Recent statements from Google indicate that some platforms will not fully recover their previous rankings after the next major updates to the search engine’s algorithm. This announcement has raised many concerns, particularly among independent sites heavily impacted by the Mountain View company’s latest updates.
Key points:
- Google plans continued improvements to surface relevant content through 2025.
- No specific date has been given for the rise of independent sites in search results.
- Not all sites will necessarily return to their previous positioning.
- Content quality and user experience remain essential for SEO.
Updates: a different impact depending on the site
In March 2025, Google launched a major algorithm update , with the goal of better highlighting relevant and satisfying content from creators . This initiative is part of a series of improvements planned throughout the year to optimize the quality of search results. However, and this is the key point to remember, it is important to note that not all platforms will necessarily benefit from a complete recovery of their previous positioning.
No specific timetable for the recovery of independent sites
Independent sites, in particular, are wondering when they might regain visibility in the SERPs. It’s worth remembering that recent Google updates have had a significant, sometimes disproportionate, impact on these sites, which often struggle to compete with platforms with strong domain authority.
Danny Sullivan of Google Search Liaison clarified that there is no specific date for this potential increase. He also noted that various improvements are underway, each of which could impact sites differently depending on their specific characteristics. Therefore, some platforms may see positive changes following future updates, while others will have to wait for further adjustments.
Danny – I have 2 questions for you as follow up to our visit to Google’s HQ in October:
1) By what *specific date* can we expect Google to do better at surfacing independent sites?
2) When will Google talk with publishers about how we fit into Google’s “AI-first” future?…
— Nate Hake (@natejhake) March 21, 2025
Partial recovery for certain sites
It should be noted, however, that despite Google’s efforts to improve the relevance of its results, this does not mean that all sites will return to their original positioning. Sullivan said that some platforms while offering quality content, may not provide a satisfactory user experience according to Google’s criteria.
Some sites, with excellent content and good intentions, still fail to provide a satisfactory experience (which is not a guarantee of good rankings, but should be taken into account).
Additionally, the constant evolution of search results, which for example incorporate more content from social networks, means an SEO landscape in perpetual flux. In short: this evolution risks claiming victims among the weakest sites!
The importance of content quality and user experience
In the face of these changes, content creators and site owners must focus on producing high-quality content and improving the user experience. Google’s official policy remains to prioritize sites that meet user expectations in terms of relevance and satisfaction. Therefore, investing in content quality and ensuring an optimal user experience remain the best strategies to adopt to improve or maintain your ranking in search results. Even if, as Dany Sullivan points out, this does not guarantee good positioning.
Beyond the quality of the content offered and the user experience, Dany Sullivan also recognizes that Google still has progress to make on its side:
But our systems themselves need to improve; not everything depends on creator sites that truly have solid, quality content. It’s possible that these sites will perform better than previous peaks.
