August 2024 core update
Core update explicitly framed as an attempt to better surface small independent publishers after feedback on the September 2023 helpful content update.
What changed
Google ran the August 2024 core update from 15 August to 3 September and published an unusual accompanying blog post. It said the update was designed to better surface genuinely useful content, including from small or independent sites, and acknowledged that it had heard from creators affected by the September 2023 helpful content update. Google also said it had incorporated feedback from creators and had looked at what kinds of sites people find valuable. Recovery for previously affected sites was partial and uneven.
Timing
Rollout began 15 August 2024. Google declared it complete on 3 September 2024, 19 days later. Rankings typically remain unstable for the whole rollout window, so measurements taken inside it are not a reliable read on the outcome.