Danny Sullivan, the Google Search Liaison, has announced that the next core update is expected to roll out in the coming weeks. This news comes approximately four months after the last core update, which was released in March 2024.

Expected Timeline

Sullivan indicated that the next core update is likely to roll out in the coming weeks. However, he emphasized that there is no fixed schedule for these updates.

Update Process

The Google Search Liaison outlined the general process for core updates:

1. The ranking team makes changes to the algorithm
2. These changes undergo thorough testing
3. Results are evaluated for effectiveness
4. A launch date is set once the update passes all evaluations

Uncertain Timing

While Sullivan mentioned that the timing aligns with the general update cycle, he stressed that the exact launch date remains uncertain. The update could potentially occur anytime from July 2024 onwards, depending on the progress of testing and evaluations.

Sullivan reiterated that core updates are not scheduled for specific dates. Instead, they are released once they have successfully passed all necessary testing and evaluation stages. He wrote on SE Roundtable:

We'd tell you when the next core update will be if we knew. But we don't know exactly yet, that's all. These aren't scheduled to a particular day. The ranking team makes changes, tests those, evaluates those and eventually we get a launch date. There have been many times I could have said "Core update next week!" because everything was on track for that to happen, but then there's a need to do a bit more work or other things that might cause a pushback. I would expect we'll see one in the coming weeks, because that fits in with our general cycle. But precisely when, that's just not known yet.

The last core update occurred in March 2024. Typically, Google releases several core updates throughout the year, with the time between updates varying. The announcement of a new update coming within a few months of the previous one aligns with Google's general pattern of periodic algorithm refinements.

Implications for Webmasters

This announcement serves as a general heads-up for website owners and SEO professionals to be prepared for potential ranking fluctuations in the near future. However, as with all core updates, the exact impact on individual websites cannot be predicted.

Google continues to advise focusing on creating high-quality content as the best strategy for maintaining or improving search rankings, regardless of update timing.