November & December 2024 Google Core Updates: What eCommerce Brands Need to Know

Several times a year, Google introduces significant changes to its search algorithms and systems, known as Google core updates. You can track them and other changes on the Google Search Status Dashboard. The dashboard list shows that the last two Google core updates happened in December and November 2024.

As we wait for the next major changes from Google, it’s important to understand what these core updates mean in practice. Explore why they matter for your eCommerce brand and what key steps you can take to adjust to the latest updates. 

What Is a Google Core Update?

Google’s core mission is to deliver the most relevant and high-quality content to searchers. With every new core update rolled out, it aims to refine how its search engine matches user intent with the best possible results. As it continues to learn and adapt to user behavior, it also works to eliminate tactics that attempt to manipulate search rankings. 

With each update, Google raises the bar, ensuring that only the highest-quality content makes it to the first page and setting new standards for what’s considered valuable and trustworthy. A Google core update changes the search engine’s core algorithm a few times yearly. In most cases, it significantly affects SERPs (search engine results pages).

Its main goal is to improve the overall quality of the results provided to users of the Google search engine. A core update can quickly and strongly impact a website’s organic search traffic and ranking. This is particularly relevant for eCommerce brands as it directly affects sales.

Let's examine the changes introduced by the two most recent core updates in greater detail. 

November 2024 Google Core Update 

The November 2024 core update started on November 11 and ended on December 5, lasting over 3 weeks. This update targeted search intent matching and content quality, refining how well search results align with what users search for. Websites with thin or outdated content often saw declines, while those offering depth, accuracy, and up-to-date information gained traction. 

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Frequently updated sites with fresh and authoritative content, industry blogs, and thought leadership articles performed better if they focused on originality and comprehensive coverage of topics. 

In contrast, sites relying on clickbait, shallow affiliate content, or over-optimized SEO practices like keyword stuffing were penalized. Websites with duplicate or syndicated content saw drops as Google continued to push for unique perspectives. 

December 2024 Google Core Update

The December 2024 core update lasted only six days, from December 12 to 18, much shorter than anticipated by Google. In contrast to the gradual rollout in November, the December update was swift and impactful. 

Google began emphasizing quality content with the previous core update, particularly thought leadership articles. Its latest update was built on that foundation, reinforcing the importance of high-quality content and using credible sources.

In December 2024, the main focus was on core algorithm refinements, impacting various metrics, including E-A-T (expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness). 

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Websites with poor site structures, slow loading times, or mobile-unfriendly designs were hit hard with the last core update. The industries requiring high trust and expertise levels were the most affected, with healthcare, finance, and legal sites facing significant changes. 

Additionally, eCommerce websites featuring pages with weak product descriptions, duplicate content, or low-quality backlinks were greatly affected. With the latest update, the Google search engine is fine-tuning its ability to predict what users need, even for ambiguous queries, resulting in greater fluctuations in long-tail keyword rankings.  

Why Google Core Updates Matter for an eCommerce Brand

The last two Google core updates indicate a strong emphasis on user-centric content for this year, where: 

• Search results better align with user intent and deliver genuine value. 
• Websites with strong technical foundations and a focus on trust and authority gain a competitive advantage.

It’s important to know that both November and December 2024 core updates significantly impacted eCommerce websites. If you’ve experienced drops in organic traffic and ranking in search results, there are certain actionable steps you can take to optimize your website for success. 

Key Takeaways from Google Core Updates

November and December 2024 Google core updates greatly impacted sites from various industries. Although they occurred at the end of last year, they are highly relevant for eCommerce brands in 2025. Here are some of the main takeaways from both updates and what you can do to improve your website.

Provide Expert Knowledge

Google prioritizes content with expertise, originality, and depth. Your brand’s website content should dive deep into relevant topics and offer actionable insights to succeed in ranking higher. Formats such as case studies, how-to guides, and research-backed articles are excellent ways to gain visibility.

Target Local Audiences

Google search engine has improved in delivering region-specific results. Depending on where your brand is present, you can benefit by optimizing for local SEO and targeting local audiences. This includes using local keywords and gaining backlinks from regional websites.

Invest in Quality Backlinks

While backlinks remain important, Google is better at filtering low-quality or irrelevant links. Invest in acquiring quality backlinks, as websites supported by digital PR campaigns to secure authoritative backlinks from credible sources experienced improvements after core updates.

Refresh Content Regularly

Websites that have updated their older content to align with current search intent and added new information experienced ranking boosts in the Google search engine. Therefore, you should perform regular audits and update your site content.

How to Improve Your eCommerce Website 

Start by comprehending which aspects of your website are crucial and what to focus on. Implementing SEO tactics and website improvements never stops, as it’s a strategy for the long run. Each new core update brings to the surface new website components needing improvement.

E-A-T and User Intent

As mentioned above, Google prioritizes websites that demonstrate transparency, trust, and authority. Your eCommerce site should showcase those aspects and include detailed product descriptions, clear return policies, and customer reviews. Avoid duplicate content, unclear policies, and lack of credibility signals to evade ranking declines. 

Google core updates show an improved ability of its search engine to match product searches with user intent. For example, inquiries for “affordable winter boots” might prioritize products with clear pricing, discounts, and reviews over general listings. You can improve site ranking by featuring rich metadata, such as product prices, ratings, and availability.

Product Pages 

Google penalizes sites with duplicate descriptions from manufacturers or competitors. 

Your product pages should have unique, clear, keyword-optimized product descriptions. Highlight your product’s features and benefits while targeting customer pain points. Show user-generated content like reviews, ratings, and images to enhance your website’s product listing pages. 

Visual content enhancing user engagement on the website has shown to be a critical factor after Google core updates. To perform better in SERPs, your product pages should feature high-quality images and videos. Explore leveraging 360-degree views and AR tools for the same purpose.

Customer Experience

With AI integration on the rise, you can explore utilizing AI-powered tools to recommend products based on a customer’s browsing history or preferences. Include detailed specifications, use cases, customer testimonials, trust badges, FAQs, and live sales notifications. These features can demonstrate social proof, improve customer trust, and boost your eCommerce website’s visibility. 

Transparent return policies, secure payment options, and customer reviews contributed to eCommerce websites’ rankings. Sites without trust signals (SSL certificates, clear contact information, etc.) were penalized. A seamless checkout process can help you provide a better customer experience on your website. To accomplish this, offer multiple payment options and guest checkout.

Technical SEO

You need a fast-loading and mobile-optimized eCommerce website to gain a competitive edge. Google favors sites featuring clear navigation, breadcrumbs, logical category hierarchies, and search filters. Your eCommerce website should meet Core Web Vitals standards. Use clean URL structures and proper canonical tags to address duplicate content issues.  

You can leverage schema markup by adding structured data for product information, reviews, ratings, FAQs, and shipping details. Sites using schema markup for product reviews, FAQs, and pricing gained visibility in SERPs through featured snippets and People Also Ask boxes. 

Mobile shoppers account for a significant part of the eCommerce traffic, and Google prioritizes mobile optimization. Boost your website’s performance after the last two core updates by offering seamless mobile experiences and fast load times. 

Site Content and Blogs 

The last Google core updates have shown that eCommerce sites that provided actionable advice were able to attract long-tail keyword search traffic and improve SERP rankings. You are missing opportunities for organic growth if your website lacks a content strategy beyond product pages. 

Focus on creating a resource hub with blogs, guides, and videos relevant to your products. Also, update your older website content to keep it relevant and aligned with user search intent, as this is what Google core updates push for in search engine results. 

Another great tactic is to align your promotions and website content with seasonal trends, such as summer sales and Christmas holidays, and utilize long-tail keywords suitable for your products.

High-Quality Backlinks

You need high-quality backlinks from trusted sources, like industry publications and authoritative blogs, to boost your ranking. Since Google has improved its backlink assessment, spammy and irrelevant links are less effective. 

Acquire backlinks from credible industry websites, including niche blogs, product review platforms, and media outlets. Implement digital PR tactics to earn mentions from trusted sources.

Final Thoughts on Google Core Updates 

Staying ahead of Google’s core updates means continuously optimizing your eCommerce website for search intent, content quality, and user experience. Focus on well-optimized product pages, user experience, technical SEO, and mobile optimization to improve your ranking and maintain visibility in search results.

Google search engine will continue rolling out more core changes and refining its algorithms. You may experience a decline in traffic after core updates, resulting in fewer sales. Regularly monitor your website traffic and act quickly if you notice these changes.

Consider partnering with an experienced SEO agency like Blue Wheel to tackle these challenges. Our SEO specialists can provide a detailed analysis of your eCommerce website, identify key issues and affected pages, and recommend suitable solutions for your brand.

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