What a shock for SERPs: all the data from Google’s June Core Update
Sixteen days of volatility and changes in the landscape, with an immediate and visible impact. This time, the rollout of Google’s June 2025 Core Update did not just cause a slight, almost painless shock, because many saw certainties disappear, with fluctuations affecting major brands, editorial sites, food, sports, and historic portals. And even though, as usual, there were no additional technical communications or operational explanations, the update exposed – once again – how illusory it is to believe that content, links, or technicalities are enough to guarantee a “place in the sun” in SERPs.
Amidst the visibility rules of algorithms, there are signs that no tool can fully measure: the quality perceived by users, the consistency of entities, and the ability to truly respond to the needs of those searching.
So, with data in hand and without arbitrary interpretations, let’s analyze what happened in Italian SERPs during and after the update: who gained, who lost, which trends are confirmed compared to previous updates, and where the signs of quality are shifting according to Google.
June 2025 Core update, international effects
Unpredictability. This is the word that sums up Google’s June 2025 Core Update, whose rollout was extended from June 30, 2025, to July 17, 2025, covering a period of 16 days and 18 hours—three days longer than the previous update in March 2025, for those who love numbers and trivia.
After a relatively quiet start, international monitoring tools recorded unusual volatility, with significant fluctuations in successive waves, well beyond the official conclusion of the rollout. This is not the first time this has happened, but the scale and duration of the instability were above average for recent years.
The real turning point, however, is not just the quantity of movements: this update has (once again) affected major brands and verticals, triggered recoveries among sites “buried” by previous updates, and reaffirmed a clear trend for those involved in SEO and visibility. Today, no site can consider itself truly safe, and the algorithm no longer looks only at old metrics of authority or history: everything depends on the ability to offer real value to users, stand out from the mass of generic content, and gain the trust of the system on every surface (SERP, Discover, AI Overview).
A ‘hot’, unstable and less decipherable update
Specifically, the June Update stood out for its intensity: after two days of relative calm, between July 2 and 14, SERP volatility reached record levels according to all major international tools.
Several analysts reported at least two, if not three, “waves” of fluctuations: the first immediately after the announcement, the second between July 8 and 10, and the third still visible even in the days following the official end of the rollout. In practice, the settling period was extended, with prolonged effects on traffic and ranking.
According to professionals such as Glenn Gabe, Barry Schwartz, and Roger Montti, in particular, the June 2025 Core Update deserves to be called “red-hot”: a large-scale update that has produced cross-cutting volatility in all areas of global SERPs, but with a more selective and less “destructive” impact than the worst updates of recent years.
Recovery of sites penalized by previous updates (and confirmation from YMYL sectors)
The pattern of “recovered” sites has been much discussed: for the first time, several domains affected by the September 2023 Helpful Content Update have seen signs of recovery, for example, informational sites and thematic blogs in the health and finance sectors.
Gabe reports cases of sites “resurrected” after months of total absence from SERPs, while others continued to lose ground or saw new declines on the day of the official rollout.
The timing is interesting: many of these recoveries occurred between July 8 and 10, after the first wave of fluctuations. However, not all of them have returned to pre-penalty levels, and in many cases the improvement remains partial or temporary. In the YMYL sectors (health, finance, law, news), volatility was even more pronounced, confirming that the error tolerance threshold is now very low and that any update can overturn the hierarchies. In particular, news and information sites experienced sharp fluctuations, often without a recognizable pattern, reinforcing the idea that the core update worked on multiple aggregated quality signals, not on individual areas or errors.
Several sources also reported movement “ahead of schedule” of the official rollout dates, particularly in mid-June: a dynamic that several experts (Gabe, PPC Land) associate with targeted interventions on Google’s review system, which has been silently and “continuously” updated for months.
AI Overview and decoupling: now everything is even more connected
One of the most obvious (and discussed) aspects of the June 2025 Core Update is the knock-on effect between traditional ranking, visibility in AI Overview, and Google Discover. International analysts have confirmed that sites affected by the update have lost ground across all areas of Google: not only in classic SERPs, but also in boxes generated by artificial intelligence (AI Overview), in Discover results, and often in newsboxes.
In short, those who plummeted in SERPs also saw their presence in AI-generated results decline, and vice versa, those who recovered their rankings saw their exposure increase in Google’s new features as well. This confirms that the underlying ranking systems are increasingly integrated with all search surfaces.
The mechanism is now clear: when Google reviews the quality of a site, the impact is no longer limited to the positioning of pages in the “blue” results, but extends to all forms of organic exposure offered by the platform. In particular, for many publishers, the loss of ranking led to an almost simultaneous disappearance from AI Overview and a sharp drop in impressions and clicks on Discover, as reported by direct testimonials from webmasters and insiders (“traffic drop across all Google surfaces,” “AIO disappeared as soon as rankings dropped,” “Discover went flat after the update”).
However, this phenomenon—now defined as “decoupling” between impressions and clicks—has not affected all sectors uniformly. According to reports by Glenn Gabe and PPC Land, some specific niches are holding up, such as B2B portals, local service sites, or domains where AI Overview is rarely activated: in these cases, the correlation between impressions and clicks has remained “traditional” and traffic variations have been less pronounced. However, for most editorial, news, health, travel, food, and finance portals, the loss (or gain) of visibility has reverberated across every channel, reinforcing Google’s message: today, all surfaces are connected, and algorithmic judgment is reflected everywhere.
What do international analyses reveal: new (and more complex) algorithms?
Many international analysts point to a ‘technical’ revolution that is less visible from the outside: Google has reportedly tested (or started rolling out) systems such as MUVERA for more efficient multi-vector retrieval and Graph Foundation Model for a deeper understanding of relationships, reputation and trust signals. Obviously, it is impossible to know if and to what extent these technologies have affected the update, but the end result is clear: the selection of results seems increasingly unpredictable, with the algorithm rewarding uniqueness and “perceived” authority rather than the mere presence of links or keywords.
MUVERA: what it is and why it (might) matter
MUVERA, which stands for Multi-Vector via Fixed Dimensional Encodings Retrieval Algorithm, is a new architecture announced publicly in June 2025 that allows Google to select pages for ranking much more efficiently and accurately, favoring content that shows real uniqueness and relevance to the search intent, and drastically reducing the “noise” generated by similar or indistinct pages.
Compared to previous systems, MUVERA combines the efficiency of traditional single-vector models with the accuracy of multi-vector models, but without the classic slowdown or resource requirements that typically penalize more advanced techniques. This means that Google can compare content with queries using multiple “semantic viewpoints” (i.e., not just word matches, but also matches between concepts, intents, and relationships) and retrieve more relevant results, discarding generic, superficial, or irrelevant pages much more quickly.
Essentially, MUVERA is designed to prioritize truly unique, useful content that is well-related to the user’s intent. We don’t know if it was actually implemented during or shortly after the June Update (we have no official proof, although the timing and signals gathered by analysts suggest that it had an impact), but it would explain why the update hit sites that relied heavily on content “similar” to the industry average or on large volumes of undifferentiated pages particularly hard.
Graph Foundation Model: the new frontier of algorithmic ‘understanding’
In addition to MUVERA, Google unveiled its Graph Foundation Model (GFM) in the same weeks, an artificial intelligence model designed to interpret and analyse complex data networks – not just content, but also relationships between sites, authors, links, authority signals, and so on. The model, which has already been tested internally to combat advertising spam, allows you to “read” not only the content of pages, but also their context and the connections they create in the web ecosystem.
In practice, GFM is potentially capable of recognizing patterns and signals of trust (or poor reliability) with a depth never seen before, going beyond simple link counting or superficial text analysis. If technical SEO had already become a “chess game” based on entities and E-E-A-T signals, these models raise the bar even higher: today, Google can link different types of data (text, links, user behavior, author and domain reputation) to build a much more complete and up-to-date picture of a page’s value.
The result, as suggested by the movements observed by experts in SERPs, is an acceleration in Google’s ability to recognize authentic value and original perspectives, rewarding truly useful sites and penalizing those that focus only on quantity, superficiality, or standardized techniques. If these innovations are already operational, they explain why the update has had such a marked effect on certain clusters of sites and sectors: today more than ever, being “average” or too similar to competitors is no longer enough to maintain visibility in SERPs. And, above all, focusing solely on quantity or technical “tricks” is an increasingly risky path to take.
What SEOZoom data really revealed in Italy
The June 2025 Core Update has established itself as one of the most turbulent updates in recent years, and the SEOZoom SERP Observatory confirms that it has had intense and persistent impacts on fluctuations in Italian SERPs.
After an initial period of apparent calm, in early July, SERP “weather” reported a veritable algorithmic storm, with volatility peaks higher than those observed in the major updates of the last twelve months. Unlike other recent updates, however, the instability phases did not end quickly, but showed a double—if not triple—wave: the historical graph for the period shows an initial surge immediately after the official announcement, followed by further acceleration between July 6 and 10, and then another tail of variations until just before the official end of the rollout.
The impact of the June 2025 Core Update on Italian SERPs
The picture that emerges from a detailed analysis of SEOZoom metrics is clear.
The Big Variations – i.e., the marked shifts in position of individual pages – reached levels never seen in the last year, hitting percentages above the warning threshold between July 2 and 4, and then remaining at abnormal values for the rest of the update window. This means that Google has carried out a profound reshuffling of ranking positions, clearly rewarding and penalizing entire thematic clusters and domains, without limiting itself to minor marginal “refocusing.”
The data on the drops from the Top 10 confirms this trend: the frequency with which results left the front page was higher than the historical average in both the first and second weeks of July, with a peak coinciding with the moments of greatest activity recorded by the Observatory.
The activity on the first page followed the same trend: fluctuations in the results ranked in the Top 10 repeatedly exceeded the physiological threshold, indicating a reassignment of visibility among competing domains that affected both informational queries and more transactional or commercial keywords.
An interesting element emerges from the analysis of small variations: on many of the hottest days of the update, micro-fluctuations remained at relatively low levels. This suggests that the June 2025 Core Update did not just experiment with small distributed tests, but instead surgically tweaked the rankings of the most sensitive queries, favoring substantial interventions on well-defined clusters and domains.
The overall result, as captured by SEOZoom’s metrics, is that of an update that acted with force and determination, reshaping the hierarchies of Italian SERPs in a way that is often irreversible for many domains. The high frequency of large variations and exits from the Top 10, combined with persistent instability even in the days following the official rollout, confirms that the picture is far from settled: companies and publishers should expect further micro-adjustments in the coming weeks, especially in sectors already characterized by strong competition and volatility.
Winners: sites that benefited from the update
The June 2025 Core Update brought significant increases in visibility to numerous domains, belonging to sectors and types that are also very different from each other. Analyzing the data collected by SEOZoom, it is possible to highlight some structural growth patterns: these are often vertical portals, digital editorial projects, aggregators, and already authoritative brands, but also more “young” or specialized sites that have seen certain thematic areas rewarded.
For example, among the top winners are giants such as Instagram (+1 ZA) and YouTube (+1 ZA), but also Rainews (+2 ZA), Cinematografo (+2 ZA), Trovaprezzi (+2 ZA), anime.everyeye and cinema.everyeye (+3 ZA), Digitalic (+3 ZA), Italiaonline (+4 ZA), Socialmediasoccer (+8 ZA), blog.google (+8 ZA), and Corrieredellosport (+1 ZA).
However, it remains impossible to identify with certainty the precise reasons for individual increases in traffic or authority: Google’s algorithm does not allow for definitive causal analysis, only objective observations of what actually happened. The following tables provide a concrete overview, starting from the actual figures for changes in Zoom Authority and estimated traffic.
Zoom Authority increase: +1 (from 91 to 92)
Instagram remains one of the leaders in Italian SERPs, recovering the share lost to ZA in previous months and returning to its all-time high. The site, which has always been at the top of global brands, had in fact made a significant leap during the core update of March 2024, while in 2025 it experienced a more fluctuating trend, with a partial loss in the following months—but without any particular upheavals in core keywords—and a recovery now with the June update.
Perhaps unrelated, July 10 saw the start of the “revolution” in the indexing of Instagram content on Google, which is now “official” unless individual users decide otherwise.
- YouTube
ZA increase: +1
Google’s video giant also improved its ranking slightly, consolidating its already dominant presence on high-traffic queries. The increase mainly translates into better coverage of informational searches, particularly tutorial and entertainment searches.
- Rainews
ZA increase: +2
Rainews is the RAI news outlet specializing in news and in-depth analysis. With this update, it marks one of the best performances in the news sector, gaining two ZA points and climbing positions on both general keywords and current events. The result consolidates the progress already begun during the March core update.
- Cinematografo
ZA increase: +2
A long-standing portal dedicated to cinema, film reviews, and cultural news, Cinematografo has recorded a net increase of two ZA points, thus overcoming a long period of stagnation. It benefits from greater visibility on queries related to cinema and entertainment, probably also thanks to the depth and uniqueness of its editorial archives.
- Trovaprezzi
ZA increase: +2
Trovaprezzi stands out as one of the few comparison sites to gain in this update, with an increase in both ZA and keyword rankings. Estimated traffic is growing significantly and the domain is consolidating its role as a reference point for commercial searches and price comparisons, recovering ground after declines recorded in previous updates in 2024.
- Everyeye (anime and cinema)
ZA increase: +3 on anime.everyeye.it, +2 on cinema.everyeye.it
Everyeye – a digital portal with verticals on anime, cinema, and entertainment – stands out for its growth across multiple subdomains, a sign of a well-segmented editorial structure. The leap forward affects both high-volume and long-tail keywords, with improvements particularly affecting reviews, news, and thematic guides. This recovery comes after a period of volatility that affected visibility between March and April, highlighting a ability to react positively to the latest algorithm revisions.
- Appuntamentoalcinema
ZA increase: +3
A website specializing in programming and information on films in Italian cinemas, Appuntamento al Cinema benefits from steady growth in visibility and authority. The site is strengthening its presence on local and service queries, capturing new clusters of keywords related to cinema and showtimes.
- Digitalic
ZA increase: +3
An online publication dedicated to technology, innovation, and digital transformation, Digitalic stands out among vertical media thanks to an expansion of its keyword positioning. The jump in ZA confirms a positive trend that was already seen during the minor updates of 2024.
- Piemmemedia
ZA increase: +3
A digital publisher active on several fronts, Piemmemedia has made a big leap forward in its thematic coverage, probably thanks to a vertical content strategy and better editorial organization post-update.
- Italiaonline
ZA increase: +4
A digital holding company that manages generalist portals, email services, and thematic verticals. The update rewards the italiaonline ecosystem with a +4 in ZA and marked growth in keywords in the Top 10. The domain benefits from the breadth of its content base, while managing to maintain a consistent level of quality across verticals.
- Socialmediasoccer
ZA increase: +8
This project has seen remarkable growth, ranking among the top performers in the June 2025 Core Update, with an impressive 8-point increase in Zoom Authority.
The site, a vertical portal dedicated to the intersection between soccer and social media, has seen significant growth in both estimated traffic and the number of keywords ranked in the Top 10.
- Blog.google
ZA increase: +8
The official Google blog has seen a surge in visibility, gaining 8 ZA points and propelling it to the top of the rankings in Italy. This is probably a secondary effect of the increase in citations and links during the update period, as well as the growing attention to institutional content and official communications on the topic of AI.
Losers: sites that have lost visibility
Similarly, the June core update also affected long-standing sites, large publishing portals, national media, and high-traffic projects, which suffered significant declines in visibility and organic traffic estimates.
Particularly significant was the decline of leading brands in the news, food, and general information sectors: immediately down were subito.it (-1 ZA), Gazzetta.it (-1 ZA), Sport.sky (-1 ZA), Repubblica.it (-1 ZA), Reddit (-1 ZA), Cucchiaio.it (-1 ZA), Fanpage.it (-2 ZA), Gazzettadelmezzogiorno (-4 ZA), Gazzettadelsud (-4 ZA), Promoqui (-3 ZA), Agendadigitale.eu (-2 ZA), Dissapore (-2 ZA), and Cucinaitaliana.it (-1 ZA).
The reasons for these declines are never entirely clear from the outside: Google does not release operational details on individual interventions or on which signals have been negatively evaluated. We can only observe—based on SEOZoom data—which sites have actually been impacted and to what extent, also pointing out any previous patterns or movements already observed in recent updates.
- Subito
ZA decrease: -1
A long-standing online classifieds portal, Subito.it lost one ZA point after maintaining a stable position for most of 2024. The decline mainly affected transactional queries and the long tail of localized searches. The site had already suffered slight declines in previous core updates, showing rapid recoveries after temporary drops, but this time the signal seems more structural and prolonged.
- Gazzetta
ZA decrease: -1
La Gazzetta dello Sport, one of Italy’s leading sports news portals, has seen a decline in visibility that is also reflected in its estimated traffic. It has lost positions on numerous highly competitive keywords, especially in clusters related to current sporting events.
- Sport.sky
ZA decrease: -1
Sky Sport has seen a decline, especially on core keywords and trending sports news. The decline follows a period of steady growth over the last year, but this reversal is significant in the digital sports media landscape.
- Repubblica
ZA decrease: -1
A historic national news outlet, Repubblica recorded a one-point drop in ZA and a decline in its keyword share in the Top 10, confirming a period of greater difficulty that has now lasted for several updates. The decline is across the board, affecting both general news and more vertical topics.
ZA decrease: -1
The large international forum recorded a general decline in both visibility and coverage of current events and community queries. Reddit, which performed well in previous updates, is probably paying the price for competition from more vertical content formats and the saturation of informational queries.
- Cucchiaio
ZA decrease: -1
Among the leading food sites in Italy, Cucchiaio.it has suffered a significant decline, especially given the leading position it occupied in searches for recipes and culinary content. The decline in ZA is accompanied by a contraction in the keywords covered, with a direct impact on estimated traffic.
- Fanpage
ZA decrease: -2
Among the most popular general information portals online, Fanpage has recorded a significant decline, losing two ZA points and numerous key keywords. The site had already shown signs of suffering in recent updates, but the blow dealt in June is the hardest in the last two years, confirming a situation of severe instability that does not yet seem to have been fully resolved.
- Gazzettadelmezzogiorno
ZA decrease: -4
The southern Italian daily newspaper is among the biggest losers in this update, with a drop of 4 ZA points. The loss is across all major editorial categories and involves both local keywords and general queries.
- Gazzettadelsud
ZA decrease: -4
Another local newspaper paying the price for the update: Gazzetta del Sud recorded the worst percentage decline in the local news sector. The site had already suffered negative movements in previous updates, but the current figure represents a new low.
- Promoqui
ZA decrease: -3
A portal specializing in flyers and promotional offers, Promoqui loses 3 ZA points, marking the largest decline in the deals & offers sector. The contraction affects both brand and transactional keywords.
- Agendadigitale
ZA decrease: -2
A leading publication in the digital and innovation sector, Agendadigitale.eu has seen a structural decline in sector keywords and technology insights. The site had been rewarded in previous updates but has now suffered a sharp setback.
- Dissapore
ZA decrease: -2
Among the leading food portals, Dissapore loses two ZA points, in line with a trend affecting many vertical publications in the recipe and cooking sector. Both estimated traffic and keyword coverage are down.
- Cucinaitaliana
ZA decrease: -1
A long-standing website for the world of cooking, Cucinaitaliana has suffered a slight decline, especially for classic recipe keywords and thematic guides, confirming that the food sector has been particularly affected by the June update.
The long tail of the update and signs of instability
Perhaps the most surprising element is the persistence of volatility: SEOZoom data indicates that, even after the formal end of the rollout (July 17), movement in the SERPs continued unabated. The waves of recovery and subsequent declines indicate that Google continues to modify (or refine) internal systems even after the update is complete, activating multiple sets of rules and subsystems.
In particular, the “weather” chart shows that between July 18 and 23, there were new waves of fluctuations, with a frequency of large variations and exits from the Top 10 higher than the average for recent months.
This scenario confirms that the June Core Update activated multiple systems and that the ranking adjustment process was anything but linear. In particular, fluctuations continued to affect both pages already affected during the rollout and new thematic clusters and keywords with medium and high competition. “Wave” recovery phenomena emerged, with some domains alternating between phases of recovery and new declines, a sign that the algorithm continued to recalibrate parameters and signals even after the release was complete.
The practical effect for those working in the field is clear: never before has the formal closure of an update been such a moving target, but rather just an intermediate step. The recommendation, therefore, remains the same: constant monitoring, clear analysis of data, and no impulsive reactions, because prolonged instability has become the new normal in the post-update period.
Post-rollout data and key indicators
Analysis of the fluctuations shows some interesting signs.
- Large fluctuations: the Large fluctuations graph shows a sequence of abnormal peaks in the last ten days of July, with values that were twice the normal threshold for several days. These movements affected hundreds of thousands of keywords, not only the most competitive ones but also secondary queries, confirming the cross-sectional scope of the algorithmic reshuffle.
- Exits from the Top 10: the percentage of pages that slipped off the first page of Google remained high even after July 17, confirming a phase of continuous reallocation of positions and fierce competition between domains.
- Small variations and fluctuations on the first page: the frequency of micro-shifts in SERPs also increased compared to the period immediately prior to the update, signaling a phase of fine-tuning of the middle and lower positions on the first page.
This long tail was characterized by two new elements:
- “Wave” recoveries: some domains that had suffered a sharp decline in the middle of the update showed signs of recovery a week or more later, alternating between phases of recovery and new losses. This dynamic was evident in several editorial projects, both generalist and vertical.
- Anomalous movements on minor keywords: the fluctuations did not only affect the most visible keywords, but also numerous secondary queries, suggesting a deep algorithmic refinement and a redefinition of thematic hierarchies.
Interpret, don’t suffer: what this update really teaches us
“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here,” as the Poet would say, and abandon any pretense of fully deciphering what happens when Google releases a core update! Each new wave makes it clearer that SERPs are now the result of dozens of interconnected, often invisible systems, where no one—outside the Mountain View teams—can truly reconstruct the complete picture of the variables at play. The June 2025 Core Update is yet another proof of this: we have seen long-standing sites lose positions they had held for years and emerging digital publishing projects gain ground. But on closer inspection, there is only one common thread: those who simply “suffer” the algorithms without monitoring trends and signals are now falling behind.
There are no magic formulas or techniques that work “no matter what.” The only effective compass is constant data analysis: monitor volatility, analyze keywords and pages that vary the most, and document every stage of the rollout. In this scenario, the only rational approach is to document all relevant changes, avoid impulsive changes, and adopt a strategy of continuous improvement, aware that the game for organic visibility is now played on a field that changes shape every week.
The shield against visibility loss is to continue investing in editorial quality, user experience, and the real authority of your brand: those who offer authentic answers, experience, recognizability, and build a reputation recognized by users even before search engines will win—or at least hold their ground.
Practical tips and post-update strategies
Of course, Google continues to say to stay calm and not take action in the wake of declines, but—even in light of the extreme speed of ranking changes and volatility—waiting passively is not a viable option, even for those who have gained ground.
The post-update phase can in fact be the time to work using the “kitchen sink” approach, intervening on every possible aspect, leaving no stone unturned and not just waiting for a possible recovery in the next update.
Here is a well-thought-out checklist, based on practices recommended by international analysts, which covers all fronts: content quality, UX, technical aspects, links, advertising, and so on, without favoring any one lever.
This checklist for setting up work after a core update is not a guaranteed “procedure,” but a collection of actions based on experience and guidelines found in the best international insights. So, it is not a surefire recipe or certified by Google (because there is no such thing!), but a reliable guide based on established practices among professionals.
- Content quality audit: analyze the main pages and identify those that have lost the most traffic or ranking; check whether they still offer real value to the user, whether they are up to date, original, and in-depth.
- Improving the user experience: check loading times, navigability, and the presence of distracting elements such as excessive ads or pop-ups; ensure that the structure is simple and functional.
- Reviewing the structure and thematic consistency: assess whether the site clearly communicates “what it is about,” whether the content is organized into coherent clusters, and whether there are pages that confuse or weaken the editorial identity.
- Pay attention to advertising and affiliations: sites with excessive advertising, invasive affiliations, or opaque patterns are more prone to declines; strike a balance between content and monetization.
- Technical SEO: check for technical errors (redirects, pages not found, incorrect canonicals), improve indexing, and optimize basic performance.
- Documentation and monitoring: keep detailed reports on changes in traffic, rankings, keywords, and pages; this is the only way to identify patterns and anticipate new waves.
To this list we add a practical tip (the only one that comes from Google, as mentioned): never intervene in the heat of the moment during the most volatile phase. Data from recent weeks confirms this: many fluctuations only stabilize after days or weeks, and impulsive actions risk worsening the situation.
What to expect now: scenarios for the second half of 2025
Looking ahead, the scenario remains uncertain, but some trends are now clear. International analysts predict at least one more core update in the fall, in line with the increasingly frequent release schedule adopted by Google over the last two years. At the same time, the convergence between classic ranking, AI Overview, and Google’s “smart” surfaces will become even tighter: any intervention on central systems will have immediate effects on Discover, News, images, videos, and AI responses.
For brands, the challenge is twofold: on the one hand, consolidating their thematic authority while maintaining consistency, quality, and clarity; on the other, being ready to seize opportunities that arise for emerging projects, which are often rewarded for their originality, specialization, and speed of adaptation. The biggest risk? Resting on your laurels, thinking that history or size are enough to maintain visibility.
Operational FAQs and insights
We conclude this lengthy analysis with a series of quick answers and technical clarifications designed for those who, after experiencing yet another algorithmic earthquake, find themselves having to make concrete choices.
It is not just a question of strategy: understanding how to read the signals, distinguish between types of updates, and know how to interpret data (especially the data that really matters) is what makes the difference today between those who react lucidly and those who risk chasing volatility.
That’s why we’ve put together a series of FAQs, concise explanations, and practical references to help you navigate the post-update landscape without wasting time on false leads or inaccurate interpretations.
- How can you recover after a drop from a core update?
It takes time and a systematic approach: content audits, quality improvements, attention to signs of authority, and user experience. No recovery is immediate; it often only happens with the next update.
- How can you monitor the visibility and impact of an update?
Use tools such as SEOZoom to analyze ranking changes, exits from the Top 10, and fluctuations in keywords and pages. Document each phase with detailed reports.
- What to do in case of a sudden drop?
Avoid impulsive actions. Analyze the affected pages and evaluate the quality and consistency of the entire site. Prioritize improving the fundamentals (content, UX, technical aspects).
- How to read SEOZoom volatility charts?
The charts show peaks in variation compared to the historical average. Large variations indicate significant shifts, while exits from the Top 10 indicate ranking reassignments. High micro-variations indicate fine-tuning.
- How to distinguish between core updates and interventions on subsystems?
Core updates are always announced and show widespread and cross-cutting impacts. Subsystems (e.g., review systems) can move specific niches and anticipate core update movements.
- What is Google’s MUVERA?
MUVERA is the new retrieval system implemented by Google, based on Multi-Vector via Fixed Dimensional Encodings. It allows more relevant search results to be selected by drastically reducing the number of ‘candidate’ documents to be analyzed, increasing efficiency and accuracy. The system was published on arXiv in 2024 and announced in June 2025: its use allows Google to improve recall and accuracy even on complex queries.
- What is Google’s GFM?
The Graph Foundation Model (GFM) is a new artificial intelligence architecture capable of generalizing across different graph structures and datasets, recognizing patterns between entities, links, content, and users. Google uses it to improve classification and detection of spam, trust, and authority signals.
