Google Discover Core Update February 2026 – Guide for Website Owners

On February 5, 2026, Google rolled out a new Discover Core Update aimed at improving content relevance, quality, and personalization in Google Discover feeds. This update focuses on showing users more locally relevant content from websites based in their country, reducing sensational and clickbait content, and prioritizing in-depth, original, and timely content from sites with proven expertise in their niche.

For content creators, website owners, and online businesses that rely on Discover traffic, understanding these changes is essential to maintain visibility and engagement. 

Google Discover is no longer just a side feature — it has become a key driver of organic traffic, delivering content to users before they even search, based on their interests, behavior, and location. Optimizing your content according to the February 2026 update can lead to higher impressions, better engagement, and sustained referral traffic.

Let’s break it down clearly!

Overview of the February 2026 Discover Core Update

The February 2026 Google Discover Core Update introduces major changes to how content is surfaced in personalized feeds. 

This section provides a detailed overview of the update, highlighting its key priorities, and strategies to maintain or grow Discover traffic.

Emphasis on Local Relevance

Google Discover now places greater importance on geographic relevance. Content that aligns with the user’s location, language, or regional interests is more likely to appear in their feed. This change highlights the value of targeting audiences with region-specific content to maximize Discover impressions.

Reduction of Clickbait and Low-Quality Content

The update reduces visibility for sensational or misleading headlines. Content that overpromises or lacks meaningful value is de-prioritized, while informative, accurate, and headline-aligned articles are rewarded. This ensures that users receive trustworthy and relevant content in their feeds.

Focus on Originality and Expertise

Under this update, Google evaluates expertise on a topic-by-topic basis rather than at the overall website level. This means a website can cover multiple subjects and still appear in Discover, as long as it consistently demonstrates depth and authority in specific topics. 

For example, a local news website that regularly publishes detailed gardening articles can be recognized as an expert source for gardening, even if it covers many other categories. However, a movie review website that writes only one occasional gardening article is unlikely to gain Discover visibility for that topic due to lack of consistent expertise.

This approach ensures that Discover promotes content from websites with proven knowledge and credibility in a subject area, rewarding creators who build strong topical authority over time.

Rollout and Impact on Traffic

The update initially rolled out in English-language markets in the U.S., with a gradual international expansion expected. Website owners, and online businesses may experience fluctuations in traffic, with sites producing expert, original, and locally relevant content likely to gain impressions, while low-value content may see declines. Traffic usually stabilizes within two to six weeks post-update.

Key Highlights of the February 2026 Google Discover Core Update

This table summarizes the main changes introduced in the February 2026 Discover update, showing what each change means and how it affects content creators, website owners, and online businesses. Use it as a quick reference to understand the update’s priorities and guide your content strategy.

What is Google Discover?

Google Discover is a personalized content feed available on mobile devices and in the Google app that delivers articles, videos, and other content to users without requiring a search query. 

Instead of waiting for users to type queries, Discover proactively shows content based on their interests, search history, location, and engagement patterns across Google products.

Unlike Google Search, which responds to explicit queries, Discover surfaces relevant, timely, and engaging content that aligns with what users are likely to want. It highlights news, evergreen guides, videos, and other visually engaging material, making it a powerful channel to gain organic traffic, early visibility, and audience engagement.

Google Discover is a way for websites and content creators to reach users before they even start searching, increasing brand exposure and driving sustained traffic through personalized recommendations.

Impact of the February 2026 Google Discover Update on Website Traffic

The February 2026 Google Discover Core Update can cause significant fluctuations in traffic depending on content quality, relevance, and originality. This section explains how Content Creators & Website Owners may experience gains or losses, what factors influence performance, and how to monitor changes to maintain or improve Discover visibility.

• Gains from Original and Expert Content

Websites that produce original, in-depth, and expert content are likely to experience gains in Discover traffic. Google Discover now emphasizes topic-level authority, favoring content that demonstrates expertise and provides unique insights. 

This means content that is well-researched, detailed, and valuable to users is more likely to be surfaced in Discover feeds. The update rewards sites that focus on delivering high-quality, informative content rather than relying solely on engagement metrics.

•  Losses from Clickbait or Low-Quality Content

Sites that rely on clickbait, sensationalism, or low-value content may see a decline in Discover impressions. The algorithm now identifies headlines and articles that overpromise or provide minimal informational value, reducing their visibility in user feeds. 

Content that lacks depth or originality is less likely to perform well, as Google prioritizes trustworthiness, relevance, and meaningful engagement over superficial metrics.

•  Importance of Local Relevance

Another key factor influencing traffic is geographic relevance. Discover now prioritizes content that is aligned with the user’s location, which affects which articles are surfaced in feeds. 

Websites that fail to provide regionally relevant or localized content may experience lower visibility, while content that aligns with the interests and context of the user’s location is more likely to gain impressions.

• Stabilization Period and Monitoring

Traffic fluctuations following the update are normal and typically stabilize within two to six weeks. During this period, it is important for website owners to monitor performance through tools like Google Search Console and Analytics. 

Tracking impressions, clicks, and engagement metrics can help identify trends, understand content performance, and inform adjustments to content strategy to align with the new Discover ranking priorities.

How to Optimize Your Content for Discover

To succeed in Google Discover, Content Creators & Website Ownersneed to focus on original, relevant, and engaging content that aligns with user interests and trends. This section outlines strategies to enhance visibility, improve engagement, and ensure content meets the updated algorithm’s standards for quality and authority.

• Focus on Original and Expert Content

To perform well in Google Discover, content must be original and demonstrate topic-level expertise. Google prioritizes articles that provide unique insights, in-depth analysis, or research-backed information over content that is duplicated, aggregated, or superficial.

Producing original, high-quality content ensures that your articles meet Google’s updated standards for trustworthiness and informational value, increasing the likelihood of appearing in Discover feeds.

• Ensure Content Relevance and Timeliness

Google Discover favors content that is relevant to users’ interests and current trends. Articles that address timely topics, seasonal themes, or trending issues are more likely to capture attention in the feed. 

Maintaining relevance also involves updating existing content to reflect the latest information, statistics, or insights. Content that aligns with user interests and is consistently refreshed demonstrates ongoing value, which is rewarded under the new update.

• Optimize Visual Elements

Visual engagement has become an increasingly important factor in Discover. High-quality images, infographics, and videos enhance the appeal of content in the feed and increase click-through rates. 

While Google does not guarantee placement based on visuals alone, well-optimized imagery that is relevant, properly sized, and formatted for mobile devices improves user experience and engagement metrics, which indirectly supports better performance in Discover.

• Prioritize Mobile and Performance Optimization

Since Google Discover is primarily consumed on mobile devices, content must be mobile-friendly and load quickly. Responsive design, fast page speed, and adherence to Core Web Vitals are essential for maintaining visibility. 

Pages that perform poorly on mobile, have slow load times, or exhibit usability issues may be de-prioritized, even if the content itself is high-quality.

• Monitor Performance and Iterate

Continuous monitoring of Discover performance is essential for ongoing optimization. Google Search Console provides a Discover report that shows impressions, clicks, and CTR for each page. By analyzing these metrics, one can identify which content types perform best and make informed adjustments. 

Iterative improvements based on real user engagement help maintain and grow visibility in Discover over time, aligning with the algorithm’s updated emphasis on expertise, relevance, and quality.

Advanced Strategies to Optimize Content for Google Discover

Learn advanced strategies to optimize your content for Google Discover and improve visibility in personalized feeds. This section covers key tactics to create expert, original, and relevant content that aligns with the February 2026 Discover algorithm update.

• Maintain and update evergreen content regularly
• Align content with seasonal trends and time-sensitive topics
• Tailor content for local and regional audiences
• Enhance user engagement through comments and social sharing
• Conduct A/B testing for headlines and images
• Monitor performance metrics in Google Search Console and Analytics
• Focus on creating multi-format content (videos, infographics, interactive elements)

Tools & Metrics to Track Discover Performance

To effectively track and improve your Google Discover performance, focus on key tools and metrics:

Google Search Console – Discover Report: Monitor impressions, clicks, CTR, and traffic trends for each page. This is the primary source for understanding how Discover surfaces your content.

Google Analytics: Track user engagement metrics such as average session duration, bounce rate, and pages per session. These insights indicate how users interact with content discovered via the feed.

Content Performance Metrics: Identify which content types, topics, and formats generate the most Discover impressions and engagement. Compare evergreen versus trending content to optimize your strategy.

Visual Engagement Metrics: Monitor image and video interaction rates, including click-through from thumbnails, to assess the impact of visuals on Discover performance.

CTR & Impressions Analysis: High impressions with low CTR may indicate the need to improve headlines or thumbnails, while high CTR indicates effective content presentation and alignment with user interests.

By combining these tools and metrics, you can quickly identify performance trends, diagnose issues, and refine your content strategy to maximize traffic from Google Discover.

Conclusion

The February 2026 Google Discover Core Update reinforces the importance of originality, expertise, and relevance in content strategy. For content creators, website owners, and online businesses, aligning your content with these priorities is essential to maintain visibility, drive engagement, and secure long-term Discover traffic. 

By focusing on high-quality, locally relevant, and trustworthy content, you can capitalize on the update’s opportunities while minimizing potential traffic losses.

At Orange MonkE, we help digital professionals understand algorithm changes like the February 2026 Discover Core Update and implement strategies to optimize content performance. Staying informed and proactive ensures your content continues to reach the right audience, building sustainable traffic and authority in Google Discover feeds.