Google is deploying a new broad core update today, named the November 2021 Core Update, marking the third core update released by Google in 2021.
The announcement: Google revealed this update rollout through its Google Search Central Twitter account rather than the Search Liaison account, where similar announcements have been made previously.
Later today, we are releasing a broad core update, as we do several times per year. It is called the November 2021 Core Update. Our guidance about such updates is here.
Rollout started at about 11am ET: Google has confirmed that the rollout started at around 11am ET, stating, "The November 2021 Core Update is now rolling out live. As is typical with these updates, it will typically take about one to two weeks to fully roll out."
Timing before holidays: It’s somewhat surprising to see Google powering up this update just before, and likely continuing through, the significant online holiday shopping season. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday less than two weeks away, this update is happening right now.
In the past, Google has paused updates ahead of the holiday shopping season, a gesture that former Googler Matt Cutts referred to as a gift to webmasters.
Danny Sullivan of Google addressed the timing of this update on Twitter, acknowledging the timing feedback for future rollouts like this.
Previous core updates: The most recent core update before this one was the July 2021 core update, preceded by the June 2021 core update, which was slow to roll out but substantial. Prior to these, the December 2020 core update was notably significant, outpacing the May 2020 core update. The January 2020 core update also saw considerable analysis and impact. The September 2019 core update was perceived to be weaker by many SEOs and webmasters, while another update in November was specific to local rankings.
What to do if you are hit: Google has previously provided advice on what to consider if negatively impacted by a core update. There aren’t specific actions to recover, and a negative impact might not indicate anything wrong with your pages. However, Google has provided a list of questions to consider if your site is affected by a core update. Any recovery might occur between core updates, but significant changes are typically observed after another core update.
Why we care: Whenever Google updates its search ranking algorithms, it can result in your site performing better or worse in search results. Understanding when these updates occur helps determine whether changes in site performance are due to modifications you made or alterations in Google’s ranking algorithm. With this core ranking update, it’s advisable to monitor your analytics and rankings over the coming weeks.
