Google just finished one of its most chaotic years on record, and 2026 is starting with the same frantic energy. If you’ve been watching your traffic charts lately, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The lines look like a heart rate monitor during a sprint.
The December 2025 core update wrapped up on the 29th, but the "core update hangover" is real. We're seeing massive volatility right now, in mid-January, even though the official rollout is technically "done."
Basically, the old days of waiting for one big "Medic" or "Penguin" update are over. We’re living in the era of the "forever update."
What’s Actually Happening with Google Search Algorithm News?
Honestly, the biggest news isn't a single update. It’s the fact that Google confirmed they are now pushing "smaller, unannounced core updates" constantly.
Glenn Gabe, a long-time SEO consultant, recently noted that the "Core Before Christmas" update—the December 2025 broad core update—was particularly brutal for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) sites. Finance and Health niches saw massive swings. But here’s the kicker: even after the "completion" date of December 29, the tools are still spiking.
Why? Because the algorithm is learning in real-time.
In early January 2026, Google insiders signaled a shift toward "Generative Engine Optimization" (GEO). They aren't just looking at links anymore. They are looking at how well an AI can summarize you. If your content is too "fluffy" or "filler-heavy," the AI Overviews (AIO) simply ignore you. And if the AIO ignores you, you might as well be on page ten.
The Great AI Health Pullback
We have to talk about the Guardian investigation from earlier this month. It’s a huge deal.
Google was caught giving some pretty dangerous advice in its AI Overviews—specifically regarding liver function tests and cancer symptoms. The AI was reportedly showing up in about 44% of medical queries, often oversimplifying complex data.
As of January 12, 2026, Google has quietly pulled back AI Overviews for a significant number of sensitive health queries. If you run a medical or wellness site, you probably saw a sudden "re-normalization" of your traffic. This isn't because you did something wrong. It’s because Google is scared of the liability that comes with AI-generated medical "misinformation."
The December 2025 Hangover and the January Tremors
Most of the "Google search algorithm news" you’ll read this week focuses on the aftermath of the December broad core update. It took 18 days to roll out, and for some, it was a recovery. For others, it was a total wipeout.
- Topical Authority is the New King: Google is no longer ranking pages in isolation. If you have one great article on "How to fix a leaky faucet" but the rest of your site is about "Crypto tips," you're going to lose. They want to see that your entire entity is an expert on the subject.
- The "Bite-Sized" Trap: Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable recently highlighted a warning from Google: stop turning your content into tiny, bite-sized chunks just for the sake of it. The algorithm is now better at understanding long-form, nuanced discussion.
- Engagement Metrics: It’s not just about the click anymore. Google is looking at "search experience signals." Did the user stay? Did they scroll? Did they interact? If they bounced back to the search results in three seconds, that’s a negative signal that’s being weighed more heavily in 2026 than ever before.
Why 60% of Searches Result in Zero Clicks
This is a terrifying statistic for creators. In 2026, roughly 60% of searches result in no click-through to a website.
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People are getting their answers directly on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). To survive this, your content strategy has to shift from "providing information" to "providing insight." Information can be scraped and summarized. Insight requires a human perspective, a unique study, or a controversial take that an AI wouldn't dare to replicate.
Actionable Steps for the Rest of 2026
If your rankings took a hit during the December/January transition, don't panic and start deleting pages. That's usually a mistake.
Instead, look at your "Entity Health." Are you known for one thing, or are you trying to be everything to everyone? Focus on building "Author Authority." This means ensuring your writers have real-world credentials that Google can verify through the Knowledge Graph.
Check your technical vitals, too. The January 2026 updates have put a renewed emphasis on "Trunk Stable" development models for site architecture. If your site is sluggish or has "layout shift" issues (where things jump around as the page loads), you’re giving Google an easy reason to demote you in favor of a faster competitor.
Stop Writing for Bots
The most successful sites right now are the ones that sound like a person talking to another person. Use "I" and "we." Share personal anecdotes. Mention specific, real-world examples that aren't just rehashed from Wikipedia.
The algorithm is getting scarily good at detecting "LLM-style" prose—those perfectly balanced, robotic paragraphs that say a lot without saying anything at all. Break the mold. Be a little messy. Be a lot more human.
Next Steps for Site Owners:
- Audit your YMYL content to ensure it meets the new "Safety and Accuracy" standards established after the Guardian investigation.
- Check Google Search Console for "Search Experience" errors; these are now direct ranking factors, not just "suggestions."
- Focus on "Entity-Based" SEO—link your brand to recognized experts in your field to build trust signals that AI summaries can't ignore.
- Monitor for "unannounced" updates; if you see a 20% traffic swing on a random Tuesday, it's likely one of Google's new background tweaks.