Key takeaways
The May 2026 Core Update officially concluded on 2 June, after 12 days of deployment
Out of nearly 9,000 domains analysed, over 5,000 gained visibility and 3,800 lost it: this is not a widespread penalty but a large redistribution
Derivative, generic, or poorly produced pages were the most exposed, following the March update
A more discreet but massive effect: the generalisation of AI Overviews halves the clicks in the top position on many queries
The right approach in June 2026 is not to rewrite in haste, but to analyse methodically and strengthen what makes a difference
An update completed, effects now visible
The May 2026 Core Update was announced by Google on 21 May and officially concluded on 2 June 2026, slightly earlier than the initially mentioned two-week window. During the deployment, many businesses saw their positions fluctuate, some losing up to half of their organic traffic in a few days, while others gained ground without fully understanding why. As reminded by Search Engine Journal by confirming the end of the deployment, volatility remained high until the very last hours, with two sharp peaks on 23 May and then around 30 May.
Four weeks after stabilisation, the picture is now clear. It is time to understand what has happened — and especially, what to do about it.
A redistribution, not a punishment
The first lesson, which challenges the idea of a blanket sanction: of nearly 9,000 domains analysed by visibility tracking tools, 5,039 gained and 3,845 lost. In other words, the majority of sites saw their visibility increase, not decrease. Google did not strike a sector as a whole: it redistributed positions in favour of pages deemed better aligned with search intent.
The criteria that made the difference are known but are now applied with increased rigor: alignment with user intent, alignment with the targeted market (language, geography, expected format), and type of source. Derivative pages — those that poorly repeat what other sources already say better — have been particularly exposed. Primary destinations, original sources, and content with a proprietary angle have, on the other hand, generally progressed.
The most exposed profiles
Type of content | Post-update behaviour |
Raw AI content, published without proofreading or a unique angle | Highly exposed |
Template pages replicated for each keyword variant | Marked losses |
Generic buying guides on commercial queries | Losing ground |
YMYL sites (health, finance) without documented expertise | Significant volatility |
Content with validated expertise, field data, original angle | Stable or in progress |
None of these signals are new. Google has been hammering this home for years with its framework E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). But the May update applied these criteria with increased severity, continuing from that of March 2026 — like a second tightening.
The elephant in the room: the effect of AI Overviews
Here is what many post-update analyses took time to articulate. If you have seen your position remain stable but your traffic drop nonetheless, it is not the Core Update that is to blame, it is something else: the generalisation of AI Overviews across a very large number of queries.
Several consistent studies conducted in spring 2026 measure the same trend: on queries where an AI Overview is displayed, the click-through rate in the first position collapses, dropping from about 27% to 11%. At the same position, nearly 60% of traffic evaporates. The number one spot on Google, once untouchable, is no longer sufficient if AI answers in place of the user. This is precisely why tracking your position is no longer enough in 2026: it is now necessary to cross-reference position and presence in AI responses.
What to do now: the method
The right reflex in June 2026 is not to rewrite your pages in a hurry. It is to analyse calmly, on a clean Search Console window — at least one week after the closure of June 2, so from June 9 for reliable data.
Start by identifying the pages that have really dropped — those that have lost non-brand clicks, not just position. For each one, compare it with the page that has overtaken you: what does it offer in terms of depth, angle, freshness of data, or visible expertise? This direct comparison is more useful than any theoretical audit.
Next, prioritise improvement over removal. Google regularly reminds us: pruning content is a last resort, reserved for pages clearly written for engines, not for readers. Rewrite with a real angle, support with original data, bring out the author's expertise: this is what produces lasting results.
Finally, integrate the AI dimension now. The pages that can be cited by generative engines are precisely those that meet the same requirements as this Core Update: depth, authority, sources, angle. Working on your SEO in 2026 is effectively working on your AI visibility.
Transform the shake-up into an opportunity
Core Updates are not algorithmic injustices, they arerevealers. They expose content produced en masse, missing angles, unproven expertise. For a small business or a medium-sized enterprise that is seriously investing in its content, it is even an opportunity: each update weakens the generic pages of the competition and values those that have real substance.
The real lesson of 2026 is thatSEO is not played out in quick wins.. The logic of “hacks” — stuffing a page with keywords, multiplying links in a chain, trying to optimise for AI Overviews with miracle recipes — is precisely what each successive update comes to defuse. What endures, and even progresses, is what is built over time: a clear editorial line, proprietary angle content, a domain authority patiently established. This regularity has an energy cost, but it pays off in the long run.
Rather than endure the next Core Update — there will be more in 2026 — it is better to make it a meeting for an audit, an opportunity to check what holds, what erodes, and what deserves to be reinforced. Viewed from this angle, the algorithm ceases to be a threat and becomes a benchmark: it penalises the lukewarm and rewards consistency.
FAQ
Is the May 2026 Core Update finished ?
Yes. Google officially confirmed the end of the rollout on 2 June 2026 on its Search Status Dashboard. Data collected since 9 June is considered reliable.
My site has lost traffic: is it due to the Core Update or the AI Overviews ?
Both effects can accumulate. A drop in position indicates an impact from the Core Update; a stable position with declining traffic points more towards the AI Overviews that capture clicks ahead of traditional results.
Should I modify my pages immediately after a loss of traffic ?
No, not urgently. The right approach is to identify the pages specifically affected, understand what the content that has overtaken you does better, and then improve in depth — not to rewrite blindly.
How long does it take to see a site recover after a Core Update ?
It varies. Some movements can occur between two updates, but real recoveries often follow the next update. Patience, method, and the quality of work done in the meantime make the difference.