In this guide · 8 sections
- 01Google core updates in 2026: the official dates
- 02Was it the core update or something on your site?
- 03How to check a traffic drop after a core update
- 04What to do after a large drop (and what not to do)
- 05How long recovery takes
- 06A monthly check that catches problems early
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Check the Search Status Dashboard for update dates, wait a week after the rollout ends, then compare Search Console data with the week before it started. A small slip in position needs no action; a large, site-wide drop calls for a content review. Rule out technical faults first.
Google core updates in 2026: the official dates
Google posts every confirmed ranking update on its Search Status Dashboard. Times there are US Pacific, so Singapore dates can be one day later. As of 21 October 2026 the dashboard lists these ranking updates for the year:
| Update | Started | Rollout complete | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 core update | 27 Mar 2026 | 8 Apr 2026 | Core |
| May 2026 core update | 21 May 2026 | 2 Jun 2026 | Core |
| March 2026 spam update | 24 Mar 2026 | 25 Mar 2026 | Spam |
| June 2026 spam update | 24 Jun 2026 | 26 Jun 2026 | Spam |
| August 2026 spam update | 18 Aug 2026 | 21 Aug 2026 | Spam |
| September 2026 spam update | 24 Sep 2026 | 8 Oct 2026 | Spam |
Core updates change how Google ranks pages broadly; they do not target a site. Spam updates tighten detection of practices in Google's spam policies. If your drop lines up with a spam update rather than a core update, the questions to ask are different (see below).
Was it the core update or something on your site?
Google's own guide to debugging Search traffic drops lists the main causes: algorithmic updates, technical issues, security issues, spam issues and changes in what people search for. A small business site is just as likely to have broken something during a redesign or plugin update as to have been hit by a core update.
| Sign in Search Console | Likely cause | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Gradual slide over a few days, many pages, during a rollout window | Core update | Performance report, compare weeks |
| Sudden drop to near zero on one day | Site down, robots.txt block or site-wide noindex | Crawl stats, Page indexing report |
| Only certain pages vanished after a redesign | Changed URLs without 301 redirects | Page indexing: 'Not found (404)' |
| Warning in Search Console or browsers | Malware or hacked pages | Security issues report |
| Message about a manual action | Spam policy breach found by a reviewer | Manual actions report |
| Same drop every year in the same month | Seasonal demand | Google Trends for your main queries |
How to check a traffic drop after a core update
Google's core updates page sets out the method. It is worth following exactly, because comparing the wrong dates gives the wrong answer.
Confirm the rollout has finished
Open the Search Status Dashboard and note the start and end date of the update. Rankings move around during the rollout, so analysing mid-rollout is misleading.
Wait at least a full week after it ends
Google recommends waiting a full week after completion, then comparing that week with a week before the rollout started.
Compare in the Performance report
In Search Console, open Performance, choose Compare, and set the two date ranges. Look at clicks, impressions and average position for your top pages and queries.
Classify the drop as small or large
Google's example: position 2 to 4 is a small drop and needs no drastic action. Position 4 to 29 is a large drop and needs a deeper look.
Check search types separately
Web, Image and Video results can move differently. Filter by search type before drawing conclusions.
Write down what you found
Note the pages and queries that dropped, by how much, and the dates. You will need this to measure any changes later.
What to do after a large drop (and what not to do)
For a sustained, large drop, Google asks site owners to assess the whole site, not just single pages, against its helpful, reliable, people-first content questions. For a small business, the practical version is: does each service page answer what a customer actually asks, show who you are, and give real detail such as prices, areas served and process?
Worth doing
- Rewrite thin service pages so they answer real customer questions
- Restructure pages so they are easier to read and navigate
- Ask someone unconnected to the business to review the site honestly
- Merge near-duplicate pages that say the same thing for each suburb
Google says avoid
- Quick fixes like removing a page element because you heard it hurts SEO
- Changing pages that are still ranking well after a small slip
- Deleting large sections as a first move (Google calls it a last resort)
- Mass-producing pages written for search engines rather than people
If you used AI to produce many pages quickly, read our guide to Google's policy on AI content. Google does not ban AI writing, but scaled pages with little value fall under its spam policies.
How long recovery takes
Google says some improvements take effect in a few days, but it can take several months for its systems to confirm a site now produces helpful content over the long term. If months pass without change, the next core update may be when it shows. Smaller, unannounced core updates also run between the named ones, so recovery does not always wait for a big update.
Google also says plainly that there is no guarantee of recovery. Positions change because other sites publish better pages, not only because yours got worse. For a local service business, that is often a competitor with clearer pricing or a more complete Google Business Profile.
A monthly check that catches problems early
Most small businesses only look at Search Console after the phone stops ringing. A ten-minute monthly routine means you spot a technical fault before it is mistaken for an update, and you have clean before-and-after data when an update does hit.
Monthly Search health check
Our DIY SEO audit checklist goes further, covering titles, speed and internal links.
Do it yourself or get help?
Comparing date ranges in Search Console and running the checks above is something any owner can do once Search Console is set up. Content rewrites are best done by whoever knows the customers. Where help is useful is the technical side: crawl errors, redirects after a redesign, speed problems and missing sitemaps.
Our Speed & SEO Fix (S$390) covers image and script clean-up, titles and headings, Search Console and sitemap set-up, and broken link and 404 clean-up, with a before-and-after PageSpeed report. It does not include writing new content. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience; you pay upfront, send the brief in writing and follow progress on your order page.
Frequently asked questions
As of 21 October 2026, the most recent core update listed on Google's Search Status Dashboard is the May 2026 core update, which started on 21 May and finished rolling out on 2 June 2026. The September 2026 spam update finished on 8 October 2026. Check the dashboard for anything newer, as Google posts each update there.
Look for a drop in Search Console that starts during the rollout window and affects many pages gradually. A sudden drop to near zero on one day is more likely a technical fault such as downtime, a robots.txt block or a noindex tag. Compare a week after the rollout with a week before it started.
No. Google recommends waiting until the rollout has finished and then at least a full week before analysing. If the drop is small, such as position 2 to 4, Google advises against drastic changes. Only a large, sustained drop calls for a site-wide content review.
Sometimes. Google says improvements can take from a few days to several months to show, and that there is no guarantee. Recovery may come with the next core update or with smaller unannounced updates. Focus on making pages more useful to customers rather than on quick SEO tricks.
No. A core update is a broad change to how Google ranks all sites. A spam update improves detection of practices that break Google's spam policies, such as scaled low-value content or link schemes. If your drop matches a spam update, review the spam policies and check Search Console for manual actions.