Google’s June 2025 Core Update: What Website Owners Need to Know

Google rolls out major algorithm changes several times each year. These aren’t small tweaks – they’re sweeping changes that can shake up search results across the entire web. The thing is, your site doesn’t have to do anything wrong to see its rankings shift.

Think of It Like This

Google explains core updates using a restaurant analogy that actually makes sense. Say you wrote down your 20 favourite restaurants back in 2019. Fast forward to today – some amazing new places have opened, others have improved dramatically, and your preferences have evolved. When you update that list, restaurants that drop down aren’t suddenly terrible. There are just better options now.

That’s exactly what happens with core updates.

What You Should Actually Do

Most e-commerce sites won’t even notice a core update happened. But if your traffic took a hit right when Google announced one, here’s your game plan.

First, get the timing right. Don’t rush into analysis mode immediately. Wait a full week after the update finishes rolling out. Then compare your current performance with the week before the update started. This gives you a cleaner picture of what actually changed.

Next, figure out how bad it is. Dropped from position 2 to 4? That’s annoying but not catastrophic. Google actually recommends leaving well-performing content alone in these cases. But if you fell from position 4 to 29? That’s when you need to dig deeper.

Don’t forget to check different search types separately. Maybe your web rankings tanked but your images are doing fine, or vice versa.

Dealing with Major Ranking Declines

Here’s where it gets real. If you’re seeing sustained, significant drops across your site, you need to honestly assess whether your content is actually helping people. And I mean really helping them, not just checking SEO boxes.

Look at the pages that got hit hardest. Are there other sites out there doing a better job of answering the same questions your customers have? Sometimes the truth hurts, but it’s better than staying in denial.

Get some outside perspective too. Ask people who aren’t connected to your business to evaluate your content honestly. Fresh eyes often spot issues you’ve become blind to.

The Recovery Game

Here’s what doesn’t work: panic changes. Removing page elements because someone on Twitter said they’re bad for SEO, completely rewriting content overnight, or deleting half your site. These “quick fixes” usually make things worse.

What does work: meaningful improvements that make sense for your actual customers. Maybe your product descriptions are too technical, or your category pages are confusing to navigate. Focus on changes you can sustain long-term.

Only consider deleting content if it’s genuinely unhelpful and can’t be saved. If you’re thinking about nuking entire sections of your site, that’s probably a sign they were built for search engines instead of humans anyway.

The Waiting Game

Recovery isn’t instant. Some improvements might show results in days, but Google’s systems often need months to fully recognise that your site has genuinely improved. If nothing changes after several months, you might be waiting until the next core update to see movement.