Complete list of Google Updates and Algorithm Changes

SISTRIX expert author headshot
SISTRIX expert author headshot
From:
Lily Ray, Steve Paine
Steve Paine
23.08.2024
Complete list of Google Updates and Algorithm Changes

It’s important to remember that a Google algorithm change may have been responsible for large changes in SEO visibility. We track every update carefully and below you’ll find the list of all known official and unofficial updates since the first in 2002

Lily Ray talks about Google algorithm updates and core updates.

What is a Google Algorithm Update?

The Google search algorithm is responsible for taking web pages, found by its crawlers and added to its index, and sorting them into results for queries. Over the years it has developed from something simple – easily tricked by carefully crafted URLs and content – to an algorithm that includes machine learning and AI.

What is a Google Core Update?

In March 2018 Google rolled out its first ever Core Update. Core Updates can be seen as stable algorithms that have been bundled together and are worked on as a single entity, as opposed to new, sometimes experimental algorithms that are run seperately. As time goes on, more and more has been built into the core algorithm and as such, they are some of the most important updates that can happen. The list below shows all the Google Core updates, and we have more information about Google Core Updates in a seperate, detailed article.

Are Google Algorithm updates important for SEO?

The goal of every Google algorithm change, also called a Google Update, is to (further) increase the quality of the search results for the user. Google uses more than 200 ranking factors to determine the quality and relevancy of every URL. Google’s ranking algorithms help get the most relevant information from the Google-Index.

Algorithm updates may affect your rankings and visibility but if you are following the Quality Rater Guidelines and writing the content that your users want to see, a Google Algorithm update may never affect your rankings, at least directly. Other sites can gain and lose visibility and this will indirectly affect your own SEO rankings.

List of all Google algorithm updates

Google lists all major updates since 2020 on its Google Search Central update list.

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

  • 24th September 2019: Google Core Update September 2019
  • 2nd June 2019: Google Core Update June 2019
  • 13th March 2019: Google Core Update March 2019

2018

  • 8th October 2018: Medic Update #2
  • 29th September 2018: Small Google Core Update
  • 1st August 2018: Medic Update
  • 12th March 2018: Google Core Update March 2018

2017

  • 5th November 2017: Unknown Google Update November 2017
  • 8th June 2017: Unknown Google Update June 2017
  • 29th March 2017: Google Fred Update
  • 12th February 2017: Unknown Google Update February 2017

2016

  • 9th October 2016: Google Penguin 4.0 Update
  • 8th July 2016: Unknown Google Update July 2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

  • April 2008: Google Dewey Update April 2008

2007

  • June 2007: Google Buffy Update Juni 2007

2005

  • 2005: Google Big Daddy Update
  • 2005: Google Jagger Update
  • 2005: Google Gilligan Update
  • 2005: Google Bourbon Update
  • 2005: Google Allegra Update

2004

  • 2004: Google Brandy Update
  • 2004: Google Austin Update

2003

  • 2003: Google Florida Update
  • 2003: Google Fritz Update
  • 2003: Google Esmeralda Update
  • 2003: Google Dominic Update
  • 2003: Google Cassandra Update
  • 2003: Google Boston Update

2002

  • 2002: First documented Google Update

More information on Google Updates

Free Google Update Check

We have compiled all algorithm changes into a helpful Google Updates Overview. You can simply type in a domain for free and see how it did during the weeks of public Google Updates. The tool works for all of the countries we cover with our SERP archive data.

SISTRIX expert author headshot
SISTRIX expert author headshot
From:
Lily Ray, Steve Paine
Steve Paine
25.02.2016
Complete list of Google Updates and Algorithm Changes