April 2018 broad core update

What changed

Google confirmed on 20 April 2018 that it had rolled out a broad core search algorithm update aimed at surfacing the most relevant content for queries. The confirmation came after several days of speculation rather than as a pre-announcement, and Google gave no precise start date or completion date. Guidance repeated the March framing: no specific fix exists, and content quality is the durable answer.

Timing

Rollout began 20 April 2018. No completion date was announced. Rankings typically remain unstable for the whole rollout window, so measurements taken inside it are not a reliable read on the outcome.

What it affected