December 2024 Google Core Algorithm Update Now Live

Google has released the December 2024 Core Algorithm update just one week after the November 2024 core update finished rolling out.

Google has advised that the update will take two weeks to complete which takes us right past Christmas as an end-point for the December 2024 core update.

This is the 4th core algorithm update of 2024 and perhaps most surprisingly it falls between the (previously) sacred algorithm cease fire that we expect to see between Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas.

December Core Update Launches 5 Days After November Update

The November 2024 core update launched on the 11th of November and continued for 24 days through until the 5th of December. So, less than a week later and Google has launched another core update which begs the question – why?

According to Google, the December 2024 core update will target different core systems.

If you’re wondering why there’s a core update this month after one last month, we have different core systems we’re always improving.

What does that mean? Well, to take a simplistic view of how core algorithm updates work, it could mean that this algorithm update will focus more on on-site signals, on technical ranking factors, on content, or on off-site signals – but we don’t know which one at this stage.

As we saw in 2023 with the October core update which was swiftly followed by the November core update, each targeted different things.

At the time, Google said:

We have different systems that are considered core to our ranking process; this month’s core update involves an improvement to a different core system than last month.

We use automated systems to rank search results, and like anything, these aren’t perfect. We’re always looking at ways to improve these systems to show better results.

So, we are seeing the same thing here. If you’re wondering why they don’t just wait and push the November and December core updates live as one “bigger update”, here’s what Google has to say on that in the “A Q&A on Google Search updates” published back on Thursday, November 2, 2023.

We do try to separate notable updates, so that if they produce changes, site owners can better identify which system is involved.

In addition, when an update is evaluated and approved because it will make Search better, we don’t want to hold that back.

What to expect in the December 2024 core update

Google has not provided specific advice on the ranking systems that will change and what will be affected during the December 2024 core update.

As a guide, here is what you should know about core updates:

Update

The December 2024 update took just 6 days to roll out – the shortest update in recent memory.

One day after the December 2024 update concluded, Google announced the December 2024 Spam Update. This is the seventh and (likely) final update for 2024.