Well, it’s official. Google stirred the pot again. If your SEO felt like it fell off a cliff this month, you’re not alone, and you’re not losing your mind.
Welcome to the chaos that is the October 2025 Google Core Update.
What Just Happened in Google Search?
In October 2025, Google rolled out one of its most aggressive algorithm changes yet, and the ranking volatility proves it. Websites across the board, from ecommerce to blogs to local SEO agencies, saw dramatic shifts in search rankings.
For some, visibility skyrocketed. For others, their best-performing pages suddenly became ghosts in the SERPs.
This wasn’t just a tiny tweak. It was a core update, folks. The kind that hits the heart of Google Search’s algorithmic logic.
4 Core Updates in 2025?
Yep. you read that right.
If you’ve been keeping score, this is the fourth major core algorithm update in 2025. We had:
March 2025 Core Update
The first core update of 2025 kicked off with a bang. Google made broad adjustments to search algorithms, focusing on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Many health, finance, and YMYL sites saw shifts in search ranking.
If your SEO was riding on outdated content from 2024 or templated pages, this was probably your first warning sign.
June 2025 Core Update
Dubbed by some as the “content shuffle,” this update gave priority to original reporting, in-depth analysis, and contextual authority. Thin content, AI-generated fluff, and syndicated articles got hit.
This was also the update where mobile search behaviour played a larger role, marking the June core as a pivot toward AI mode in ranking.
August 2025 Spam Update
Technically not labeled a core update, but it might as well have been. Google turned up the heat on spammy tactics. Keyword stuffing, cloaking, shady link schemes, and low-value AI spam.
If your search ranking vanished and you hadn’t checked your backlink profile since 2022… this update was your SEO karma.
October 2025 Google Core Update
The most recent and most brutal (so far). The October 2025 Google SEO updates amplified AI-driven evaluation of page quality, query intent, and value per result.
Many reported unconfirmed Google search ranking drops. Some saw content removed from indexing entirely. The Search Console was suddenly everyone’s favourite tab.
Is Google in Full AI Mode?
Short answer? Yes.
Long answer? Also yes, but with more complexity (and fewer memes).
The October 2025 Google Core Update confirmed what we all suspected: Google Search is now deep in its AI mode era.
We’re not just talking about AI-generated snippets or Gemini integration. This is about AI technologies driving how search algorithms evaluate content quality, query intent, and relevance at scale.
Gone are the days when stuffing your target keyword into H1, H2, and alt tags could get you ranked. Google’s AI now understands nuance, depth, and even tone. If your content feels robotic or low-effort, AI isn’t just skipping over it. It’s actively pushing it down the search results.
Here’s what that means:
- AI is analysing whether your content genuinely answers the query
- It checks if your page offers something better than what’s already ranking
- It knows when you’re writing for clicks instead of value
In other words, your content can no longer fake its way to the top.
So yes, AI mode is fully live, and it’s not just changing how we do SEO, it’s changing how we write, publish, and think about content.
How to Check If You’ve Been Hit
Before you panic, breathe. Then go to your Search Console and check for:
- A sudden drop in search impressions or clicks
- Pages marked as “Crawled, currently not indexed”
- Weird traffic dips that began mid-October
Then hop over to the Search Status Dashboard. If there’s an active outage or technical issue (there wasn’t as of this writing), it’ll be listed there.
But if everything looks “green” and your rankings still tanked? Yep, the October 2025 Google Core Update probably got you.
Ready to rank smarter, not harder?
What Google Said (and Didn’t Say)
As usual, Google Search Central shared a helpful-but-vague post about “improving the quality of search results” and ensuring “people-first content.”
Translation: if your content was written for Google’s crawlers instead of real humans, you’re going to feel it.
Also, Google Ads placement seems unaffected. Surprise surprise.
Spam Update: The Silent Killer
Let’s not forget the 2025 Spam Update (August). It paved the way for the October core update by laying down stricter guidelines for manipulative SEO behaviour.
So if you’re wondering why that blog post from 2024 is suddenly unindexed, even though it used to rank, this could be why.
What You Can Do Now
Let’s keep it practical. Here’s how you start auditing your website without spiraling into existential dread:
- Focus on intent, not just keywords. AI understands context now. Write like a human.
- Update your old posts. Especially anything pre-2024.
- Leverage structured data. Help the algorithm help you.
- Diversify your traffic. Don’t rely on Google Search alone. Think email, socials, partnerships.
- Watch the Search Video Recaps Google posts weekly. Nerdy? Yes. Helpful? Also yes.
Local SEO Took a Hit Too
If you’re a local business or startup leaning into local search, the October update may have shifted your map rankings too. Google’s now pushing harder on location precision and trustworthy citations.
So clean up those directories, fix NAP inconsistencies, and recheck your Google Business Profile.
Need Help with the Drop in Search Ranking?
If your site took a hit after the October 2025 Google Core Update, you’re not alone, and you’re definitely not powerless.
Between AI-driven search algorithms, shifting SEO rules, and surprise ranking updates, it’s no wonder even solid sites saw a drop in search visibility.
At SEOBoost, we help founders, marketers, and content teams recover from ranking losses, adapt to algorithm changes, and future-proof their content strategy for whatever Google Search throws next.
Need help with your drop in search or ranking?
Let’s talk and get your visibility (and sanity) back.
