Core update

The term Core update refers to a major update to Google's search algorithm that you may see 4-6 per year.

A Core update often significantly shuffles positions in search results, and is therefore one of the pivotal events in search engine optimization (SEO). Each update targets a specific phenomenon (e.g. duplicate content, page load speed, ...) in order to refine search results and eliminate unfair practices. Google announces each Core update and presents options for dealing with rank drops. However, the fix always takes time (and is associated with lost profits), so it is good to follow Google's recommendations and avoid practices it does not approve.