Hassan Khan
If you’ve been staring at your Google Analytics wondering why your traffic chart suddenly looks like a roller coaster, you’re not alone. Over the past six weeks, the SEO community has been buzzing with discussions about one of the most unpredictable core updates we’ve seen in years.
The June 2025 Google Core Update officially began rolling out on June 30 and wrapped up on July 17. But here’s the twist: the ranking volatility didn’t calm down after the rollout finished. In fact, even weeks later, website owners are still seeing major traffic swings some reporting drops of 50 to 70%, others celebrating unexpected surges.
This isn’t just another “small tweak” in Google’s system. This update has shaken rankings across multiple industries, making it one of the most impactful updates of 2025. In fact, my own website was hit hard traffic that averaged around 200,000 visits per month droped to just 50,000 almost overnight. The drop was so sudden it felt like the floor had been pulled out from under my analytics dashboard, and I know many site owners are experiencing the same shock right now.
What Is a Core Update?
A Google Core Update is a broad change to Google’s search ranking systems aimed at improving the overall quality and relevance of search results. It’s not about fixing one specific issue it’s about refining how Google evaluates content across the web.
See More: Site hit by a Google update? Don’t panic! A Guide to Recover Your Website
With each core update, Google reassesses which pages provide the most value for a given query. This means some sites rise in rankings while others fall, depending on how well they meet Google’s quality standards and user intent signals.
The Current Situation: Ranking Turbulence Everywhere
Since this update rolled out, SEO tracking tools like Semrush, MozCast, SERPstat, and CognitiveSEO have reported sustained volatility well beyond the official rollout period.
Some site owners report:
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My global traffic dropped 60% in just two days.
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Pages that hadn’t ranked in years are suddenly getting traffic.
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Local business traffic is up, but global traffic has tanked.
This level of turbulence shows Google is still making adjustments post update meaning the dust hasn’t fully settled.
Google Search Updates 2025
1. March 2025 Core Update
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Start Date: March 13, 2025
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End Date: March 27, 2025
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Google made broad changes to its search ranking algorithms, causing some sites to gain traffic and others to lose traffic.
No 2. June 2025 Core Update
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Start Date: June 30, 2025
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End Date: July 17, 2025
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Significant ranking volatility was observed.
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Some sites that were negatively affected by the 2023 Helpful Content Update saw recovery.
No 3. AI-Driven Search Features (August 2025)
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AI Mode Button: A new AI Mode option added inside the search box.
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AI Overviews: Automatically summarizes search results (reducing user clicks).
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Search Live with Video: Integration of live video directly in search results.
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Lens Integration + Circle to Search: Search directly using an image or screenshot.
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File Upload & Canvas Planner: Ability to upload files in search and use AI-based planning tools.
Read More: In search results, Google updates its definition of ‘top ads’
Recovery Strategies for Impacted Sites
If your traffic took a hit, here’s your action plan:
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Update older content with fresh examples, stats, and visuals.
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Boost E-E-A-T signals (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
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Align content with search intent informational, transactional, or navigational.
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Improve technical SEO: site speed, mobile responsiveness, and fixing broken links.
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Build high quality backlinks from trusted sources.
Conclusion: Google Core Update
The Google Core Update 2025 is a reminder that rankings aren’t permanent they’re earned continuously. Focus on delivering real value, demonstrating expertise, and creating a great user experience. Websites that adapt to these changes won’t just recover they’ll come back stronger in the next update.
