Google confirms it releases smaller core updates it does not announce

Google added a new section to the core updates search developer documentation that confirms it releases smaller core updates without announcing those updates. Google has told us this before, but has now added it explicitly to the search documentation.

What is new. Google added this new paragraph:

However, you don’t necessarily have to wait for a major core update to see the effect of your improvements. We’re continually making updates to our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. These updates are not announced because they aren’t widely noticeable, but they are another way that your content can see a rise in position (if you’ve made improvements).

What Google said. Google explained this section was added “To clarify that site owners that make content improvements can see a rise in position in Google Search results without having to wait for the next major core update.”

In fact, Danny Sullivan, the former Google Search Liaison, told us this in August 2019. He said then:

Broad core updates tend to happen every few months. Content that was impacted by one might not recover – assuming improvements have been made – until the next broad core update is released.

However, we’re constantly making updates to our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. We don’t announce all of these because they’re generally not widely noticeable. Still, when released, they can cause content to recover if improvements warrant.

A larger core update is coming soon. Today at the Google Search Central Live event in Zurich, John Mueller from Google said a core update is being worked on and hopes it will be released soon. He added, he would be surprised if it was released within a couple of weeks. But he had nothing to announce.

Why we care. This just confirms what we already know, that Google is often pushing out smaller core updates. But do expect a new core update to come sooner, rather than later. And then, you may see even bigger changes to the search results and its rankings.