I would not relive Google's May 2023 core update like SEO archaeology. Core updates redistribute trust. The lesson is familiar: sites with clear expertise and useful pages tend to survive better than sites with scale and slop.
What to check after any core update
Which sections gained or lost: blog, product, local, tools.
Template changes across losers.
Overlap with thin or outdated content.
May 2023 reminders
Helpful content messaging was loud then.
Sites that looked mass-produced struggled.
Strong brands and clear service pages held better.



