Google: You Can Recover From Helpful Content Damage With Next Core Update

Google once again said you can recover from the damage inflicted on your site by the September 2023 helpful content update with the next core update. Danny Sullivan, the Google Search Liaison, said on X, “Yes, people who have had impacts with core ranking updates may see changes (if our systems believe they’ve improved) after the next broad one we have.”

Sullivan was not able to say when that next core update will happen but he said when it does and if enough changes are made to your site, than you can recover with that next core update.

Sullivan posted on X in response to this question:

QUESTION:

Hey @searchliaison is there any rough estimate on the next core update, please? If I remember correctly @JohnMu suggested recovery from the HCU could be possible with the next one (maybe even before) but it’s very tough to stay positive right now with our visibility suppressed.

ANSWER:

I know people keep referring to the helpful content system (or update), and I understand that — but we don’t have a separate system like that now. It’s all part of our core ranking systems.

Which leads to, yes, people who have had impacts with core ranking updates may see changes (if our systems believe they’ve improved) after the next broad one we have. This explains more about that.

I don’t have timing to share, but we do them several times during the year.

As a reminder, zero sites have recovered yet from that September helpful content update, not even after the March 2024 core update.

Google has said these recoveries take much longer than some other update recoveries. Depsite there being some miscommunication around recovery timing from Google. Google did say sites cannot only recovery but also grow if things are done right. But what does it take to recover – that is what everyone is asking.

I know people keep referring to the helpful content system (or update), and I understand that — but we don’t have a separate system like that now. It’s all part of our core ranking systems: https://t.co/U9RaUWZPQi

Which leads to, yes, people who have had impacts with core…

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) June 10, 2024

Forum discussion at X.