The Google July 2021 core update is now rolling out as of July 1, 2021. This update will take about one to two weeks to fully roll out. Google announced on their Search Liaison account that the update, previously announced, is now rolling out and typically takes 1-2 weeks to finish.
We anticipated another core update this month following the June 2021 core update. The June update took about 10 days to roll out, though most core updates usually take a full 14 days.
The announcement: Google said:
"The July 2021 Core Update, previously announced, is now rolling out. These typically take 1-2 weeks to finish. Our guidance about such updates is provided, and here’s more on how we improve search through updates."
Tons of Google updates: In the past three months, SEOs have experienced multiple search updates rolling out:
- The product reviews update began on April 8 and concluded on April 22.
- The June core update started on June 2 and ended on June 12.
- The page experience update initiated on June 15 and will roll out through the end of August.
- Spam update part one on June 23.
- Spam update part two on June 28.
- And, the July core update on July 1.
We observed some activity over the past couple of days, June 30 and July 1, making it difficult to determine whether it’s related to the spam update, the core update, or something entirely different.
June core update: Google released a core update on June 2, 2021, stating then that since some of the planned improvements for the June update weren’t ready, they would proceed with what was ready and follow up with the rest in the July update. Although an update was expected in July, few anticipated it to begin on the first of the month. Nonetheless, it is here.
The June 2021 core update finished rolling out on June 12, 2021. There is a write-up on the industry’s observations of the June core update.
History: Historically, Google releases a core algorithm update every few months. The June 2021 core update was released about a month ago, but the previous core update before that was the December 2020 Core Update, nearly six months prior. Before that, the May 2020 core update took place on May 4, 2020, about seven months prior to December 2020. This recent update took longer than usual, but another update is expected in about a month.
Previous updates: The most recent update before this was the June 2021 core update and prior to that was the December 2020 core update, which was even more significant than the May 2020 core update. The May 2020 core update was large and broad, taking a few weeks to fully roll out. Before that was the January 2020 core update, with analyses published. The update before that was the September 2019 core update, which felt weaker to many SEOs and webmasters, as it didn’t have as significant an impact as earlier core updates. An update released in November was specific to local rankings.
What to do if you are hit: Google has previously provided advice on considerations if your site is negatively impacted by a core update. There aren’t specific actions to take to recover, and a negative ranking impact may not necessarily mean something is wrong with your pages. Google has offered questions to consider if your site is affected by a core update. Some recovery can be seen between core updates, but the most significant change will usually be observed after another core update.
Why we care: Whenever Google updates its search ranking algorithms, your site’s performance in search results can either improve or decline. Being aware of these updates helps in understanding whether changes in your site’s performance are due to your modifications or changes in Google’s ranking algorithm. With the core ranking update rolling out, monitoring your analytics and rankings over the next few weeks is crucial.
