Local Memo: Google Releases December 2025 Core Update

Google Releases December 2025 Core Update

As with all broad core updates, Google is reassessing its overall ranking systems. Core updates do not target specific issues, but recalibrate how it evaluates content quality and relevance across the entire web. Google also recently reminded site owners that smaller, unannounced adjustments to rankings happen continuously, even between major updates.

What It Means: Because core updates restructure Google’s ranking priorities, many sites are likely to see ranking and traffic fluctuations throughout December and early January. These shifts aren’t necessarily the result of errors or penalties; they reflect Google’s updated understanding of which pages are most helpful and relevant to users.

Brands and marketers should expect temporary volatility as the update rolls out. Make sure to monitor analytics and Search Console to understand movement. Brands should also continue investing in high-quality, authoritative, user-focused content, as these ongoing updates continue to prioritize user experience & authenticity.

Caught in the Wild: Instagram Traffic is Showing “Search” in Post Insights

The News: Instagram has rolled out new transparency metrics showing the percentage of video views coming from different traffic sources including Instagram Search. The change was first spotted on LinkedIn by Jasmine Allen, Social Media Executive at Rise at Seven, who shared screenshots showing a breakdown of traffic coming specifically from Instagram search. This update signals a meaningful shift in how users interact with content on the platform. Instead of relying solely on the feed, Explore, or recommendations, users are proactively searching for topics, brands, products, and creators. By breaking out search-driven views, Instagram is acknowledging the growing role of intentional discovery on social platforms and giving marketers clearer insight into how audiences are finding their content. This added visibility helps validate the rise of social search and underscores the need for content that is optimized not just for engagement, but for searchability.

Courtesy Jasmine Allen

What it means: This shift signals that social platforms are becoming full-fledged discovery engines. As more users turn to Instagram (and other social networks) to search for products, services, and answers, brands must adopt a holistic social search strategy and optimize content with relevant keywords, structure posts for search intent, and ensure profiles are complete and discoverable. Those who proactively optimize for social search will gain visibility where modern consumers are now looking first.

Google Delays in Review Appeals Process

The News: Google has announced that it is experiencing significant delays in processing Google Business Profile review appeals due to an unusually high volume of requests. Businesses appealing reviews are being told to expect extended timelines, and Google is advising users not to submit duplicate appeals, as doing so can slow the process even further. No estimated resolution time has been provided, meaning cases that once took a few days may now remain pending for weeks. This delay affects all types of appeals, including requests to remove policy-violating, fraudulent, or irrelevant reviews.

What it means: These delays create new challenges in maintaining a brand’s online reputation in the near future. Negative or misleading reviews may remain publicly visible far longer than expected while Google works to resolve. Brands should not respond to any review it is flagging for removal, it may impact the removal process. 

With no reliable way to accelerate Google’s decision-making, marketers need to remain patient but can shift toward more proactive strategies: encouraging a steady stream of new positive reviews, responding thoughtfully to problematic reviews to provide context for potential customers, and monitoring profiles more frequently to catch emerging issues. In this environment, maintaining a strong, ongoing review acquisition program and clear communication with internal teams or clients about expected delays becomes more important than ever.