Google has rolled out another core update, and as usual, it’s sparked a lot of speculation. This time, the focus sits with Google Discover, not traditional search results.
That distinction matters, a lot of the noise around core updates comes from assuming every change affects rankings, leads, and revenue. This one doesn’t, at least not in the way most businesses think.
If your first question is ‘Do we need to change our SEO strategy?’, the honest answer for most businesses is no.
But there are a few important bits worth understanding, especially if blogs play a role in your SEO funnel.
First: What This Update Is (and Isn’t)
This update targets Google Discover, the personalised content feed users see on mobile before they search for anything.
It does not directly affect:
- Core service page rankings
- Local SEO visibility
- Transactional or conversion-led search results
This isn’t a penalty update, it’s a filter tightening, Google refining what it chooses to surface proactively.
If your SEO success relies on leads, enquiries, and commercial intent, this update is largely background noise.
How This Affects SEO Campaigns in Practice
1. If Your Campaigns Are Lead-Led (Local / Service SEO)
For most Outrank clients, very little changes.
- Core service pages > unchanged
- Local SEO > unchanged
- Conversion-focused landing pages > unchanged
Google Discover has never been a reliable lead channel for trades, local services, or B2B SMEs. It’s unstable by design and not built around transactional intent.
Action: Do nothing drastic, but stay focused on search intent that converts. If rankings, enquiries, and revenue remain stable, that’s what matters.
2. If Blogs Sit Within Your SEO Funnel
This is where the update does matter.
Google Discover now appears to be:
- Less forgiving of generic blog formats
- Less interested in ‘SEO blogs that could have been written by anyone’
- More biased toward timely, opinion-led, experience-driven content
This doesn’t mean content needs to be longer or more polished.
It means it needs:
- A clear point of view
- Real-world insight
- Strong topical framing
If your blogs exist to support service pages and topical authority, that’s still a solid strategy.
If blogs were expected to generate consistent traffic spikes via Discover, expect more volatility going forward, especially for broad, generic explainer content.
Why Google Is Doing This (And Why It Matters)
Discover is algorithmically expensive for Google, it surfaces content before a search happens, based on interest prediction rather than intent.
This update is Google effectively saying:
‘We want fewer low-signal articles and more content that feels genuinely useful right now.’
That aligns directly with:
- E-E-A-T principles
- First-hand experience
- Clear audience relevance
- Reduced clickbait and vague generalisation
In other words, this is less about optimisation tricks and more about editorial judgement. Google wants confidence that the content it promotes feels worth a user’s time.
What You Should Actually Do (No Fluff)
1. Re-Audit Blog Intent – Not Keywords
For every blog, ask:
- Who is this really for?
- Would this be interesting without SEO?
- Does it say anything specific or new?
If a blog exists purely because ‘we needed a supporting article’, it’s unlikely to perform well in Discover going forward.
That doesn’t mean deleting it, it means stop expecting Discover traffic from it.
2. Lean Into Experience Where It Makes Sense
Blogs that still perform well in Discover tend to include:
- Observations from real client work
- Industry patterns you’re actively seeing
- ‘Here’s what’s changing and why’ insights
This fits naturally with expert-led SEO, not content mills or recycled advice. For most businesses, this means fewer blogs, but better ones.
3. Separate Search SEO Goals from Discover Hopes
This is the biggest mindset shift.
- Search SEO = structured, intent-driven, conversion-led
- Discover = opportunistic upside, not a KPI
Don’t build content for Discover, build strong content, and let Discover happen if it happens.
If Discover traffic drops, the honest answer is simple: That’s normal and expected.
4. Watch Patterns, Not Daily Swings
If you track Discover performance:
- Ignore day-to-day volatility
- Review 30–60 day trends
- Compare content types, not just URLs
If opinion-led pieces rise while generic explainers fall, that’s not a problem, it’s clarity.
The Bottom Line
This update doesn’t change what good SEO looks like.
It reinforces it.
Strong intent targeting, real expertise, and content built for users, not algorithms remain the foundation of sustainable SEO campaigns.
If your strategy is already focused on outcomes rather than vanity traffic, you’re exactly where you need to be.
Speak to Outrank if you want a straight answer on what actually needs action, and what doesn’t.