Google has a rich history of renowned algorithm updates, search index changes, and refreshes. Below, we present a comprehensive timeline of the major Google search algorithm updates:
How Often Does Google Update its Search Algorithms?
Google search is in a constant state of evolution. In 2020 alone, Google made approximately 4,500 changes to its search system, which included updates to its ranking algorithms, user interface, and more. Additionally, Google conducted over 600,000 experiments. On average, Google modifies its search algorithm around 12 times per day.
History of Google Algorithm Updates: 2003 to Present
Here is a chronological overview of the noteworthy Google algorithm updates:
2022 Google Algorithm Updates
December 2022 Link Spam Update (Dec. 14)
- This global update targeted spammy links, aiming to neutralize the influence of unnatural links. It coincided with the helpful content system update from Dec. 6. The complete rollout of the link spam update was expected to take about two weeks.
Google Helpful Content System Update (Dec. 6)
- This update introduced new signals to Google’s classifier and expanded the helpful content update to all languages globally. The rollout was projected to span up to two weeks.
October 2022 Spam Update (Oct. 19)
- Google implemented improvements to its systems that identify search spam. While Google did not specify the exact focus of this update (links, content, etc.), it affected all languages globally and was swiftly rolled out within 48 hours.
September 2022 Product Reviews Update (Sept. 20)
- The second Product Reviews Update of the year, aiming to reward English-language product reviews that provide useful insights to searchers. The rollout concluded on Sept. 26.
September 2022 Core Update (Sept. 12)
- The second core update of the year, following the completion of the helpful content update rollout. This update seemed less impactful compared to previous core updates, including the May 2022 core update. Rollout completed on Sept. 26.
Helpful Content Update (Aug. 25)
- Google introduced the helpful content update, which emphasizes the importance of content that aids and informs users rather than focusing solely on search ranking. The rollout began on Aug. 25 and concluded on Sept. 9. Google provided a list of 15 questions for content creators to evaluate their content from a user-centric perspective.
July 2022 Product Reviews Update (July 27)
- The fourth iteration of the product reviews update aimed to reward high-quality product reviews. This update, though less extensive in its impact and ranking volatility, continued to refine and improve the evaluation of product reviews. The rollout was completed in just six days.
May 2022 Core Update (May 25)
- The first broad core algorithm update of 2022, significantly affecting how Google’s ranking systems evaluate content. This comprehensive update lasted approximately two weeks.
March 2022 Product Reviews Update (March 23)
- Building upon previous product reviews updates, this release further refined the identification of high-quality product reviews. Google provided additional guidance on ranked lists, recommendations, and review creation for multiple products. The rollout spanned a few weeks.
Page Experience Update (Desktop) (Feb. 22)
- This update incorporated the mobile version of the page experience update, excluding the requirement for mobile-friendliness. The full rollout was completed in nine days.
2021 Google Algorithm Updates
December 2021 Product Reviews Update (Dec. 1)
- Google aimed to reward exceptional product reviews that offered insightful analysis and original research. This update lasted approximately three weeks, emphasizingthe importance of showcasing multimedia evidence and including links to multiple sellers in product reviews.November 2021 Local Search Update (Nov. 30)
- This global update focused on rebalancing various factors that contribute to generating local search results. It overlapped with the December 2021 Core Update and December 2021 Product Reviews Update, but Google did not officially confirm this update until Dec. 16.
November 2021 Core Update (Nov. 17)
- The third and final Core Update of 2022, impacting websites and SEO practices across all languages. The rollout spanned approximately two weeks.
November 2021 Spam Update (Nov. 3)
- Google introduced an update to its search spam detection systems, emphasizing adherence to its best practices for search.
Link Spam Update (July 26)
- Google rolled out this update to counter spammy links on the web and across multiple languages. Websites with spammy links experienced a greater likelihood of ranking impact. Google recommended following best practices for both incoming and outgoing links.
July 2021 Core Update (July 1)
- The second of two consecutive Core Updates released by Google. This comprehensive update made slight adjustments to the entire algorithm, resulting in a more holistic change. The rollout occurred over a span of 12 days.
Spam Update (Part 2) (June 28)
- This update followed the initial release of the Spam Update, which targeted both web and image results. Both parts of the update were classified as global updates.
Spam Update (Part 1) (June 23)
- Google announced the first part of its Spam Update, with the second part scheduled for release the following week. No specific guidance or details were provided, but the update aimed to align with Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
Page Experience Update (June 15)
- This update introduced Core Web Vitals, a set of metrics to evaluate user experience on web pages. It included page load speed, mobile-friendliness, HTTPS usage, lack of intrusive ads, and the newly introduced metrics: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). The rollout began in June 2020 and concluded by the end of August.
Multitask Unified Model (MUM) Update (June)
- Previewed at Google I/O in May 2021, MUM is a powerful model built on the transformer architecture. MUM enhances the search engine’s ability to understand and connect information for users across various languages. The update demonstrated MUM’s effectiveness in identifying different vaccine names in multiple languages in seconds. Google later announced additional applications of MUM technology.
June 2021 Core Update (June 2)
- The first of two consecutive Core Updates released in June. This comprehensive update brought significant changes to Google’s algorithm, impacting various websites.
April 2021 Product Reviews Update (April 8)
- Aimed at rewarding product reviews that provide comprehensive insights and original research. Google aimed to promote high-quality product reviews in search result rankings. Webmasters were provided with nine key questions to assess the quality and relevance of their product reviews.
Passage Ranking (Feb. 10)
- Google implemented changes to rank specific passages from web pages in search results. This update aimed to help users find precise and relevant information within longer pages. About 7% of search queries across all languages were affected by this update, which focused on better understanding page content.
2020 Google Algorithm Updates
December 2020 Core Update (Dec. 3)
- The final major update of 2020, impacting websites and SEO practices across all languages. This comprehensive update broughtsignificant changes to Google’s core algorithm and its evaluation of website content.BERT Expands (Oct. 15)
- Google announced that the BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) algorithm was now powering nearly all English-based search queries. BERT’s role was to enhance the relevance of search results by improving Google’s understanding of natural language.
May 2020 Core Update (May 4)
- This broad core algorithm update, the first of the year, brought significant changes to how Google assessed and ranked content. The rollout occurred over a few weeks, impacting websites and search engine optimization practices.
January 2020 Core Update (Jan. 13)
- Considered a relatively mild core update, this algorithm change did not have a substantial impact on SEO experts’ observations. It was followed by the more significant May 2020 core update.
2019 Google Algorithm Updates
BERT Natural Language Processing Update (Oct. 25)
- Google introduced the BERT update, powered by natural language processing technology. BERT aimed to improve Google’s understanding of search queries and webpage content by processing language more like humans do. It affected approximately 10% of searches.
September 2019 Core Update (Sept. 24)
- A broad core algorithm update, similar to others released periodically by Google to enhance search results and user experience.
June 2019 Core Update (June 3)
- This core algorithm update aimed to improve user experience across various aspects of Google’s search algorithm.
March 2019 Core Update (March 15)
- Initially released without an official name, this update caused temporary confusion and speculation. Google quickly clarified the situation on Twitter, confirming it as the March 2019 Core Update.
2018 Google Algorithm Updates
August 2018 Core Update (aka Medic Update) (Aug. 1)
- This significant core update caused notable fluctuations in search results and impacted the SEO community. Google made adjustments to its algorithm, rewarding previously under-recognized pages and emphasizing the importance of high-quality content.
April 2018 Core Update (April 20)
- A broad core algorithm update intended to enhance the relevance of search results by delivering the most suitable content for user queries.
March 2018 Core Update (March 12)
- Released alongside the April 2018 Core Update, this comprehensive algorithm update aimed to improve Google’s query results and search relevancy.
January 2018 Core Update (Jan. 18)
- This comprehensive core algorithm update affected various aspects of search engine results pages (SERPs) and aimed to improve the overall quality of search results.
This timeline showcases the notable Google algorithm updates from 2003 to the present, highlighting the continuous efforts by Google to refine its search algorithms, enhance user experience, and deliver more relevant and reliable search results.
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2017 Google Algorithm Updates
Mid-December Updates (~Dec. 14-19)
- Google confirmed the release of several minor changes aimed at improving search result relevancy. These updates appeared to have a negative impact on websites that targeted a large number of keyword variants.
Local Update (Aug. 22)
- This update addressed issues caused by the previous Possum update, which inadvertently affected local rankings. It aimed to provide more accurate and relevant local search results.
Fred Update (March 9)
- An unconfirmed ranking update that appeared to target link quality aspects of Google’s algorithm. Referred to as the “Fred” update by the SEO community based on a joke by Google’s Gary Illyes.
2016 Google Algorithm Updates
Penguin Update 4.0 (Sept. 23)
- After almost two years, Google released the final update for the Penguin algorithm. Penguin became a part of Google’s core search algorithm, with real-time data refreshes and more granular impact on individual pages, sections, or entire websites.
Possum Update (Sept. 1)
- The Possum update affected local listings, aiming to improve the user experience by eliminating redundant search results. However, some businesses near already-ranked competitors experienced significant drops in their website visibility.
Mobile-Friendly Update 2 (April 21)
- Building on the initial Mobile-Friendly Update from 2015, this update aimed to further increase the impact of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal for mobile search results.
January 2016 Core Update (Jan. 17)
- Notable fluctuations were observed in search results, and Google’s Gary Illyes confirmed it as a core ranking algorithm update.
2015 Google Algorithm Updates
RankBrain (Oct. 25)
- Google introduced RankBrain, a machine learning algorithm that processed search queries and evaluated webpages to improve result relevancy. It analyzed billions of webpages and learned to rank them based on perceived quality.
Panda Update 4.2 (July 18)
- This update was a refresh of the existing Panda algorithm, aimed at improving the quality of search results by targeting low-quality content.
Quality Update (May)
- Google made adjustments to its algorithm to enhance the quality of search results, focusing on content relevance and user satisfaction.
Mobile-Friendly Update (April 21)
- As an extension of the initial Mobile-Friendly Update in 2015, this update increased the influence of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal for mobile search results.
2014 Google Algorithm Updates
Pigeon Expansion (Dec. 22)
- Google expanded its Pigeon update, which aimed to provide more relevant and accurate local search results tied closely to traditional web search ranking signals.
Penguin Everflux (Dec. 10)
- This update introduced a more dynamic and frequent refresh cycle for the Penguin algorithm, allowing for real-time adjustments in search rankings.
Penguin Update 3.1 (Nov. 27)
- A minor update to the Penguin algorithm, bringing refinements to its link quality assessment.
Pirate Update 2 (Oct. 21)
- Google released an update targeting sites with numerous Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests, resulting in a drop in search rankings for those sites.
Penguin Update 3.0 (Oct. 17)
- This update marked the third major release of the Penguin algorithm, refining its ability to detect and penalize sites with manipulative link practices.
Panda Update 4.1 (Sept. 25)
- Google continued to enhance the Panda algorithm, focusing on improvingthe quality of search results by targeting low-quality and thin content.Pigeon Update (July 24)
- The Pigeon update aimed to provide more relevant and accurate local search results by incorporating traditional web search ranking signals into local search algorithms.
Payday Loan Update 3.0 (June 12)
- This update specifically targeted websites in the payday loan industry, penalizing those engaging in spammy practices and improving the overall quality of search results in that sector.
Panda Update 4.0 (May 20)
- The 27th iteration of the Panda algorithm introduced refinements to its ability to identify and reward high-quality content, particularly benefiting small and medium-sized sites.
Payday Loan Update 2.0 (May 16)
- Another update targeting the payday loan industry, further penalizing websites with spammy practices and improving the search experience for users seeking payday loan information.
Page Layout 3 (aka Top Heavy 3) (Feb. 6)
- Google released an update to penalize websites with excessive and intrusive ads above the fold, ensuring a better user experience by prioritizing content visibility.
2013 Google Algorithm Updates
Penguin Update 2.1 (Oct. 4)
- A refresh of the Penguin algorithm, refining its ability to detect and penalize websites with manipulative link practices.
Hummingbird (Sept. 26)
- The Hummingbird update marked a significant shift in Google’s search algorithm, focusing on understanding the meaning behind search queries and providing more relevant results based on user intent.
Panda Update 26 (July 18)
- Google implemented a new Panda update that incorporated additional signals to improve the algorithm’s precision in identifying and rewarding high-quality content.
Multi-week Update (June 21)
- Google made several adjustments to its search algorithm over multiple weeks, leading to fluctuations in search rankings and impacting various websites.
Payday Loan Update (June 11)
- Another update targeting the payday loan industry, penalizing websites with spammy practices and improving the search experience for users seeking payday loan information.
Penguin Update 2.0 (May 22)
- The Penguin algorithm received significant updates to further combat manipulative link practices and improve the quality of search results.
Panda Update 25 (March 14)
- Google introduced a new iteration of the Panda algorithm, aiming to enhance the detection and penalization of low-quality and thin content on websites.
Panda Update 24 (Jan. 22)
- This Panda refresh impacted approximately 1.2% of English search queries, further improving the quality of search results by targeting low-quality content.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all Google algorithm updates, but it highlights some of the significant updates from the specified years.
2012 Google Algorithm Updates
Panda Update 23 (Dec. 21)
- This update marked another iteration of the Panda algorithm, aiming to further improve the quality of search results by penalizing low-quality and thin content.
Panda Update 22 (Nov. 21)
- Google rolled out another iteration of the Panda algorithm, refining its ability to identify and penalize websites with low-quality content.
Panda Update 21 (Nov. 5)
- The Panda algorithm received updates to better target and penalize websites with poor-quality and duplicate content.
Page Layout Algorithm 2 (aka Top Heavy 2) (Oct. 9)
- Google released an update to target websites with excessive ads above the fold, ensuring a better user experience by prioritizing content visibility.
Penguin Update 3 (Oct. 5)
- The Penguin algorithm received further refinements, targeting websites with manipulative link practices and improving the quality of search results.
Panda Update 20 (Sept. 27)
- Google implemented another iteration of the Panda algorithm, focusing on penalizing low-quality content and improving search result quality.
Exact-Match Domain (EMD) Update (Sept. 27)
- This update targeted exact-match domain names that aimed to manipulate search rankings, reducing their impact in search results.
Panda Update 3.9.2 (Sept. 18)
- A minor update to the Panda algorithm, making further adjustments to improve the quality of search results.
Panda Update 3.9.1 (Aug. 20)
- This update brought additional refinements to the Panda algorithm, focusing on penalizing websites with low-quality content.
Pirate Update (Aug. 10)
- The Pirate update targeted websites that received a high number of DMCA takedown requests, demoting their rankings in search results.
Panda Update 3.9 (July 24)
- Google released another iteration of the Panda algorithm, refining its ability to detect and penalize websites with low-quality content.
Panda Update 3.8 (June 25)
- This update brought further refinements to the Panda algorithm, focusing on improving the quality of search results by targeting low-quality content.
Panda Update 3.7 (June 8)
- Google rolled out another iteration of the Panda algorithm, penalizing websites with low-quality and thin content.
Penguin Update 2 (May 25)
- The Penguin algorithm received significant updates, targeting websites with manipulative link practices and improving search result quality.
Panda Update 3.6 (April 27)
- Google introduced another iteration of the Panda algorithm, aiming to penalize websites with low-quality and thin content.
Penguin Update (April 24)
- The Penguin algorithm was first introduced, targeting websites with manipulative link practices and improving the overall quality of search results.
Panda Update 3.5 (April 19)
- Google implemented another iteration of the Panda algorithm, penalizing websites with low-quality and thin content.
Panda Update 3.4 (March 23)
- This update marked another refinement of the Panda algorithm, targeting websites with poor-quality and thin content.
Venice (Feb. 27)
- The Venice update aimed to provide more localized search results by incorporating the user’s location into search queries.
Panda Update 3.3 (Feb. 27)
- Google released another iteration of the Panda algorithm, focusing on penalizing websites with low-quality and thin content.
Page Layout Algorithm (aka Top Heavy) (Jan. 19)
- This update targeted websites with excessive
2005 Google Algorithm Updates
Big Daddy (December)
- Big Daddy was a major infrastructure update that aimed to improve the crawling and indexing processes of Google’s search engine. It introduced several changes to how Google handled URL canonicalization, redirects, and other technical aspects of website crawling.
Jagger (October)
- The Jagger update was a series of three updates, known as Jagger 1, Jagger 2, and Jagger 3. These updates focused on improving the quality of search results by targeting spammy and low-quality websites. Jagger 1 and 2 rolled out in October, while Jagger 3 was released in November.
Bourbon (May)
- The Bourbon update was aimed at improving the handling of duplicate content and addressing issues related to website canonicalization. It focused on refining the algorithms responsible for determining the most relevant and authoritative pages to display in search results.
2004 Google Algorithm Updates
Austin (~Jan. 23)
- The Austin update was a continuation of the work initiated by the Florida update, which aimed to improve the relevance and quality of search results. It focused on combating spammy and manipulative SEO practices, targeting websites that had engaged in keyword stuffing and other black hat techniques.
2003 Google Algorithm Updates
Florida (Nov. 15)
- The Florida update was a significant algorithmic change that had a substantial impact on search rankings. It aimed to reduce the effectiveness of manipulative SEO tactics by targeting keyword stuffing, hidden text, and other forms of low-quality and spammy content.
Fritz (July)
- The Fritz update marked a shift in Google’s indexing process, transitioning from a monthly update cycle known as the “Google Dance” to daily updates. It allowed Google to make frequent and incremental changes to its search results, leading to more real-time adjustments and improved search relevance.
These updates represent some of the key algorithmic changes that Google implemented over the years. It’s important for website owners and SEO professionals to stay updated on these developments to ensure their websites align with Google’s guidelines and provide high-quality content that meets the needs of users.