Google has announced the completion of its August core update. Website owners and SEO professionals can now fully assess the update’s impact on search performance.
This roll-out is now complete.
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) September 3, 2024
The August core update, launched on August 15, is part of Google’s ongoing effort to improve the quality and usefulness of its search engine.
Gradual, Extended Rollout
Unlike typical day-to-day updates, core updates require an extended rollout. For the August update, Google indicated it could take up to a month to finish.
With its completion confirmed, now is the time to analyze the data and identify any significant ranking shifts.
“You’d really need to wait until the core update finishes rolling out to make any call about its effect,” John Mueller, Google’s Senior Search Analyst, stated in a LinkedIn discussion last month. “If you want to compare before vs after, waiting for it to be finished is important.”
Mueller also noted that it’s normal for search rankings to fluctuate during the rollout process, cautioning against drawing conclusions.
Measuring Content Quality
Throughout the rollout period, Google reiterated that core updates are intended to better match search results with content that provides users genuine value and relevance.