Traffic down? Rankings slipping? You’re not imagining it.
When Google search shifts, it rarely announces itself with sirens. But the signs are there, drops in visibility, sudden volatility, pages moving without clear cause. For SEO pros, it’s like feeling the ground shift before the headline hits.
These aren’t random ripples. They’re signals. Something bigger is in motion, and your site might be caught in the middle.
Whether you’re tracking data daily or just sensing that something’s off, now’s the time to pay attention.
Google doesn’t update for the sake of it. Each move means something, and it’s up to us to read between the rankings. Let’s look at what just changed, and what it means for your SEO strategy going forward.
Google June 2025 Core Update in Motion
June 30 kicked off the Google June 2025 core update, and by early July, the shifts were hard to miss. As a broad core algorithm update, it wasn’t about minor fixes, it was a recalibration of how Google evaluates content across the search engine.
Following the March 2025 core update, and echoing patterns from the 2024 core update and the September 2023 helpful content update, this rollout brought notable changes in search rankings. Pages lacking strong E-E-A-T, clean structure, or solid technical SEO saw declines. Others rose, fast.
If Google Search Console showed movement around that time, your site likely felt the impact.
But this wasn’t just noise, it was signal. Let’s break down what changed in Google’s June 2025 core update, and why it matters.
June 2025 vs. March 2025 Google Core Update
Not all core updates are created equal. While both the March 2025 and June 2025 Google core updates reshaped the search results, they did so with different intentions, and different consequences.
The March 2025 update was aggressive, targeting spammy patterns and low-quality automation. The June 2025 core update, however, looked deeper. It focused on relevance, trust, and content structure, a shift that rewarded substance over tactics.
Here’s how the two 2025 updates stack up:
| Feature/Focus | March 2025 Core Update | June 2025 Core Update |
|---|---|---|
| Core Update Start Date | March 5, 2025 | June 30, 2025 |
| Type of Update | Broad core update with heavy spam update signals | Broad core algorithm update focused on content quality |
| What Google Said | "Aimed at reducing unhelpful, spammy content" | "A regular update designed to better surface helpful results" |
| Key Impact Area | SpamBrain, AI content, link manipulation | E-E-A-T, content depth, Core Web Vitals, site structure |
| Core Update Rollout | Completed late March | Core update finished rolling in early July |
| Main Winners | Sites with unique, well-edited content | Trusted sources with strong expertise and helpful formatting |
| Main Losers | AI-spun, affiliate-heavy, doorway pages | Thin content, unclear authorship, poor UX |
| Google Source | Search Central | Search Central |
| SERP Volatility | Sharp and immediate | Gradual, sustained |
| Common Theme | Punish spam | Reward relevance and trust |
Google’s algorithm now leans harder on trust, clarity, and structure. Sites with strong technical SEO, fast Core Web Vitals, and focused expertise held steady. Others didn’t.
If you were affected by the June 2025 update, here’s the takeaway: thin content is fading. Clear, credible, user-first pages are what rise.
Tracking the June Core Update's Volatility
Things got bumpy fast after the June 30 rollout. The Google core update June 2025 didn’t ease in, it hit hard. Tracking tools like Semrush Sensor and Rank Ranger lit up with spikes across the board. This wasn’t a quiet shift.
Compared to previous core updates, this one brought more movement, more unpredictability. Some called it one of the larger core updates we’ve seen in recent years. According to Search Engine Land, the core update of 2025 officially finished rolling out on July 9, nearly 10 days after it began.
Inside Google Search Console, it showed up as sharp drops, sudden gains, and strange patterns across Google search rankings. It’s the kind of shakeup that forces a second look at what the Google algorithm is really valuing now.
Winners, Losers & Lessons in Search Visibility
Some sites gained big. Others lost hard. The June 2025 core update moved rankings fast and quietly. Like most Google updates, this wasn’t about targeting one type of content. It was a broad recalibration based on what Google’s algorithm values right now.
According to Amsive’s analysis, early data shows clear trends:
1. Winners
- Publishers and media brands with expert-written, structured content
- Health and finance sites showing strong E-E-A-T and accurate sourcing
- Domains with fast performance, clean code, and solid technical SEO
- Sites that recovered well from previous core updates
2. Losers
- Reference-style pages with thin, repetitive content
- AI-generated summaries with little added value
- Older domains with bloated content libraries and weak UX
- Pages with poor Core Web Vitals or sloppy internal linking
Google said previously this was “a regular update designed” to improve relevance and surface higher-quality content. The core update started on June 30, making it the second core update of 2025.
Expect more changes ahead. Google continues to refine results, and the next core update is always on the horizon.
Ready to rank smarter, not harder?
E-E-A-T Takes Center Stage
Content built on trust and expertise stood out during the June 2025 core update. Google’s updated algorithm gave clear preference to pages showing strong E-E-A-T, experience, expertise, authority, and trust. Sites with original content, clear authorship, and solid sourcing rose. Shallow, duplicated pages dropped fast.
This wasn’t a surprise. According to Google Search Central, core updates aim to reward content that’s genuinely helpful. The google core update 2025 followed that same direction.
June 30th marked more than just another core update. It signaled significant changes in search, where Google shifts further away from shortcuts and toward meaningful, people-first content that truly helps.
When Technical SEO Tips the Scale
Speed, structure, and clean code mattered more than ever in the June core update. Sites that loaded fast, worked smoothly on mobile, and used clear internal linking saw stronger performance.
Those with messy architecture or crawl issues? Not so lucky.
The 2025 core update means more than content shifts. It showed how technical SEO helps Google use search signals more efficiently. Proper use of structured data, optimized site maps, and solid page hierarchy all played a role in visibility changes.
As Google algorithm updates evolve, performance issues aren’t just technical, they’re ranking issues. Google analytics told the story. Even though Google has not really given detailed breakdowns, the update impacts speak clearly: clean sites win.
SpamBrain Strikes Again: What Got Hit?
Some of the biggest hits from the June 2025 core update came via SpamBrain. While no spam update was officially announced, the impact was clear.
According to Search Engine Roundtable, the algorithm quietly filtered out manipulative and low-trust content.
What Got Hit:
- Doorway pages and thin affiliate content
- Exact-match anchor text used excessively
- Pages built for bots, not people
What Held Up:
- Original content with real expertise
- Transparent authorship and sourcing
- Clean internal linking and natural structure
Google may call this “a regular update designed ” to improve relevance, but June 2025 core update marks another clear step away from shortcuts. SpamBrain is still working, and getting sharper.
Lost Traffic? Here's Your Recovery Game Plan
If rankings slipped after the June 2025 core update, it’s time to regroup. The core update was announced on June 30, and the update continues to ripple through the SERPs. Recovery won’t happen overnight, but it starts with a plan.
Here’s how to respond:
1. Audit your content.
Use Google Search Console and third-party tools to compare what the update saw drop versus what held. Focus on quality, clarity, and intent alignment.
2. Refresh weak pages.
Remove outdated content, combine overlapping topics, and improve accuracy. The update brings rewards for depth and originality.
3. Improve E-E-A-T.
Add expert bios, cite reputable sources, and build topic authority. Believe the June 2025 core update favors content that builds trust.
4. Refine structure.
Clean up internal linking and page speed. These changes matter more post-update.
5. Track engagement.
Use Google Analytics to monitor user behavior and flag content gaps.
The core update marks the start of a more demanding era. Want to know about the June 2025 winners? They focused on relevance, not tricks. This major core update also signals that another update appears likely before 2025 has completed. Stay ready.
SEO in the Wake of June 2025
June’s update wasn’t subtle. The core update has sent a strong signal, Google makes significant changes when it shifts direction, and this one ran from June through early July with lasting effects.
Rankings moved, expectations changed, and the path forward is clearer than ever.
Shortcuts no longer work. Sites built with intention, trust, and clarity earned stability. Those relying on outdated tactics saw rankings slip. With 2025 not yet completed, another update appears likely.
What this June 2025 core update reinforced is simple: stay relevant, stay useful, and stay ready. Google’s pace won’t slow down, and the sites that adapt fastest will lead the next chapter of search.
Took a Hit After the June 2025 Core Update?
If your website saw a drop in traffic or rankings after the Google June 2025 Core Update, you’re not the only one, and you’re not out of options.
This update shifted the landscape again. With changing evaluation signals, stricter quality expectations, and little detail from Google, even well-established sites felt the impact on their search visibility.
At SEOBoost, we support business owners, marketing leads, and content teams in responding to Google’s algorithm updates, regaining lost traction, and building durable strategies that perform, no matter what changes next.
Seeing performance slide since June?
Let’s connect and work on a recovery game plan that gets your visibility and momentum back on track.
