Search Console Anomaly After Google Core Update
We’re tracking a search console anomaly that has occurred since June 30th (the same day as a Google core algorithm update rolled out). Is this a glitch in Google Search Console?
When using country filters in Google Search Console, there’s a significant increase in impressions for the primary location of the website. For example, Australian sites have seen a spike under the Australian filter, with corresponding drops from other location filters.
We’re tracking this across a large number of accounts.
.com.au website search console data moving to the Australian filter
Rank check data for this site, using a sample of 500 monitored keywords, doesn’t suggest a notable increase in ranking within Australia. There are corresponding drops for other locations pictured below.
The unfiltered data remains steady.
An increase can also be seen using the New Zealand filter (which is next door to Australia)
.co.uk website with search console data moving to the UK filter
.co.uk sites have a similar story under the United Kingdom filter, with a corresponding drop from other locations.
The no countries option remains steady.
.com websites that also primarily serve one location have a similar spike
This .com website’s primary audience is Australia. A significant jump is evident when using the Australian filter. Drops from locations that aren’t the primary audience are visible.
The ‘unfiltered’ option remains steady.
Update 08/07/2025
Matthew Chalk from D3 based in New Zealand, confirms a similar finding! Still no resolution from GSC, no word from Google, and no news on the major industry sites across the board.
Update 10/07/2025
Mark Sprenger, an SEO specialist from Veneta.com, wrote in to report they are experiencing the same issue in the Netherlands & Belgium. “There seems to be a bug related to the ‘Country’ filter in Google Search Console.”
There is now a thread developing about it here https://support.google.com/webmasters/thread/356554648/gsc-country-filter-position-bug?hl=en,
Update 18/07/2025
As of July 18, 2025, the search console remains an anomaly.
The community consensus is that it may be a bug affecting the country filter.
The story was picked up by the SEO Roundtable 10/07/2025 by Barry Schwartz (SEOROUND Table Editor) LinkedIn. Juan C Vargas writes that John Mueller, Search Relations Spokesperson for Google, is looking into it.
Update 21/07/2025
We are noticing another possible bug being reported on many accounts outside the counter filter bug reported in the previous two weeks. The bug shows a massive spike in impressions with no country filter applied.
Here is the same chart with the country filter enabled. You can easily spot where the suspected ‘bug’ in the data occurs. 30/06/2027
Here is another example with and without country filters.
Update 21/07/2025
We’ve identified another search console anomaly today, this time with HTTPS reporting across multiple accounts. The dip occurs from July 13th and then rebounds.
This follows several significant anomalies in the search console over the past few weeks. Including a country filter anomaly and an explosion of impressions with unfiltered data.
Is this one a bug or a significant algorithm change? If Google is doing a purge, why is it rebounding? Curious!
Update 23/07/2025
This anomaly from 21/07/2025 pictured below seems to be ceasing.
The graph has dropped back down.
However, the country filter anomaly remains.
