Regarding the proximity of the November and December updates, Google explained that while it tries to separate notable updates, “it’s not always possible” given the large number of updates the company implements overall. The post stated:
“If we have updates that can improve Search, that have been developed over the course of several months, we release them when they’re ready.”
Advice For Websites
As with previous core updates, the December update’s specific changes are unknown. However, Google has consistently advised that the best way for creators to succeed through these updates is to remain focused on creating helpful, reliable, people-first content.
Site owners who notice changes in traffic following an update are advised to look closely at Google’s update-specific guidance, which can be found via the Google Search Status Dashboard. The dashboard also allows users to check the status of an update rollout and subscribe to an RSS feed for alerts.
Wrapping Up a Year of Algorithm Updates
The December core update caps off a busy year of algorithm changes for Google Search.
We will closely watch traffic patterns and search rankings to assess the impact as the December update rolls out over the coming weeks.
Search Engine Journal will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
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