Google algorithm update: what changed in 2025 and why it matters

August 17, 2018

The Google algorithm update cycle in 2025 did not introduce a new direction. It confirmed one. Google continued to reward content that demonstrates real expertise, genuine experience, and clear intent, while quietly reducing the visibility of sites built on shortcuts.

This page brings together what is confirmed about Google’s 2025 updates, what can reasonably be inferred from observed outcomes, and what businesses should take from it heading into 2026.

It is written from practical experience rather than theory.

Who this page is for

This article is aimed at business owners, marketing managers, and in-house teams who already understand the basics of SEO and want a realistic view of how Google’s updates actually affect rankings.

If you are looking for guarantees or hidden ranking factors, you will not find them here. Google has never worked that way.

What a Google algorithm update really is

A Google algorithm update is a recalibration of how Google evaluates content against user expectations. Core updates do not target individual websites, industries, or tactics. They reassess how Google interprets relevance, quality, and trust across search as a whole.

That distinction matters. Many ranking losses in 2025 were not penalties. They were reassessments.

Google updates in 2025: what we can confirm

Google confirmed multiple significant updates during 2025. These included three broad core updates and a standalone spam update. Each rollout was gradual and affected search results globally.

Google did not publish specific ranking changes for any of these updates. That is consistent with how core updates have always worked.

What follows is what is confirmed, not speculation.

Confirmed Google updates in 2025

What changed in practice during 2025

Looking across sites affected by the 2025 updates, the same patterns appeared repeatedly. Pages written primarily to satisfy search intent were more stable than those written to rank for specific phrases. Sites with clear authorship and business context showed fewer sustained losses. Where rankings dropped sharply, the underlying issue was rarely technical.

In most cases, it came down to depth, originality, and authority. Sites relying on generic content, recycled AI output, or thin editorial coverage found it harder to recover once visibility was lost.

E-E-A-T and the role of experience

Google’s quality framework evolved from E-A-T to E-E-A-T, with experience becoming more prominent.

Experience does not mean opinion. It refers to evidence that the content is informed by real involvement with the topic. In practical terms, this shows up in accuracy, relevance, and how well a page answers the user’s question without padding or distraction.

Pages that demonstrated applied knowledge tended to perform more consistently during periods of volatility.

Why some sites struggled to recover

Sites that struggled following the 2025 updates often shared similar weaknesses. Content was written around keywords rather than user needs. Pages existed in isolation, with little supporting context or authority elsewhere on the site. In some cases, the content was technically sound but lacked any real reason to exist beyond ranking.

Fixing these issues is rarely quick. It usually requires improving the substance of the site rather than adjusting surface-level SEO elements.

How algorithm updates are approached at Purplex Marketing

At Purplex, algorithm updates are treated as quality checks rather than events to react to. When visibility changes, the focus is on understanding what Google now considers more useful, not on trying to reverse-engineer the update itself.

Our work across SEO, digital PR, web design, and marketing consultancy is built around long-term visibility and credibility. That approach has proven more reliable than chasing short-term fixes after each update.

Relevant services include:

SEO

Digital PR

Web design

Marketing consultancy

What this means going into 2026

If 2025 demonstrated anything, it is that Google is no longer refining what it values. It is enforcing it. The gap between sites with genuine expertise and those relying on shortcuts has widened, and there is little reason to expect that trend to reverse in 2026.

Core updates are better understood as recalibrations rather than disruptions. Sites built on experience, clarity, and credibility tend to absorb change. Others find that each update exposes the same underlying weaknesses.

This entry was posted in Digital Marketing