Taking no less than two weeks to complete, Google’s first core update of the year has now finished rolling out, as reported by Search Engine Land.
As per information released by Google regarding the update, it was initially implemented on 13th March, 2025 and ended March 27th, 2025, but what tangible impact has this rollout had on websites?
Take a look below to learn more about how the upgrade has affected websites and what you can do if you’ve been negatively impacted by these ranking algorithm changes.
Why did Google update its core ranking system?
Google regularly releases core updates every few to several months to ensure that it delivers high-quality search results for its users. These core updates are designed to alter Google’s ranking algorithm with the aim of making search results more relevant and helpful.
Following the implementation of the March 2025 update, Google published a statement on LinkedIn:
“This is a regular update designed to better surface relevant, satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites. We also continue our work to surface more content from creators through a series of improvements throughout this year. Some have already happened; additional ones will come later.”
How have websites been impacted by Google's March 2025 core rollout?
Based on early data, it seems that the update has caused varying degrees of ranking changes. Some websites have reported significant ranking improvements or declines while others have barely been affected at all.
As reported by the US agency directory, DesignRush, the overall update appears to be “less widespread than previous core updates,” but there’s some speculation from industry professionals (currently based on incomplete data) that pages with programmatically generated content and low user interaction index may be more negatively impacted.
A spike of ranking volatility has also been observed just before the update was completed, which may indicate future fluctuations that website owners should be aware of moving forward.
If you’re unsure if or how you’ve been affected by this update, then we suggest digging into your ranking position and keyword changes using Google Search Console. If you can see significant position changes over the last two weeks, your site is likely to have been impacted.
What to do if you’ve been hit
Unfortunately, Google hasn’t provided any new advice to support websites that may have been negatively impacted by the March 2025 core update.
However, this latest development follows a series of updates that focus on delivering great content for online users. Regarding their March 2024 update, Google previously said:
“There’s nothing new or special that creators need to do for this update as long as they’ve been making satisfying content meant for people. For those that might not be ranking as well, we strongly encourage reading our creating helpful, reliable, people-first content help page,”
Put simply, Google recommends that websites continue to make site and content improvements for users rather than search engines, in line with Google’s ultimate aim to provide searchers with helpful, reliable results.
How we can help
Concerned that this latest Google update has negatively impacted the amount of traffic finding your website? Our professional team of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) experts has you covered.
We can help you to identify areas for improvement and implement SEO strategies that align with your specific marketing objectives. Whether you want to build your online presence or increase enquiries, our digital marketing professionals are on hand to help deliver real, measurable results.
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