into the algorithm; it was no longer just a filter.
May 2016, Mobilegeddon 2
Increased the effect of ranking mobile-friendly sites.
June 2016, Quality update
An unconfirmed update focusing on content was detected.
September 2016, Possum
The Possum update impacted local results by diversifying them and removing spam with the closest local businesses ranking higher on SERPs.
September 2016, Penguin 4.0
The update devalued links.
November 2016, unconfirmed
A flourish of activity on SERPs indicated an unknown update.
January 2017, intrusive interstitials
This update targeted intrusive interstitials that affect mobile devices.
February 2017, Unconfirmed
The update was significant enough to cause sifts in SERP ranking.
March 2017, Fred
The update targeted low-quality content that was made for affiliates and ads.
May 2017, quality update
Tracking tools detected changes in SERPs for pages with aggressive advertising.
July 2017 unconfirmed
A potential quality update was detected.
August 2017, Quality update
Although unconfirmed, a quality update targeted thin content, category pages and aggressive advertising.
September 2017, Unconfirmed
Fluctuations in search visibility and traffic indicated some Google algorithm update.
December 2017, Maccabees
Although some websites reported changes, Google called them minor adjustments.
March 2018, Broad Core
Google rolled out the broad core update to reward previously overlooked pages.
April 2018, Broad Core Update
Another broad core update focusing on content relevance.
August 2018, Broad Core
A broad core update was released as a follow up to the March update.
September 2018, Small Updates
Fluctuations in website ranking hinted at an ongoing update, which Google later confirmed.
October 2018, Unconfirmed
Report from webmasters indicated that Google might have released an update although there was little evidence.
February 2019, Unconfirmed
Although Google did not give the official word, some websites reported evidence of an update just before Valentine’s Day.
March 2019, Core Update
Google confirmed a global update and recommended following the already established guidelines.
- Google released a broad core search algorithm on March 12 (SEL)
- Google Names The 3/12 Update The “March 2019 Core Update” (SER)
April, 2019, Deindexing Bug
Google has confirmed a bug that caused pages to drop from their previous rankings. Google announced this and took about 6 days to fix. Google, however, did not reveal other details.
May 2019, Indexing Bug
Google has confirmed a bug that caused new content or pages to not being indexed. However, Google has resolved it within two days after that.
June 2019, Core Update
Google confirmed a global update. Read more details at the following link.
September 2019, Core Update
Google has announced an update again. This update will affect how Google ranks web sites and how Google determines what is the most relevant web page for a specific query.
Knowing how the Google algorithm works is an added advantage for any website owner and digital marketer.
What Changed in the 2024-2025 Core Updates?
Google’s 2024-2025 core updates focused on rewarding original, people-first content and tightening enforcement against spammy patterns. In practice, sites with thin, duplicative, or auto-generated pages tended to lose visibility, while pages that directly satisfy search intent gained.
- Helpfulness folded into core systems: Pages that demonstrate expertise, first-hand experience, and clear answers see more stable performance.
- Quality over quantity: Large volumes of lightly edited or templated content are less likely to rank—even if technically optimized.
- Link signals cleaned up: Manipulative link patterns are more easily ignored or devalued; authentic, context-rich links matter more.
- Sitewide impact varies: Fluctuations can be page- or section-specific. Audit by template, topic, and intent, not just domain-wide.
- User experience counts: Clear headings, fast loads, minimal intrusive ads, and helpful internal links all support “satisfaction.”
Want richer result types? Validate structured data (schema) and keep your content up to date.
How to Recover After a Core Update (Checklist)
If rankings dropped around a core update, avoid quick fixes. Use this short, repeatable process to diagnose and rebuild.
- Map intent & gaps: For your key pages, confirm the primary query intent (informational, commercial, local). Rewrite sections to answer it directly.
- Demonstrate first-hand expertise: Add examples, data, screenshots, author bios, and clear sourcing. Remove generic filler.
- Consolidate thin pages: Merge overlapping posts into a single, deeper resource. Noindex true “zombie” pages.
- Improve UX signals: Tighten headings, add helpful tables/FAQs, reduce intrusive ads, and surface relevant internal links.
- Refresh structure: Add descriptive H2/H3s, clarify introductions, and include updated dates where useful.
- Fix crawl & index bloat: Audit internal linking, canonical tags, parameter pages, and faceted navigation.
- Validate schema: Implement FAQ, HowTo, Organization, and Article markup where appropriate.
- Measure & iterate: Track by template and topic cluster, not just overall sessions.
Start here: What to do when your website traffic suddenly drops. For hands-on help, see Technical SEO or Managed SEO.
