Google’s June 2025 Core Update: What It Means for Your Website
Google’s latest core algorithm update started rolling out on June 30, 2025, and it’s shaking things up across the web. If you’ve noticed your rankings drop or your traffic dive, you’re not alone — this update is global, intense, and targets content more precisely than ever before.
While core updates are nothing new, this one brings a significant shift in how Google judges content. Let’s break down what’s happening, who’s being affected, and how you can adapt to protect (or even grow) your traffic.
It’s Not Your Whole Site — It’s Individual Pages Now
Back in March 2025, Google’s core update evaluated websites at the domain level. It was like checking if your whole house was clean and livable. But this time, Google is inspecting room by room — or more accurately, page by page.
This June update is focused on the granular quality of individual pages and posts. Even if your domain has authority and your site structure is clean, a single low-value page can get dropped or even deindexed entirely.
So if you’ve seen traffic drops or ranking dips on specific pages, this is why. The fridge is no longer judged as a whole — Google is sniffing each container inside.
User-Generated Content Is on the Rise
Reddit gained 160 million visits in the 10 days leading up to the update. Instagram creators received notices that their posts will be indexed and surfaced more often. What’s the common thread? User-generated content.
Google is doubling down on content that shows real-world experience and social proof. They’re prioritizing authenticity over keyword-stuffed, polished copy. So if you’re publishing blog posts that read like SEO robots wrote them — especially if they’re AI-generated — it’s time to change tactics.
Who’s Getting Hit?
This update hasn’t been kind to many website owners. Reports are coming in from across industries:
Affiliate sites
Niche blogs
E-commerce stores
Even major content publishers
One trend is clear: thin content, unlinked pages, and generic AI fluff are being punished hard. Sites relying on unedited AI-written articles are seeing major drops, even if their domain was previously strong.
Google’s Stance on AI Content Has Tightened
Let’s be clear: Google isn’t banning AI content — but it is targeting low-quality, unedited AI text. According to updated quality guidelines, human reviewers are now instructed to give the lowest possible score to generic, unreviewed AI content.
If your strategy is copying and pasting from ChatGPT and hitting publish — Google’s coming for you.
However, well-produced AI-assisted content that’s edited, branded, and structured with SEO in mind is still fair game. Tools like Arvo are emerging to help creators generate SEO-optimized content that includes brand assets, internal links, and keyword structures — all while keeping the human touch.
Post-Update Checklist: What You Should Do Now
To stay ahead (or recover from a dip), here’s what you need to focus on:
Check for traffic dips in Google Analytics around July 1.
Use Google Search Console to review impressions, clicks, and performance after June 30.
Audit your content: Update, merge, or delete anything short, thin, or outdated.
Improve internal linking: Orphan pages are at high risk of being deindexed.
Avoid unedited AI: Use tools or workflows that add branding, depth, and originality to AI content.
If your traffic hasn’t been hit yet — don’t relax. This update is part of a bigger trend.
Google’s Updates Are Accelerating
Here’s the pattern:
2023: 3 core updates
2024: 5 core updates
2025 (so far): 2 updates by July
Google is stepping up efforts to fight low-effort content and SEO manipulation. That means more frequent shakeups are likely.
To futureproof your SEO strategy, your content needs to:
Demonstrate topical authority
Show real-world experience
Build branded search traffic
Treat your site like a real business, not a keyword farm
Final Thoughts
The message from Google is loud and clear: Low-effort, AI-generated fluff is out. Quality, experience-driven content is in. Whether you’re using AI or not, it’s time to audit your pages, tighten up your internal linking, and ensure every piece of content delivers value.
Want to stay ahead of the next update? Focus on depth, structure, and credibility — because Google is only going to get stricter from here.
