Google December 2025 Core Update: What’s Coming Out This Time?

Google just dropped another core update.

If you’re in SEO or digital marketing, you’ve probably already noticed the rankings fluctuations. Sites jumping up. Sites are falling down. The usual chaos that follows whenever Google decides to shake things up.

The December 2025 core update started rolling out in mid-December and will take about two weeks to fully complete. That means we’re still in the middle of the volatility right now. Rankings are shifting daily as the update propagates across Google’s systems.

Here’s what we know so far about what’s actually changing and what you should be paying attention to.

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Google December 2025 Core Update: What This Update Is Actually Saying?

Google’s official statement about the December 2025 core update is predictably vague.

They’ve confirmed it’s happening. They’ve said it’s a broad core update affecting search results globally across all languages and regions. They’ve reminded everyone to focus on creating helpful, people-first content.

That’s basically their standard message for every core update. Not particularly helpful for understanding what specifically changed this time.

But Google’s lack of detail is intentional. They don’t want to give a roadmap for gaming their algorithm. They want you focusing on content quality rather than trying to reverse-engineer ranking factors.

The useful information comes from what Google emphasizes repeatedly across updates. Quality content. User experience. Expertise and trustworthiness. Original value rather than rehashed information.

Those themes appear in every update announcement because they’re genuinely what Google’s trying to optimize for, even if the specific mechanisms change.

What the Google’s Data Shows So Far

Early tracking from SEO monitoring tools shows this update is hitting certain sectors harder than others.

Health and wellness sites are seeing significant volatility. Some established health information sites are gaining rankings while others are dropping. This suggests Google’s refining how it evaluates medical and health content expertise.

E-commerce and product review sites are also experiencing major shifts. Google’s been cracking down on low-quality affiliate content and thin product reviews for a while. This update appears to continue that trend.

News and media sites are showing movement too, though less dramatic than health or e-commerce. Some local news sites like the LA Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Seattle Times, the SF Chronicle, or the Dallas Morning News are gaining visibility while certain national publications are seeing decreases in specific topic areas.

The pattern seems to be rewarding sites with genuine expertise and original insights while demoting sites that aggregate information without adding substantial value.

Sites that rely heavily on AI-generated content without significant human review and enhancement are getting hit harder than those using AI as a tool within a human-driven content creation process.

Content Quality Is Getting More Scrutinized

This isn’t new, but Google’s definition of quality content keeps evolving and getting more sophisticated.

Thin content that barely answers the query isn’t cutting it anymore. Even if it’s technically accurate and covers the topic, surface-level treatment gets outranked by depth and genuine insight.

Google’s getting better at identifying content that’s clearly written for search engines versus content written for actual humans seeking information.

The difference shows up in how information is presented. SEO-first content often has awkward keyword insertion, repetitive phrases, and structures designed around algorithm optimization rather than natural communication.

Human-first content flows naturally, addresses questions people actually have, and provides information in ways that match how people think about topics.

If you’re writing to hit keyword density targets or following rigid templates because that’s what SEO tools recommend, this update might be hurting you.

The winners appear to be sites that understand their topics deeply and communicate that understanding clearly without obsessing over algorithmic tricks.

Expertise and Authority Matter More

Google’s E-E-A-T signals Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness continue to be central to ranking success.

This update seems to be refining how Google evaluates these signals, particularly around demonstrating actual experience with topics.

Sites where authors show firsthand knowledge of what they’re writing about are performing better. Product reviews from people who’ve actually used the products. How-to guides from people who’ve actually done the thing they’re explaining. Industry analysis from people working in the industry.

Generic content from writers with no particular expertise in the subject is getting pushed down, even if the information itself is accurate.

This creates challenges for content mills and agencies churning out articles on any topic without regard for author expertise. It rewards niche sites run by people who genuinely know their stuff.

Authority signals are getting more important, too. Links from reputable sources in your field. Recognition from industry organizations. Author bios that establish credentials. These factors appear to carry more weight in ranking decisions.

Sites trying to cover too many unrelated topics without demonstrating expertise across all of them are struggling compared to focused sites with clear topical authority.

User Experience Keeps Getting More Weight

Technical performance and user experience factors continue to gain importance in search engine optimization with each update.

Page speed, mobile usability, intrusive interstitials, and overall site experience affect rankings more than they used to. This isn’t just about Core Web Vitals anymore, though those still matter.

Sites that load slowly, especially on mobile, are seeing ranking drops even when their content is solid. Sites with aggressive ads that interfere with content consumption are getting demoted.

Google’s trying to ensure that the sites ranking highly don’t just have good information, they deliver that information in an accessible, pleasant way.

If users consistently bounce back to search results after visiting your site, that’s a signal Google notices. High bounce rates combined with short dwell times suggest your site isn’t actually satisfying the query, even if the content technically covers the topic.

Sites that keep users engaged, that have low bounce rates and good interaction metrics, are being rewarded. That’s not manipulation, that’s genuinely providing value that makes people want to stay and consume your content.

AI Content Isn’t Automatically Penalized But…

There’s been speculation that this update specifically targets AI-generated content.

The reality is more nuanced. Google has consistently said it doesn’t penalize content just because AI created it. They care about quality and helpfulness, not the creation method.

But here’s the thing: most AI content published at scale is low quality. It’s generic, surface-level, and doesn’t provide much value beyond what you could find anywhere else.

Sites pumping out hundreds of AI-generated articles trying to capture long-tail keywords without adding real value are getting crushed. That’s not because the content is AI-generated, it’s because it’s unhelpful.

Meanwhile, sites using AI as a tool within a human-driven process, where experts review, enhance, and add original insights to AI-generated drafts, aren’t seeing the same negative impact.

The issue isn’t the tool. It’s how you use it and whether the final output genuinely serves users better than alternatives.

If your AI content strategy is “publish a thousand articles this month to capture traffic,” this update probably hurt you. If your strategy is “use AI to help expert writers be more productive while maintaining quality,” you’re likely fine.

What This Google Update Means for Your Content Strategy

If you’ve been hit by this update, panicking doesn’t help.

Google says to wait for the rollout to complete before making dramatic changes. Rankings are still shifting. What looks like a major drop today might partially recover as the update finishes propagating.

Once things stabilize, look at what actually changed. Which pages lost rankings? What queries were they ranking for? What types of content got hit hardest?

Then look at what’s ranking now instead of your content. What are those pages doing differently? More depth? Better expertise signals? Superior user experience?

The answer isn’t to chase quick fixes or try to game new algorithmic factors. The answer is genuinely improving your content to better serve users and demonstrate expertise.

Focus on content that shows firsthand experience. Improve technical performance and user experience. Build genuine authority in your niche rather than trying to cover everything.

Remove or improve low-quality content that’s not serving users well. A smaller site with all strong content often performs better than a large site diluted with mediocre pages.

If you haven’t been significantly affected, don’t get complacent. These updates are part of ongoing evolution. What works today might need adjustment tomorrow as Google keeps refining how it evaluates content.

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Bottom Line – The Bigger Pattern

Stepping back, the December 2025 update continues patterns we’ve seen across multiple updates this year.

Google keeps pushing toward rewarding genuine quality and expertise while demoting thin, algorithm-focused content. They keep emphasizing user experience alongside content quality. They keep getting better at detecting when sites are optimizing for search engines rather than humans.

The long-term trend is clear: shortcuts don’t work like they used to. Building a sustainable presence in search requires actually being good at what you do and communicating that effectively.

That’s harder and slower than SEO tricks, but it’s more durable. Sites built on genuine value aren’t as vulnerable to algorithmic changes because they’re already doing what Google is trying to reward.

The businesses winning in search aren’t necessarily the most sophisticated SEO practitioners. They’re often just people who know their topics deeply, communicate clearly, and provide genuine value to their audiences.

That’s what this update reinforces, like most Google updates do. Focus on being legitimately helpful, demonstrably expert, and technically solid. The rankings tend to follow.