Google's John Mueller explained, one again, why it takes weeks to roll out a core update. It is often because there are different components to core updates through the rollout stages, and each needs to be pushed individually.
This isn't new, Google told us this before with previous core updates.
But John reiterated it on Bluesky saying, "sometimes they have to work step-by-step, rather than all at one time." "It's also why they can take a while to be fully live," he added.
The question came from Jason Kilgore who wrote:
Given the timing, I want to ask a core update related question. Usually, we see waves of volatility throughout the 2-3 weeks of a rollout. Broadly, are different parts of core updated at different times? Or is it all reset at the beginning then iterated depending on the results?
John replied:
We generally don't announce "stages" of core updates.. Since these are significant, broad changes to our search algorithms and systems, sometimes they have to work step-by-step, rather than all at one time. (It's also why they can take a while to be fully live.)I guess in short there's not a single "core update machine" that's clicked on (every update has the same flow), but rather we make the changes based on what the teams have been working on, and those systems & components can change from time to time.
Here is a screenshot:
As you know, the March 2026 core update started to roll out Friday and we are watching it carefully.
Forum discussion at Bluesky.
