It’s here! Our first major Google update of 2026!
On Thursday 5th February, Google announced they had started rolling out the February 2026 Discover Core Update across their systems.
This is the first time a ‘Discover’ update has been released, but we can already see that it’s creating all the hallmark trends of Google’s Core Updates, with ranking volatility (search results fluctuations) starting to increase.
So what exactly is the February 2026 Discover Core Update? How will it affect search results and your rankings? And how do you know if your website is being affected?
We’ve covered all of that, and more, in this article. 👇
What we know about Google’s February 2026 Discover Core Update
Google confirmed that the rollout of the February 2026 Discover Core Update began on the 5th February 2026. Like most Google updates, it’s expected to take around 2 weeks to roll out, though this could vary by region and language.
This update is a little different from the standard Core Updates Google typically releases, like the recent December 2025 Core Update.
Instead of focusing on broad changes to Google’s ranking systems, the February 2026 Discover Core Update focuses on adjusting Google’s ‘Discover’ feed, a personalised content feed in Google’s iOS and Android apps, and how content is surfaced within it.
Google has stated that this update will focus on broad changes within the Discover feed, rather than a single targeted change, and will improve the Discover experience by:
- Showing more locally relevant content from sites in the user’s country/region
- Reduced clickbait and misleading content in Discover
- Showing more in-depth, unique, and time-sensitive content from sites with strong EEAT signals
Like most Core Updates from Google, we don’t know exactly what has changed, but we do know the changes will be geared toward improving the quality, relevance, and helpfulness of the content served on the Discover feed.
How is the February 2026 Discover Core Update affecting search results?
Almost immediately after the February 2026 Discover Core Update announcement, there were reports of early ranking volatility from major publishers and content-driven websites.
Most of these reports mentioned noticeable changes in content impressions from Google’s Discover feed, which will likely continue to shift as the update rolls out.
Taking a look at Semrush’s Sensor Tool, which measures ranking volatility, we can see that it peaked on the 5th February on desktop, and has since dropped slightly, but is still in the ‘High’ range.
Surprisingly, while the February 2026 Discover Core Update is focused on the mobile-based Discover feed, mobile ranking volatility is lower than desktop, and it will be interesting to see whether that continues to be the case by the end of the rollout.
How does the ‘Discover’ Core Update differ from regular Core Updates?
The February 2026 Discover Core Update differs from regular Core Updates in a big way.
While standard Core Updates focus on broad changes that affect how pages rank in search results, the February 2026 Discover Core Update adjusts how content is evaluated, prioritised, and ranked within just the Discover feed.
Google Discover is a personalised content feed available on mobile devices and within the Google app. It shows users articles based on their interests, browsing behaviour, search history, location, and engagement patterns rather than keyword searches.
With mobile traffic now accounting for more than half of all internet traffic, this is definitely a big update you need to focus on if your website is content-led, you’re using content marketing to build awareness, or the Discover feed is a consistent traffic source for your site.
Even if you don’t get a lot of traffic from Google Discover or if your site isn’t content-led, this update could still affect your website as the rollout progresses due to the changes in ranking volatility, so it’s important to keep an eye on your performance.
How do Google’s updates affect your website?
Google updates can impact your organic search performance by changing how content quality, relevance, and user behaviour are interpreted across Google.
With the February 2026 Discover Core Update, these changes are concentrated on Discover visibility. That includes how often your content appears, how prominently it is displayed, and how long it remains eligible to surface in the Discover feed.
If your website is affected, you may see changes in impressions, clicks, and traffic from the Discover feed. Some pages may stop appearing altogether, while others might gain visibility unexpectedly.
If you notice a decline in your visibility, it doesn’t mean you’re being penalised. It means your content may not align with Google’s changes to the Discover feed as much as other pages and websites do.
With any changes in visibility, it’s important to be patient and wait for the update to complete its rollout before making any big changes to your content. Some fluctuations are only temporary as Google’s changes are implemented, so making knee-jerk changes could actually have a negative impact.
How to know if the February 2026 Discover Core Update is affecting your website?
Discover impressions
Discover impressions will be the clearest indicator of whether the February 2026 Discover Core Update has affected your site.
A clear, sustained drop suggests your content is being shown less often in the Discover feed, which may mean it isn’t aligning with user interests.
Short-term changes are normal during a rollout, so it is essential to look for consistent trends over several days after the update has completed. If impressions recover after the update is complete, then you probably don’t need to make any changes.
Discover clicks
Clicks help confirm whether changes in impressions are actually affecting traffic. If impressions fall and clicks drop at a similar rate, your visibility in Google Discover has likely declined across the board.
If clicks remain steady despite lower impressions, your content may still be performing well when shown. This usually indicates that your content is still relevant and generating interest, even if your overall visibility has dropped.
Click-through rate from Discover
Click-through rate (CTR) shows how appealing your content is within the Discover feed. A falling CTR can indicate that headlines or images are no longer resonating with users or are seen as irrelevant after the update.
If impressions remain stable but CTR declines, the issue is often related to how content is framed rather than its underlying quality. Improving clarity and alignment between headlines and page content can fix this.
Performance of individual pages
Google Core Updates don’t impact all pages the same way.
To see which pages are affected, you can review individual page performance in Google Analytics or Google Search Console, looking for drops in visibility, traffic, and engagement rates.
Pages that consistently underperform may no longer align with user intent or interests. Pages that gain visibility often reflect the types of content Google now prefers to surface in Discover.
Engagement metrics
Google Discover places strong emphasis on how users engage with content after clicking. Metrics like session duration, engagement rate, and scroll depth can help you identify whether Discover traffic changes are linked to user behaviour.
If engagement drops alongside reduced Discover impressions, it usually means that your content relevance or user experience needs some work rather than technical fixes.
Tips for meeting Google’s best practices
With the February 2026 Discover Core Update, Google hasn’t released any new or updated guidance. Instead, they’ve reiterated their current search engine guidelines and best practices as the recommended benchmark for your website and content.
Create people-first content
This update follows the same general principle that Google has been stressing for the last few years, that you should be creating helpful, relevant content written for real people, and not just to rank in search engines.
Pages that clearly answer a question or address a need will perform more consistently in search results and will be mostly unaffected by big updates like this. If content feels generic or exists mainly to attract traffic, it will begin to drop off as Google’s systems become more selective about content quality and relevance.
Following Google’s guidance on helpful content and the best practices for EEAT signals is essential here.
Prioritise originality and depth
Google Discover favours content that adds something new to a topic. This can be original insight, expert commentary, or practical examples that go beyond surface-level coverage.
Content depth isn’t just about a big word count. It’s about clear explanations and focused analyses that deliver more value to the reader. Deep, original content will often outperform longer pages that just repeat existing information.
Maintain freshness where possible
Content freshness is a crucial Discover signal, especially for time-sensitive topics. Your content should reflect current information, trends, and user expectations.
Older content can rank well if the information is still accurate and relevant. You should regularly review and update outdated content to keep it fresh and maximise your visibility.
Plus, updating existing content requires much less effort than creating entirely new pages.
Write clear and accurate headlines
Headlines play a big role in Discover performance. Your headlines should accurately represent the page content and set clear expectations for users.
Using clickbait, overly dramatic, or misleading headlines may attract clicks initially, but often lead to weaker engagement signals, which can reduce future visibility.
Improve mobile experience and usability
Since Google Discover is a mobile content feed, your website’s mobile usability is crucial. Your pages should load quickly, display correctly, and avoid visually disruptive layouts or excessive ads.
Strong mobile usability supports user engagement and can maintain your content visibility in Discover, while poor user engagement signals can damage your organic performance.
Support engagement, not just visibility
We’ve mentioned engagement metrics quite a bit in the last few points, and for good reason. Google’s Discover system will prioritise content that users engage with.
So content that encourages reading, scrolling, and clicking through to other pages will perform more consistently.
Make sure your content has a clear structure, readable formatting, and relevant internal links to keep users engaged and strengthen your long-term Discover performance.
FAQs about Google’s Discover feed
Does Google Discover use keywords?
Discover doesn’t rely on keywords in the traditional sense. While topical relevance still matters, content is served based on user interest patterns rather than search queries.
This means that keyword optimisation alone isn’t enough to perform well in Google Discover. You also need to focus on content quality and relevance, usability, and engagement.
Do I need structured data to appear in Discover?
Structured data, or schema markup as it’s also called, isn’t essential for appearing in the Discover feed, but it can certainly help.
Schema markup and relevant metadata can help Google better understand your content, which can support your visibility across all Google search placements.
Why does Discover traffic fluctuate so much?
Discover traffic is more volatile than regular organic search traffic because it reflects changing user interests. A topic that performs well one week may lose relevance the next.
Core updates like the February 2026 Discover Core Update will amplify these shifts by adjusting how interest and engagement signals are handled. While these updates roll out, you can expect to see larger fluctuations across all topics.
Can small websites rank in Discover?
Yes, they can. Discover doesn’t just exclusively show big brands. Smaller websites can outperform bigger ones if their content aligns more closely with user interests and generates stronger engagement.
Of course, bigger, more authoritative websites will always have a competitive edge over smaller sites, but if their content is unoriginal, unclear, or irrelevant, smaller brands can definitely outperform them.
How our SEO specialists can help
If your website has been affected by the February 2026 Discover Core Update, our SEO specialists can help.
By reviewing your content quality, assessing relevance, and analysing user behaviour trends, we can identify areas for improvement and implement changes to help you meet Google’s search engine guidelines and improve your performance.
To speak with one of our SEO specialists about your website, get in touch today.
