On 30th June, Google launched a core update to their search algorithm, changing the way web pages are ranked in the search engine.
Although Google haven’t revealed the specifics, which is common for core updates, web designers and SEO experts alike are already feeling the effects of it and are speculating on what the changes could be related to.
Core updates aren’t rare events; they happen semi-frequently, with the last two being in March and December. The impact of the updates is what makes them volatile and newsworthy.
Some updates give quality of life changes, and others do a wholesale sweep, causing turbulence throughout the search engine. June, so far, has lined up as the latter.
When core updates are launched, they are pushed on a rollout schedule. This means rather than the changes all happening at once, they’re introduced incrementally. We are two weeks into this three-week rollout, and this is what we’ve spotted.
Google June 2025 Core Update Trends
Ranking drops
It’s usually expected to see rankings rise and fall depending on many factors such as quality of content, usability and relevance. What we’re seeing from these recent fluctuations seems to be a lot more severe.
It’s unclear if the core update is causing this or if it’s an unrelated event, but it looks like how search results are being ranked is changing, with some websites feeling the effects of this.
Ranking spikes
Likewise to its negative counterpart, we’re also seeing websites thrive in this developing Google environment. We’re hypothesising these websites have more of what the search engine wants to see – genuine, written, and relevant content.
That’s not to say the penalised websites don’t have this content, just that with the boom of AI, the lines of what quality content constitutes have blurred, and some websites are being caught in the crossfire.
Traffic fluctuations
Coming as par for the course with volatile rankings come traffic fluctuations. We’re seeing many reports of traffic unexpectedly spiking or dipping on a day-by-day basis. This will happen when you’re website is moved up and down the rankings, affecting visibility.
As a general rule of thumb, positions 1 – 3 all compete for the top spot, but all revel in the wealth of clicks. Positions 4 – 9 are fiercely competitive and have a much more unstable time acquiring traffic, with anything after the 9th position barely being on people’s radars.
Pages unlisted
From our personal experience, we haven’t seen this. Still, some independent SEO experts are reporting that pages which were previously ranking have now been unexplainably or unfairly delisted from the search engine.
This can happen if the page is marked as spam or is blatantly abusing the algorithm with unethical SEO tactics. These experts are claiming that all their techniques have been above board, so it’s hard to say if the issues are being caused by Google or otherwise.
If you’ve found one or more of your pages have suddenly been unlisted from Google, please get in touch with us at info@mosaicdigitalmedia.co.uk so we can investigate this further!
Domain prioritising
Trusted domain names aren’t a foreign concept in SEO, with older and well-known domain names generally having a higher authority score. We’ve seen since this rollout that Reddit in particular has been favoured greatly, with the site coming up even more frequently than before.
This may be from internal work done by Reddit’s SEO team, or what seems more likely is that the social forum has seen a great windfall given the authentic nature of its content. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this one to see if the visibility normalises.
How to keep your website ranking
Keep your website ranking through turbulent periods by obeying ethical SEO tactics and writing authentic content. Following these key rules will keep your site ranking throughout Google’s algorithm updates:
- Mobile-first UX optimisation: It’s no secret that mobile is the most predominant form of browsing on Google in 2025, so their algorithm strongly favours sites with a strong and user-friendly mobile design.
- Unique and relevant content: Google finds repeated content irrelevant; content which adds value through answering questions or from a new perspective is rewarded with higher rankings and increased credibility.
- Avoid spam: Don’t try to trick the search engine algorithm; it may work out in the short term, but as soon as Google catches wind, they will omit your site from ranking at all!
- Focus on user experience: Content has always been king in SEO services, with the website look and feel being left to developers. Page speed, interactivity and ease of use are all now taken into account when determining the website’s value.
If you need SEO help
Google’s June 2025 core update has rocked a lot of boats so far, for better or for worse. If the changes have negatively impacted your website, please contact us. We can assess the damage and get you back on course.
With a decade of industry experience in SEO services, our ears are close to the ground with insight and know-how, keeping us ahead of the curve and allowing us to cement our legacy as Warrington’s leading digital media agency.
Call us today on 01925 563 960 or email us at info@mosaicdigitalmedia.co.uk
