--- title: "May 2020 core update: dates, what changed and what to do" url: https://seomadman.com/updates/may-2020-core-update section: updates language: en published: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z author: Adam Hafez topics: ["Core updates"] --- # May 2020 core update: dates, what changed and what to do ## The short answer Google's May 2020 core update started on 4 May 2020 and Google said the rollout was complete on 18 May 2020. Google confirmed both dates on its SearchLiaison account on X, and said at launch that core updates typically take about one to two weeks to fully roll out. It gave no detail on what changed. ## Key takeaways - Google SearchLiaison said the update was rolling out live on 4 May 2020. - Google said on 18 May 2020 that the rollout was complete. - Google said at launch that such updates typically take about one to two weeks to roll out. - Google gave no detail on what the update changed, only its standing core update guidance. ## What Google changed On 4 May 2020 Google SearchLiaison announced that it was "releasing a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. It is called the May 2020 Core Update." Google gave no detail on what changed and pointed to its standing guidance on core updates. It was the first core update since January 2020. ## When it rolled out Google SearchLiaison posted on 4 May 2020 that the update was "now rolling out live," adding that it "will typically take about one to two weeks to fully roll out." Search Engine Roundtable put the start at around 3:50pm Eastern time. On 18 May 2020 Google posted: "The May 2020 Core Update rollout is complete." ## What is known about its impact Google published no impact figures for this update. Its core update guidance says these updates "don't target specific sites or individual web pages," and that pages which move down are not necessarily bad; other pages may simply serve the searcher better. Treat any winner or loser percentage attributed to this update as a third-party estimate. ## What site owners should do Google's core ranking systems are still in use today, and its current core update guidance applies to this update as much as to recent ones: - Wait until a core update has finished, then at least one more full week, before judging. - Compare a week after the update with a week before it began. - Take no drastic action for small drops; for a large, sustained drop, assess the whole site against Google's helpful content self-assessment questions. - Expect recovery, if it comes, to take time and often a later core update. ## How to check whether it affected you Search Console keeps only 16 months of data, so its reports no longer cover May 2020. Use archived analytics exports and compare the week before 4 May 2020 with the week starting 25 May. Search demand shifted heavily in spring 2020, so compare against the same weeks in other years too. The [Google Algorithm Updates timeline](/updates) lists the updates around it. ## Related updates - The [January 2020 core update](/updates/january-2020-core-update) was the previous core update. - The [December 2020 core update](/updates/december-2020-core-update) was the next one. ## Frequently asked questions ### When did the May 2020 core update start and finish? Google SearchLiaison posted on 4 May 2020 that it was rolling out live, and on 18 May 2020 that the rollout was complete. ### How long did Google say the May 2020 core update would take? At launch Google said that, as is typical with these updates, it would take about one to two weeks to fully roll out. ### Did the May 2020 core update target COVID-19 content? Google did not say so. It described the update only as a broad core algorithm update, as it does several times a year, and gave no topic-specific detail. ### What should I do if the May 2020 core update hurt my site? Google's guidance is that a core update drop does not mean a page broke a rule. Compare traffic before and after, and if the drop is large and sustained, assess the site against Google's helpful content questions. ## Sources 1. [The May 2020 Core Update is now rolling out live](https://x.com/searchliaison/status/1257397733217968136) - Google SearchLiaison on X (primary) 2. [The May 2020 Core Update rollout is complete](https://x.com/searchliaison/status/1262422181515980801) - Google SearchLiaison on X (primary) 3. [Google May 2020 core update is now live](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-may-2020-core-update-live-29403.html) - Search Engine Roundtable 4. [Google May 2020 core update is fully live](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-may-2020-core-update-live-29477.html) - Search Engine Roundtable 5. [Google Search's core updates and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/core-updates) - Google Search Central (primary)