December closed the year with another Google core update and a broader SEO conversation around preferred sources, social data and the way AI search was changing discovery. Search Engine Journal’s December SEO Pulse captured the…

In August 2025, Search Engine Journal covered Google’s Web Guide and what AI-organized search results could mean for SEO strategy. The shift is important because search is moving beyond a simple list of blue links.…

Google’s March 2025 core update rolled out from March 13 through March 27, and Search Engine Journal covered the completion of the update as ranking volatility settled. Around the same time, Trust Insights was talking…

Google’s March 2023 core update was a major SEO event for businesses watching rankings, leads and organic visibility. Like most core updates, it did not target one simple technical issue. It reminded marketers that Google…

In December 2022, Google updated its Search Quality Rater Guidelines and added another E to E-A-T: experience. E-E-A-T stood for experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust, reinforcing the idea that useful content often benefits from first-hand…

In August 2022, Google announced the Helpful Content Update, aimed at rewarding content that leaves visitors feeling satisfied and reducing visibility for content created primarily to rank in search engines. The phrase “people-first content” quickly…

Google released the May 2022 core update on May 25, with rollout expected to take one to two weeks. Like other broad core updates, it was designed to improve the overall relevance and usefulness of…

Google’s November 2021 core update began rolling out on November 17, right before a critical holiday shopping period for many businesses. Core updates are broad changes to Google’s ranking systems, and this timing made the…

In July 2021, Google reminded site owners how to handle commercial links and rolled out a link spam update. The message was straightforward: paid, sponsored and affiliate links need to be qualified properly, and manipulative…

Google released the December 2020 Core Update after a year of unusual search behavior, pandemic disruption and rapid ecommerce growth. For many site owners, it was one more reminder that organic visibility can move even…