The search landscape on Google is always moving and the June 2025 Broad Core Update was a timely reminder of that. Rolled out over approximately 16 days, this update was one of the biggest we’ve seen in a while and resulted in lots of movement and sparking renewed focus on core SEO best practices.
As the saying goes, Google has yet again confirmed that good old advice: “focus on creating helpful, reliable, and people-first content”, but with data and post-update analysis, we’re able to look at key themes which every website owner and digital marketer needs to care about.
The Big Shifts: What Changed with the June 2025 Update
Unlike targeted updates, a core update is a broad refinement of Google’s core ranking systems. The June 2025 update appears to have achieved this by placing a greater emphasis on specific quality signals, possibly incorporating new AI technologies.
1. The Undeniable Rise of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
The attention on E-E-A-T is getting even more intense. This update greatly rewarded sites which can prove real-world Experience and verifiable Expertise.
- Actionable Insight: Content needs to move beyond simply regurgitating information. Showcase the author’s credentials, include original research, case studies, and first-hand accounts. For “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) topics, the bar for trustworthiness is higher than ever.
2. The AI Factor: Increased Visibility of AI Overviews
One of the most visible outcomes was the large-scale addition of AI Overviews (or equivalent extracts produced by modern machine learning models) into traditional Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
- The Zero-Click Challenge: As more AI Overview content has moved toward the surface, this has helped spike zero-click searches, where the user’s query is answered directly on the SERP, reducing clicks to organic listings.
- Actionable Insight: The objective is no longer merely to rank, but to rank for the AI Overview. It takes content that is clearly organized, succinct but precise. Directly answers a user’s question in a way Google’s models can process and output.
3. Technical Advancements Under the Hood
The SEO community speculates that the update might have included advanced new technologies to enhance quality assessment and content retrieval.
- Improved Quality Signals: They were able to comprehend the relationship between content pieces, authors, and a site’s authority bee thanks to Google’s Graph Foundation Model (GFM) technology. At scale, it was able to identify genuine quality and trust.
4. The Stability-Volatility Paradox
Data providers noted that while a large number of pages saw major ranking changes (making it a “big” update), the overall market disruption felt less chaotic than other major core updates.
- Partial Recoveries: Interestingly, a few sites that got hammered by prior updates (like the Helpful Content Update or certain Reviews Updates) saw partial recoveries, hinting that there’s ongoing evolution at Google around how it determines real, helpful content.
Your Post-Update Action Plan
A core update happens, and the last thing you want to do is overreact by making unstrategic, sweeping changes. Focus on a strategic approach that is user-centered and reflects Google’s core values:
1. Conduct a Deep Content Audit:
- Identify Hits and Losses: Use your analytics (Google Search Console, etc.) to pinpoint specific pages that gained or lost significant traffic/rankings.
- Assess Value: For pages that dropped, ask the hard questions: Is this truly the best, most comprehensive, and most trustworthy resource on the topic? Is it filled with thin, repetitive, or generic content?
- Focus on E-E-A-T: Ensure author bios are prominent and verifiable. Cite credible sources. For product reviews, make sure the content clearly demonstrates first-hand experience.
2. Enhance User Experience (UX):
- Prioritize Speed and Vitals: Verify your Core Web Vitals (CLS, INP, and LCP). For a website to rank well, it must be quick, dependable, and responsive.
- Improve Interactivity: Ensure your site is easy to navigate and provides a smooth experience on all devices.
3. Optimize for AI-First Search:
- Schema Markup: Leverage structured data to make sure that search engines understand the context of your content.
- Clarity and Concise:Give clear, direct answers to (especially informational) questions which may make you more likely to be chosen for AI Overview or Featured Snippet.
4. Stay Patient and Consistent:
- Avoid Quick Fixes: Core updates can take months. Correction is a marathon, not a sprint. There also tends to be substantial improvements made in the core updates that follow. Keep your attention on your long-term plan to provide your audience with outstanding value.
The June 2025 update reaffirms that consistently improving quality, experience, and trust—rather than searching for algorithmic flaws—is the way of the future for SEO. You will naturally follow Google’s lead if you focus more on your audience and your genuine expertise.
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