Google updates its systems with approximately 99,000 search queries processed every second, making any core update critically important for website owners and SEO professionals. The June 2025 core update was particularly significant, causing substantial volatility across multiple verticals and countries after its rollout began on June 30, 2025.
This latest google update took 16 days and 18 hours to fully complete, finishing on July 17, 2025—slightly faster than Google initially suggested. During this time, we observed notable ranking fluctuations, especially for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content, which typically experiences greater impacts from google algorithm updates. Furthermore, what makes this google core update particularly interesting is that we’ve seen some accounts of partial recoveries from previous updates, including the September 2023 helpful content update. In this article, we’ll analyze what actually changed with the google algorithm update and how you can respond effectively.
What Google Announced About the June 2025 Core Update
Image Source: TS2 Space
The June 2025 core update marked a significant moment for search rankings across the web. While some updates pass with minimal disruption, this one garnered attention from SEO professionals worldwide due to its scope and implementation approach.
Rollout timeline and duration
On June 30, 2025, at precisely 7:34 AM PDT, Google began rolling out its second core algorithm update of the year [1]. Unlike some previous updates with indefinite timelines, Google clearly communicated that “the rollout may take up to 3 weeks to complete” [2]. Nonetheless, the actual implementation finished slightly ahead of schedule, concluding on July 17, 2025, at 1:00 AM PDT – a total duration of 16 days and 18 hours [2].
Throughout this period, many tracking tools recorded sharp spikes in algorithmic volatility. Platforms like Semrush, MozCast, and Sistrix showed significant temperature increases, suggesting this was among the more impactful updates in recent memory [1]. What’s interesting, however, is that despite technical measurements indicating substantial change, the disruption felt less dramatic to many site owners than expected.
Official statements from Google
Google maintained its characteristically concise messaging about the update. On the Search Status Dashboard, they simply announced: “Released the June 2025 core update. The rollout may take up to 3 weeks to complete” [2].
Additionally, Google expanded slightly on LinkedIn, describing it as “a regular update designed to better surface relevant, satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites” [2]. This language aligns with previous core update announcements, maintaining their consistent position that these updates aim to improve result quality rather than penalize specific sites.
John Mueller from Google described this as one of the “bigger updates” [2], though interestingly, the response to related tweets was relatively muted – not the typical reaction seen with more disruptive changes [3]. According to some analysts, while data showed significant movement, the update may have implemented more subtle, rather than game-changing, modifications [3].
How this update fits into the yearly update cycle
The June 2025 core update arrived approximately three months after the March 2025 core update, making it the second major algorithm change of the year [2]. This timeframe represents a slightly accelerated pace compared to the historical norm, where major core updates typically occurred every 4-6 months [1].
Moreover, this cadence contradicts expectations set in 2024 when Google hinted at potentially increasing update frequency. Despite these suggestions, 2025 has maintained the same pace as 2024 thus far [2]. In between these formal updates, Google’s systems undergo numerous smaller tweaks that rarely receive official announcements.
The timing may connect to statements made by Google’s Danny Sullivan at Search Central Live New York, where he indicated Google would be adjusting algorithms to surface a greater variety of high-quality content [3]. Consequently, this update appears to be implementing some of those promised changes, focusing on content diversity while maintaining quality standards.
Early Volatility and Hidden System Changes
Many SEOs were caught off guard by the June 2025 core update—not because it happened, but because significant ranking changes had already been occurring well before Google’s official announcement.
Pre-update ranking fluctuations
Sharp-eyed webmasters noticed unusual ranking fluctuations as early as June 28, two days before Google officially confirmed the update [4]. Indeed, the pattern of volatility for this latest google update unfolded in three distinct waves:
- Minor fluctuations between June 4-9, primarily affecting mobile and local searches
- A sharp spike between June 16-18, which many believed was a precursor test
- The most pronounced spike around June 28, aligning with what would eventually be confirmed as the start of the official update [4]
Site owners reported pages that had ranked first for months suddenly dropping to the bottom of page two, while newly published content inexplicably outperformed established evergreen pages [4]. Several third-party SEO tools flagged these volatility spikes, with SEMRush’s tracker eventually hitting 9.3 out of 10 during the rollout throughout July, prompting them to call it a “Googlequake” [5].
Unannounced reviews system update
Interestingly, one pattern emerged from the pre-update volatility—sites previously impacted by reviews updates were seeing significant movement [2]. Based on comprehensive analysis across multiple websites, all signs point to Google quietly implementing a substantial reviews system update behind the scenes.
This aligns perfectly with Google’s previous statements following the April and November 2023 reviews updates, where they explicitly mentioned the reviews system would be “updated on a regular and ongoing basis” without announcing additional reviews updates [2]. Google’s Danny Sullivan had also confirmed that the system continues to be updated frequently [2].
How to distinguish core updates from other changes
For website owners trying to make sense of ranking changes, separating core updates from other algorithm adjustments is essential. First, remember that Google pushes updates constantly—including smaller core updates that can significantly impact specific sites [2].
Google has emphasized that core updates officially begin only when they’re announced [2]. Therefore, any pre-update movement starting in early June was not part of the broad core update that began rolling out on June 30th.
To determine what type of update affected your site:
- Track industry patterns: If sites similar to yours across your niche experienced changes, it’s likely a broader update
- Monitor specific content types: Reviews-focused sites seeing movement might indicate a reviews system update
- Check official channels: The Search Status Dashboard confirms core update timelines [6]
- Analyze impact timing: Changes before announced dates suggest other system updates are at play
When evaluating impacts, remember to wait at least a full week after a core update completes before analyzing your site in Search Console [6]. Compare that week with a week before the update started to accurately pinpoint changes [6].
The June 2025 situation reinforces an important reality about google algorithm updates: they’re constantly happening, often without announcement, making continuous monitoring and adaptation essential for SEO success.
Who Was Impacted: Winners, Losers, and Recovery Cases
Image Source: Search Engine Land
The June 2025 core update has created a fascinating reshuffling across the search landscape. The most surprising outcome has been the recovery patterns among websites previously hit by earlier algorithm changes.
Sites that recovered from the September 2023 HCU(X)
Unexpectedly, a significant number of sites devastated by the September 2023 Helpful Content Update (HCU) finally started showing signs of life. Beginning around July 6-9, these recoveries emerged as a distinct second wave of the update’s impact [7]. Specifically, some websites that had virtually disappeared from search results suddenly reappeared, with tracking data showing clear upward trajectories after nearly two years of algorithmic exile [2].
Interestingly, these recovery signals didn’t appear immediately when the update rolled out but instead manifested several days later—primarily on July 8-9 [2]. This timing suggests Google adjusted specific systems that evaluate content helpfulness during the core update rather than making all changes simultaneously.
Industries most affected (YMYL, e-commerce, etc.)
Your Money Your Life (YMYL) websites experienced extraordinary volatility throughout this update. Health, finance, and legal sectors saw particularly dramatic ranking shifts [2], confirming Google’s heightened scrutiny of content that could potentially impact users’ wellbeing or financial decisions.
In the retail space, Amazon stands out as possibly the biggest loser from this update [8]. Several other major e-commerce players likewise suffered substantial visibility declines, including:
- eBay, Target, and Nordstrom
- Lowe’s, Wayfair, and Best Buy [8]
Certain niches followed unique patterns—notably, some health and finance sites like BetterUp and Patient.info rode a roller coaster throughout 2025, gaining significantly during the March update only to crash with this June release [8].
Examples of full and partial recoveries
Among sites recovering from the September 2023 HCU impact, the rebounds varied substantially in scale. Some webmasters reported traffic increases of approximately 40%, bringing them to roughly 55% of their pre-HCU traffic levels [7]. Others saw more dramatic improvements, with select sites nearly tripling their visitor numbers [7].
First-hand reports from site owners showcase these varying recovery levels:
“My main site heavily hit by HCU is making a strong recovery… We did make changes to it after HCU and then reverted it back to how it was pre-HCU as it shouldn’t have been penalized in the first place.” [7]
Another site owner noted: “Too soon to tell yet, but I think that, from Google, I had a partial recovery here. Maybe some 30 to 40%.” [7]
Nevertheless, Glenn Gabe, a respected SEO analyst, emphasized that not all HCU-affected sites benefited—some actually dropped even further [2]. Furthermore, a concerning number of site owners had simply abandoned their efforts after prolonged traffic losses, missing this potential recovery opportunity [2].
The June 2025 update represents the first meaningful recovery chance for many sites since the HCU classifier was integrated into Google’s core ranking system in March 2024 [2]. While few sites have returned completely to their pre-September 2023 positions, these partial recoveries offer renewed hope after nearly two years of algorithmic challenges.
AI Overviews, Discover, and Other Google Surfaces
Beyond traditional search rankings, the June 2025 google core update significantly altered how content appears across Google’s expanding ecosystem of search surfaces.
Impact on AI Overviews visibility
The latest google update dramatically shifted AI Overviews prevalence. Prior to the update, approximately 10% of queries triggered AI Overviews [9]. Yet, by the final day of the update’s rollout, this figure surged to about 20% of keywords [9]. Interestingly, this percentage has subsequently settled around 15% [9].
More revealing, sites negatively impacted by the core update simultaneously experienced drops in AI Overviews visibility [2]. This confirms what many SEO experts had suspected: Google’s quality assessment extends across all its properties, with core algorithm changes affecting visibility throughout its ecosystem.
The shift builds upon a trend already underway—AI Overviews had grown from 6.49% of queries in January 2025 to 13.14% by March 2025 [10]. Alongside this expansion, the update also brought a concerning development for branded searches, with navigational AI Overviews doubling [10].
Discover traffic drops and gains
Concurrently, Google Discover experienced substantial volatility. Multiple publishers reported severe drops in Discover clicks and impressions coinciding with the core update rollout [11][2]. One prominent support thread titled “Sudden and Massive Drop in Google Discover and Google News Traffic Post June 2025 Core Update” [11] highlighted widespread concern among publishers.
As with AI Overviews, sites reassessed as lower quality during the core update often experienced simultaneous Discover traffic declines [2]. This pattern reinforces that Google’s quality evaluation spans its entire content ecosystem rather than being siloed within traditional search.
Changes in image and news search
Image search likewise underwent substantial shifts. Several sites observed notable increases in image search visibility [2]. Essentially, as rankings fluctuated in main search results, image visibility sometimes moved in opposite directions, creating new traffic opportunities for some publishers.
News search similarly exhibited volatility, with the News tab in search results showing significant movement for certain publishers [2]. This pattern of fluctuation across multiple Google surfaces underscores the comprehensive nature of the June 2025 update.
For publishers, these changes emphasize that an effective SEO strategy must now encompass all Google surfaces, as quality assessments flow between them, creating both risks and opportunities beyond traditional search results.
How to Respond: Recovery Tips and Quality Signals
Image Source: Search Engine Land
Recovering from the June 2025 core update demands a strategic approach focused on user satisfaction above all else. Let’s explore what actually works based on emerging patterns.
Google’s advice on helpful content
Following this latest google update, Google hasn’t issued any new recovery guidelines. Instead, they’ve reinforced their longstanding advice: “There aren’t specific actions to take to recover” and “write helpful content for people and not to rank in search engines”. Google maintains that “as long as they’ve been making satisfying content meant for people,” creators shouldn’t need to make special adjustments. For those experiencing ranking drops, Google recommends reviewing their helpful content guidelines that emphasize satisfying user needs over algorithm targeting.
Understanding Navboost and user signals
Navboost, a key component of Google’s algorithm, analyzes user interactions over a 13-month period to evaluate search result quality. This system tracks:
- “Good clicks” indicating user satisfaction
- “Bad clicks” suggesting dissatisfaction (like quick returns to search results)
- “Last longest click” measuring final engagement depth
These behavioral metrics directly influence rankings, as they reflect user satisfaction—a cornerstone of trustworthiness within Google’s E-E-A-T framework.
Why quality is more than just content
Overall quality now encompasses:
- Content depth: Pages demonstrating first-hand experience outperform keyword-targeted content
- Technical factors: Site speed, mobile responsiveness, and navigation structure impact dwell time
- Engagement patterns: How users interact with your site sends powerful ranking signals
Henceforth, focus on creating content with “intent, clarity, and originality” rather than optimizing purely for algorithms.
Conclusion
The June 2025 core update clearly represents one of Google’s more significant algorithm adjustments in recent years. Despite the substantial volatility measured by tracking tools, many site owners experienced less disruption than anticipated. Nevertheless, the partial recoveries witnessed among sites previously hit by the September 2023 Helpful Content Update offer renewed hope for webmasters who’ve spent nearly two years in algorithmic exile.
Above all, this update reinforces that Google’s quality assessment now flows seamlessly across its entire ecosystem. Sites demonstrating true user value saw improvements across traditional search, AI Overviews, Discover, and other surfaces simultaneously. Consequently, SEO strategies must now extend beyond conventional search rankings to encompass Google’s complete digital landscape.
User signals have undoubtedly emerged as the cornerstone of Google’s evaluation system. Therefore, websites that prioritize genuine user satisfaction through content depth, technical excellence, and meaningful engagement will ultimately outperform those merely optimizing for algorithms. If you’ve found these insights valuable, share on your social media to help fellow webmasters navigate these significant algorithm changes.
Finally, while Google maintains there aren’t “specific actions” needed to recover from updates, the evidence suggests otherwise. Websites consistently delivering content with “intent, clarity, and originality” demonstrate greater resilience during algorithm shifts. This update serves as a powerful reminder that search visibility requires an unwavering commitment to quality across all aspects of your digital presence.
Key Takeaways
Google’s June 2025 core update brought significant changes across search surfaces, offering recovery opportunities while emphasizing user-focused quality signals.
• Recovery window opened: Sites hit by September 2023 HCU saw partial recoveries (30-40% traffic gains), marking the first meaningful recovery chance in nearly two years.
• Multi-surface impact: Quality assessments now flow across all Google properties—drops in search rankings correlated with reduced AI Overviews and Discover visibility.
• User signals drive rankings: Navboost analyzes 13 months of user interactions, making “good clicks” and engagement depth more critical than keyword optimization.
• YMYL sites faced volatility: Health, finance, and e-commerce sectors experienced dramatic ranking shifts, with major retailers like Amazon suffering significant visibility losses.
• Quality transcends content: Success requires combining content depth, technical excellence, and genuine user satisfaction rather than algorithm-focused optimization strategies.
The update reinforces that sustainable SEO success depends on creating genuinely helpful content that satisfies user intent across Google’s entire ecosystem, not just traditional search results.
FAQs
Q1. What were the main changes in Google’s June 2025 core update? The June 2025 update focused on improving content relevance and retrieval efficiency. It caused significant ranking fluctuations, especially for YMYL (Your Money Your Life) sites, and led to partial recoveries for some websites previously impacted by the September 2023 Helpful Content Update.
Q2. How long did the June 2025 core update take to roll out? The update began on June 30, 2025, and completed on July 17, 2025, taking a total of 16 days and 18 hours to fully roll out. This was slightly faster than Google’s initial estimate of up to 3 weeks.
Q3. How did the June 2025 update affect different Google surfaces? The update impacted multiple Google surfaces beyond traditional search. AI Overviews visibility increased, while many publishers experienced drops in Google Discover traffic. Image and news search results also saw significant changes, emphasizing the update’s comprehensive nature across Google’s ecosystem.
Q4. What industries were most affected by the June 2025 core update? YMYL (Your Money Your Life) sectors such as health, finance, and legal websites experienced high volatility. The e-commerce industry was also significantly impacted, with major retailers like Amazon and eBay seeing substantial visibility declines.
Q5. How can websites recover from negative impacts of the June 2025 update? To recover, focus on creating high-quality, user-focused content that demonstrates expertise and originality. Pay attention to user engagement signals, improve technical aspects like site speed and mobile responsiveness, and ensure your content satisfies user intent across all of Google’s search surfaces.
References
[1] – https://www.new-waves.net/google-june-2025-core-update-comprehensive-overview-and-best-practices/?srsltid=AfmBOooJjFaceESs8_3cs6s6aWX16kavTtD4AwFVWSjpBQ3bq2H0nxc0[2] – https://www.gsqi.com/marketing-blog/june-2025-google-core-update/
[3] – https://www.searchenginejournal.com/googles-june-2025-update-analysis-what-just-happened/551501/
[4] – https://getdigitalresults.com/search-engine-optimizations/googles-june-2025-core-update-is-live-key-impacts-across-search-results/
[5] – https://www.ctidigital.com/blog/google-core-updates
[6] – https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/core-updates
[7] – https://www.seroundtable.com/google-june-2025-core-update-recoveries-39735.html
[8] – https://www.amsive.com/insights/seo/june-2025-core-update-winners-losers-trends/
[9] – https://searchengineland.com/data-providers-google-june-2025-core-update-was-a-big-update-459226
[10] – https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-ai-overviews-study/
[11] – https://support.google.com/webmasters/thread/358738013/sudden-and-massive-drop-in-google-discover-and-google-news-traffic-post-june-2025-core-update?hl=en
Google’s June 2025 Update: What Actually Changed (Expert Analysis)
Google updates its systems with approximately 99,000 search queries processed every second, making any core update critically important for website owners and SEO professionals. The June 2025 core update was particularly significant, causing substantial volatility across multiple verticals and countries after its rollout began on June 30, 2025.
This latest google update took 16 days and 18 hours to fully complete, finishing on July 17, 2025—slightly faster than Google initially suggested. During this time, we observed notable ranking fluctuations, especially for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content, which typically experiences greater impacts from google algorithm updates. Furthermore, what makes this google core update particularly interesting is that we’ve seen some accounts of partial recoveries from previous updates, including the September 2023 helpful content update. In this article, we’ll analyze what actually changed with the google algorithm update and how you can respond effectively.
What Google Announced About the June 2025 Core Update
Image Source: TS2 Space
The June 2025 core update marked a significant moment for search rankings across the web. While some updates pass with minimal disruption, this one garnered attention from SEO professionals worldwide due to its scope and implementation approach.
Rollout timeline and duration
On June 30, 2025, at precisely 7:34 AM PDT, Google began rolling out its second core algorithm update of the year [1]. Unlike some previous updates with indefinite timelines, Google clearly communicated that “the rollout may take up to 3 weeks to complete” [2]. Nonetheless, the actual implementation finished slightly ahead of schedule, concluding on July 17, 2025, at 1:00 AM PDT – a total duration of 16 days and 18 hours [2].
Throughout this period, many tracking tools recorded sharp spikes in algorithmic volatility. Platforms like Semrush, MozCast, and Sistrix showed significant temperature increases, suggesting this was among the more impactful updates in recent memory [1]. What’s interesting, however, is that despite technical measurements indicating substantial change, the disruption felt less dramatic to many site owners than expected.
Official statements from Google
Google maintained its characteristically concise messaging about the update. On the Search Status Dashboard, they simply announced: “Released the June 2025 core update. The rollout may take up to 3 weeks to complete” [2].
Additionally, Google expanded slightly on LinkedIn, describing it as “a regular update designed to better surface relevant, satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites” [2]. This language aligns with previous core update announcements, maintaining their consistent position that these updates aim to improve result quality rather than penalize specific sites.
John Mueller from Google described this as one of the “bigger updates” [2], though interestingly, the response to related tweets was relatively muted – not the typical reaction seen with more disruptive changes [3]. According to some analysts, while data showed significant movement, the update may have implemented more subtle, rather than game-changing, modifications [3].
How this update fits into the yearly update cycle
The June 2025 core update arrived approximately three months after the March 2025 core update, making it the second major algorithm change of the year [2]. This timeframe represents a slightly accelerated pace compared to the historical norm, where major core updates typically occurred every 4-6 months [1].
Moreover, this cadence contradicts expectations set in 2024 when Google hinted at potentially increasing update frequency. Despite these suggestions, 2025 has maintained the same pace as 2024 thus far [2]. In between these formal updates, Google’s systems undergo numerous smaller tweaks that rarely receive official announcements.
The timing may connect to statements made by Google’s Danny Sullivan at Search Central Live New York, where he indicated Google would be adjusting algorithms to surface a greater variety of high-quality content [3]. Consequently, this update appears to be implementing some of those promised changes, focusing on content diversity while maintaining quality standards.
Early Volatility and Hidden System Changes
Many SEOs were caught off guard by the June 2025 core update—not because it happened, but because significant ranking changes had already been occurring well before Google’s official announcement.
Pre-update ranking fluctuations
Sharp-eyed webmasters noticed unusual ranking fluctuations as early as June 28, two days before Google officially confirmed the update [4]. Indeed, the pattern of volatility for this latest google update unfolded in three distinct waves:
- Minor fluctuations between June 4-9, primarily affecting mobile and local searches
- A sharp spike between June 16-18, which many believed was a precursor test
- The most pronounced spike around June 28, aligning with what would eventually be confirmed as the start of the official update [4]
Site owners reported pages that had ranked first for months suddenly dropping to the bottom of page two, while newly published content inexplicably outperformed established evergreen pages [4]. Several third-party SEO tools flagged these volatility spikes, with SEMRush’s tracker eventually hitting 9.3 out of 10 during the rollout throughout July, prompting them to call it a “Googlequake” [5].
Unannounced reviews system update
Interestingly, one pattern emerged from the pre-update volatility—sites previously impacted by reviews updates were seeing significant movement [2]. Based on comprehensive analysis across multiple websites, all signs point to Google quietly implementing a substantial reviews system update behind the scenes.
This aligns perfectly with Google’s previous statements following the April and November 2023 reviews updates, where they explicitly mentioned the reviews system would be “updated on a regular and ongoing basis” without announcing additional reviews updates [2]. Google’s Danny Sullivan had also confirmed that the system continues to be updated frequently [2].
How to distinguish core updates from other changes
For website owners trying to make sense of ranking changes, separating core updates from other algorithm adjustments is essential. First, remember that Google pushes updates constantly—including smaller core updates that can significantly impact specific sites [2].
Google has emphasized that core updates officially begin only when they’re announced [2]. Therefore, any pre-update movement starting in early June was not part of the broad core update that began rolling out on June 30th.
To determine what type of update affected your site:
- Track industry patterns: If sites similar to yours across your niche experienced changes, it’s likely a broader update
- Monitor specific content types: Reviews-focused sites seeing movement might indicate a reviews system update
- Check official channels: The Search Status Dashboard confirms core update timelines [6]
- Analyze impact timing: Changes before announced dates suggest other system updates are at play
When evaluating impacts, remember to wait at least a full week after a core update completes before analyzing your site in Search Console [6]. Compare that week with a week before the update started to accurately pinpoint changes [6].
The June 2025 situation reinforces an important reality about google algorithm updates: they’re constantly happening, often without announcement, making continuous monitoring and adaptation essential for SEO success.
Who Was Impacted: Winners, Losers, and Recovery Cases
Image Source: Search Engine Land
The June 2025 core update has created a fascinating reshuffling across the search landscape. The most surprising outcome has been the recovery patterns among websites previously hit by earlier algorithm changes.
Sites that recovered from the September 2023 HCU(X)
Unexpectedly, a significant number of sites devastated by the September 2023 Helpful Content Update (HCU) finally started showing signs of life. Beginning around July 6-9, these recoveries emerged as a distinct second wave of the update’s impact [7]. Specifically, some websites that had virtually disappeared from search results suddenly reappeared, with tracking data showing clear upward trajectories after nearly two years of algorithmic exile [2].
Interestingly, these recovery signals didn’t appear immediately when the update rolled out but instead manifested several days later—primarily on July 8-9 [2]. This timing suggests Google adjusted specific systems that evaluate content helpfulness during the core update rather than making all changes simultaneously.
Industries most affected (YMYL, e-commerce, etc.)
Your Money Your Life (YMYL) websites experienced extraordinary volatility throughout this update. Health, finance, and legal sectors saw particularly dramatic ranking shifts [2], confirming Google’s heightened scrutiny of content that could potentially impact users’ wellbeing or financial decisions.
In the retail space, Amazon stands out as possibly the biggest loser from this update [8]. Several other major e-commerce players likewise suffered substantial visibility declines, including:
- eBay, Target, and Nordstrom
- Lowe’s, Wayfair, and Best Buy [8]
Certain niches followed unique patterns—notably, some health and finance sites like BetterUp and Patient.info rode a roller coaster throughout 2025, gaining significantly during the March update only to crash with this June release [8].
Examples of full and partial recoveries
Among sites recovering from the September 2023 HCU impact, the rebounds varied substantially in scale. Some webmasters reported traffic increases of approximately 40%, bringing them to roughly 55% of their pre-HCU traffic levels [7]. Others saw more dramatic improvements, with select sites nearly tripling their visitor numbers [7].
First-hand reports from site owners showcase these varying recovery levels:
“My main site heavily hit by HCU is making a strong recovery… We did make changes to it after HCU and then reverted it back to how it was pre-HCU as it shouldn’t have been penalized in the first place.” [7]
Another site owner noted: “Too soon to tell yet, but I think that, from Google, I had a partial recovery here. Maybe some 30 to 40%.” [7]
Nevertheless, Glenn Gabe, a respected SEO analyst, emphasized that not all HCU-affected sites benefited—some actually dropped even further [2]. Furthermore, a concerning number of site owners had simply abandoned their efforts after prolonged traffic losses, missing this potential recovery opportunity [2].
The June 2025 update represents the first meaningful recovery chance for many sites since the HCU classifier was integrated into Google’s core ranking system in March 2024 [2]. While few sites have returned completely to their pre-September 2023 positions, these partial recoveries offer renewed hope after nearly two years of algorithmic challenges.
AI Overviews, Discover, and Other Google Surfaces
Beyond traditional search rankings, the June 2025 google core update significantly altered how content appears across Google’s expanding ecosystem of search surfaces.
Impact on AI Overviews visibility
The latest google update dramatically shifted AI Overviews prevalence. Prior to the update, approximately 10% of queries triggered AI Overviews [9]. Yet, by the final day of the update’s rollout, this figure surged to about 20% of keywords [9]. Interestingly, this percentage has subsequently settled around 15% [9].
More revealing, sites negatively impacted by the core update simultaneously experienced drops in AI Overviews visibility [2]. This confirms what many SEO experts had suspected: Google’s quality assessment extends across all its properties, with core algorithm changes affecting visibility throughout its ecosystem.
The shift builds upon a trend already underway—AI Overviews had grown from 6.49% of queries in January 2025 to 13.14% by March 2025 [10]. Alongside this expansion, the update also brought a concerning development for branded searches, with navigational AI Overviews doubling [10].
Discover traffic drops and gains
Concurrently, Google Discover experienced substantial volatility. Multiple publishers reported severe drops in Discover clicks and impressions coinciding with the core update rollout [11][2]. One prominent support thread titled “Sudden and Massive Drop in Google Discover and Google News Traffic Post June 2025 Core Update” [11] highlighted widespread concern among publishers.
As with AI Overviews, sites reassessed as lower quality during the core update often experienced simultaneous Discover traffic declines [2]. This pattern reinforces that Google’s quality evaluation spans its entire content ecosystem rather than being siloed within traditional search.
Changes in image and news search
Image search likewise underwent substantial shifts. Several sites observed notable increases in image search visibility [2]. Essentially, as rankings fluctuated in main search results, image visibility sometimes moved in opposite directions, creating new traffic opportunities for some publishers.
News search similarly exhibited volatility, with the News tab in search results showing significant movement for certain publishers [2]. This pattern of fluctuation across multiple Google surfaces underscores the comprehensive nature of the June 2025 update.
For publishers, these changes emphasize that an effective SEO strategy must now encompass all Google surfaces, as quality assessments flow between them, creating both risks and opportunities beyond traditional search results.
How to Respond: Recovery Tips and Quality Signals
Image Source: Search Engine Land
Recovering from the June 2025 core update demands a strategic approach focused on user satisfaction above all else. Let’s explore what actually works based on emerging patterns.
Google’s advice on helpful content
Following this latest google update, Google hasn’t issued any new recovery guidelines. Instead, they’ve reinforced their longstanding advice: “There aren’t specific actions to take to recover” and “write helpful content for people and not to rank in search engines”. Google maintains that “as long as they’ve been making satisfying content meant for people,” creators shouldn’t need to make special adjustments. For those experiencing ranking drops, Google recommends reviewing their helpful content guidelines that emphasize satisfying user needs over algorithm targeting.
Understanding Navboost and user signals
Navboost, a key component of Google’s algorithm, analyzes user interactions over a 13-month period to evaluate search result quality. This system tracks:
- “Good clicks” indicating user satisfaction
- “Bad clicks” suggesting dissatisfaction (like quick returns to search results)
- “Last longest click” measuring final engagement depth
These behavioral metrics directly influence rankings, as they reflect user satisfaction—a cornerstone of trustworthiness within Google’s E-E-A-T framework.
Why quality is more than just content
Overall quality now encompasses:
- Content depth: Pages demonstrating first-hand experience outperform keyword-targeted content
- Technical factors: Site speed, mobile responsiveness, and navigation structure impact dwell time
- Engagement patterns: How users interact with your site sends powerful ranking signals
Henceforth, focus on creating content with “intent, clarity, and originality” rather than optimizing purely for algorithms.
Conclusion
The June 2025 core update clearly represents one of Google’s more significant algorithm adjustments in recent years. Despite the substantial volatility measured by tracking tools, many site owners experienced less disruption than anticipated. Nevertheless, the partial recoveries witnessed among sites previously hit by the September 2023 Helpful Content Update offer renewed hope for webmasters who’ve spent nearly two years in algorithmic exile.
Above all, this update reinforces that Google’s quality assessment now flows seamlessly across its entire ecosystem. Sites demonstrating true user value saw improvements across traditional search, AI Overviews, Discover, and other surfaces simultaneously. Consequently, SEO strategies must now extend beyond conventional search rankings to encompass Google’s complete digital landscape.
User signals have undoubtedly emerged as the cornerstone of Google’s evaluation system. Therefore, websites that prioritize genuine user satisfaction through content depth, technical excellence, and meaningful engagement will ultimately outperform those merely optimizing for algorithms. If you’ve found these insights valuable, share on your social media to help fellow webmasters navigate these significant algorithm changes.
Finally, while Google maintains there aren’t “specific actions” needed to recover from updates, the evidence suggests otherwise. Websites consistently delivering content with “intent, clarity, and originality” demonstrate greater resilience during algorithm shifts. This update serves as a powerful reminder that search visibility requires an unwavering commitment to quality across all aspects of your digital presence.
Key Takeaways
Google’s June 2025 core update brought significant changes across search surfaces, offering recovery opportunities while emphasizing user-focused quality signals.
• Recovery window opened: Sites hit by September 2023 HCU saw partial recoveries (30-40% traffic gains), marking the first meaningful recovery chance in nearly two years.
• Multi-surface impact: Quality assessments now flow across all Google properties—drops in search rankings correlated with reduced AI Overviews and Discover visibility.
• User signals drive rankings: Navboost analyzes 13 months of user interactions, making “good clicks” and engagement depth more critical than keyword optimization.
• YMYL sites faced volatility: Health, finance, and e-commerce sectors experienced dramatic ranking shifts, with major retailers like Amazon suffering significant visibility losses.
• Quality transcends content: Success requires combining content depth, technical excellence, and genuine user satisfaction rather than algorithm-focused optimization strategies.
The update reinforces that sustainable SEO success depends on creating genuinely helpful content that satisfies user intent across Google’s entire ecosystem, not just traditional search results.
FAQs
Q1. What were the main changes in Google’s June 2025 core update? The June 2025 update focused on improving content relevance and retrieval efficiency. It caused significant ranking fluctuations, especially for YMYL (Your Money Your Life) sites, and led to partial recoveries for some websites previously impacted by the September 2023 Helpful Content Update.
Q2. How long did the June 2025 core update take to roll out? The update began on June 30, 2025, and completed on July 17, 2025, taking a total of 16 days and 18 hours to fully roll out. This was slightly faster than Google’s initial estimate of up to 3 weeks.
Q3. How did the June 2025 update affect different Google surfaces? The update impacted multiple Google surfaces beyond traditional search. AI Overviews visibility increased, while many publishers experienced drops in Google Discover traffic. Image and news search results also saw significant changes, emphasizing the update’s comprehensive nature across Google’s ecosystem.
Q4. What industries were most affected by the June 2025 core update? YMYL (Your Money Your Life) sectors such as health, finance, and legal websites experienced high volatility. The e-commerce industry was also significantly impacted, with major retailers like Amazon and eBay seeing substantial visibility declines.
Q5. How can websites recover from negative impacts of the June 2025 update? To recover, focus on creating high-quality, user-focused content that demonstrates expertise and originality. Pay attention to user engagement signals, improve technical aspects like site speed and mobile responsiveness, and ensure your content satisfies user intent across all of Google’s search surfaces.
References
[1] – https://www.new-waves.net/google-june-2025-core-update-comprehensive-overview-and-best-practices/?srsltid=AfmBOooJjFaceESs8_3cs6s6aWX16kavTtD4AwFVWSjpBQ3bq2H0nxc0[2] – https://www.gsqi.com/marketing-blog/june-2025-google-core-update/
[3] – https://www.searchenginejournal.com/googles-june-2025-update-analysis-what-just-happened/551501/
[4] – https://getdigitalresults.com/search-engine-optimizations/googles-june-2025-core-update-is-live-key-impacts-across-search-results/
[5] – https://www.ctidigital.com/blog/google-core-updates
[6] – https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/core-updates
[7] – https://www.seroundtable.com/google-june-2025-core-update-recoveries-39735.html
[8] – https://www.amsive.com/insights/seo/june-2025-core-update-winners-losers-trends/
[9] – https://searchengineland.com/data-providers-google-june-2025-core-update-was-a-big-update-459226
[10] – https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-ai-overviews-study/
[11] – https://support.google.com/webmasters/thread/358738013/sudden-and-massive-drop-in-google-discover-and-google-news-traffic-post-june-2025-core-update?hl=en
