February 5, 2026
As of February 27, the February 2026 Discover core update has officially finished its rollout, taking a little over three weeks to complete.
This wasn’t a broad core update like we’re used to - its effect was specific to content on the Discover feed and focused on the systems that decide which articles appear on the feed.
The update was aimed at improving the experience for users by:
This update was limited to English users in the US, but it will rollout to other languages and countries in the coming months.
In line with this update, Google did revise their Discover documentation. Glenn Gabe and Barry Schwartz gave a side-by-side comparison via X:
Volatility is always high during a rollout, and typically remains elevated for a short time after its completion. You may have noticed an increase or decrease in impressions or clicks recently, which may continue for a little while longer.
That being said, you don’t need to worry if your traffic has dropped. There’s a good chance it will level out again in the coming weeks as volatility dies down. We suggest analysing patterns in Google Search Console’s Discover report once things have stabilised.
Discover is now emphasising local relevance. If you’ve been tailoring your content to regional trends, events, and audiences, you may notice visibility improvements within the feed. The same goes for more in-depth content, as Discover will now be giving precedence to original content with real insights over content that’s made just to get clicks. Continue giving users meaningful insights and working on building topical authority in your space.
On the flip side, if you’ve been attempting to reel users in with shocking, exaggerated, or overly emotional language, your performance may have dipped. To optimise for Google Discover, you need to be using clear and accurate headlines that indicate content of real value.
This update highlights Google’s mission to surface higher quality, more relevant content that gives users real value. While this update was specific to Google Discover, it’s important to align the key message of this update with your wider organic strategy.
It’s harder to track the effects of this update because of the way Google Discover works. So it’s important to keep an eye on your performance once things have settled down. Use the Discover tab in Google Search Console to track impressions and clicks from Google Discover and compare trends over time.
If you’re already producing high-quality content that offers genuine value to your customers, you likely don’t need to worry about this update. However, if your current strategy involves cheap SEO tactics, you may want to reconsider your game plan.
If you’re worried about how this update has affected your site or you’re looking for expert guidance with your Google Discover rankings, then get in touch with us today.
