March 2025 brought us what we’d all been waiting for: the first confirmed official Google core update of the year. After months of unexplained volatility and smaller, unannounced changes, Google finally rolled out a major algorithm update that had significant impacts across numerous industries.
Let’s walk you through everything that happened in March and what it means for your website.
The March 2025 Core Update
Google announced the March 2025 core update on 13th March, and it took approximately 14 days to complete, wrapping up on 27th March. This was a significant moment because Google’s CEO had previously hinted that we’d see more frequent core updates in 2025, yet this was the first one we’d had since December 2024 – a gap of about three months.
According to Google, this was “a regular update designed to better surface relevant, satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites.” They also emphasised their continued work to surface more content from creators through a series of improvements planned throughout the year.
The rollout seemed to kick in within a few days of the announcement, with many sites seeing ranking changes almost immediately. However, unlike some previous core updates that impacted a very wide range of sites, this one appeared more targeted. Sites that were affected saw significant changes, both positive and negative, but the overall breadth of impact seemed narrower than updates like the 2024 helpful content updates.
What this means for you: If you weren’t impacted by the March update, that’s actually good news; it means Google’s algorithms are generally happy with your content quality and user experience. If you were negatively impacted, don’t expect overnight recovery. Google has consistently said that recovery from core updates typically requires improving your content quality and waiting for future core updates. Quick fixes rarely work.
Massive Ranking Volatility During Rollout
The Google March 2025 core update was one of the most volatile we’ve seen in the past 12 months. According to Local SEO Guide, which monitors 100,000 home services keywords, the volatility was unprecedented, with major movements beginning the week of 10th March (even before the official announcement on the 13th).
SISTRIX’s Google Update Radar confirmed these findings, detecting substantial changes across UK and US markets starting 16th March. Major spikes in ranking movement occurred around 16th March and 26th March according to SEMrush’s sensor.
This level of volatility meant that many sites saw their rankings swing dramatically, sometimes multiple times, during the two-week rollout period. It was a nerve-wracking time for anyone managing websites or doing SEO professionally.
What this means for you: During core update rollouts, rankings can be extremely unstable. Resist the urge to make hasty changes to your site while an update is rolling out. Wait for things to settle down, then assess the overall impact. Making changes mid-rollout is like trying to adjust your sails during a hurricane – you can’t tell what’s working until the storm passes.
Forums Take a Hit After 18 Months of Dominance
One of the most significant patterns to emerge from the March update was a recalibration of how Google values forum content. After approximately 18 months of heightened visibility following Google’s mid-2023 “hidden gems” update, many forum sites experienced a reversal of fortune.
Reddit appeared to maintain its strong position, but other forum sites saw the visibility they’d gained over the past year and a half start to disappear. This was particularly notable because forums had been dominating search results for many queries, often pushing traditional websites further down the page.
What this means for you: If you run a content site and you’ve been frustrated watching forum threads outrank your comprehensive articles, you may have seen some improvement in March. Conversely, if you manage a forum or community site, you’ll need to focus on ensuring your content provides genuine value beyond just user discussions – think comprehensive answers, expert moderation, and unique insights.
Programmatic Content Under Scrutiny
Sites creating large volumes of programmatic pages, particularly those designed specifically for SEO rather than user value, experienced significant declines. Andrew Shotland, CEO of Local SEO Guide, identified this as a key pattern in the update.
What’s programmatic content? Think of pages automatically generated at scale, often targeting specific keyword combinations or locations. For example, a site might automatically create thousands of pages for “plumber in [city name]” without adding meaningful, unique content to each page.
Google has been increasingly sophisticated at identifying when pages are created primarily to rank in search engines rather than to genuinely help users. The March update appeared to penalise this practice more heavily than before.
What this means for you: If you’ve been creating pages at scale – whether through automation, AI, or templates—you need to ensure each page provides genuine, unique value. Ask yourself: “Would this page exist if search engines didn’t?” If the answer is no, you’ve got a problem. Quality beats quantity, especially after the March 2025 core update.
Cross-Sector Impact
Unlike some updates that primarily affect specific industries, the March core update touched sites across retail, government, forums, and content publishers. Early analysis from Sistrix showed visibility drops for major players including Amazon, Quora, and numerous .gov sites.
However, it’s worth noting that these early observations didn’t always persist through the complete rollout. Some sites that appeared to drop initially recovered as the update continued rolling out, which reinforces why it’s crucial to wait for an update to complete before drawing conclusions.
What this means for you: No sector was immune from potential impacts. Whether you run an e-commerce site, a local business, a news site, or a blog, you need to focus on the fundamentals: quality content, good user experience, clear expertise, and genuine value for your audience.
AI Overviews Expand in Three Key Sectors
Research from BrightEdge showed that Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) expanded exponentially in three specific sectors following the March core update: entertainment, restaurants, and travel.
Between 13th March and 27th March, these sectors saw a high percentage increase in how often AIOs appeared for relevant queries. This means if you operate in any of these industries, there’s an even greater chance that users are getting their information directly from Google’s AI-generated summaries rather than clicking through to websites.
What this means for you: If you’re in the entertainment, restaurant, or travel sector, optimising to appear as a source within AI Overviews is now critical. Use structured data to help Google understand your content, create authoritative pages that answer common questions, and build your site’s topical authority. Being cited in an AI Overview, whilst not as valuable as a direct click, at least establishes your brand as an authority in Google’s eyes.
Local Rankings Study Reveals Location Page Shifts
A detailed study by Greenlane Marketing examining websites across Legal, Health, Finance, Real Estate, Auto, and Travel verticals found some interesting patterns in how local landing pages performed after the March update.
Out of 7,979 local keywords tracked, only 3.3% shifted overall, but the changes varied significantly by industry:
- Legal: Minimal impact, with gains and losses balanced
- Health: The biggest hit, with 11.2% of local keywords shifting from location pages to more specific service/doctor pages
- Finance: 7.5% of keywords shifted away from location pages, though many improved in ranking
- Real Estate, Auto, Travel: Various levels of impact
The pattern suggested that Google increasingly favours deeper, more specific content over general location directory pages. A page about a specific doctor or service performed better than a generic “Our London Location” page.
What this means for you: If you’re a multi-location business, don’t just rely on basic location pages. Create deep, valuable content for each location that demonstrates expertise, provides unique information, and genuinely helps users. Think service-specific content, team bios, location-specific guides – not just templated location pages with the city name swapped out.
Google Testing More In-SERP Features Than Ever
During the March Search Central Live event in Madrid, Google admitted they’re testing more in-SERP features than ever before – around 48% of which are designed to keep users on Google rather than sending them to publisher sites.
This candid admission confirmed what many of us have suspected: Google is increasingly becoming an answer engine rather than just a search engine. Features like AI Overviews, featured snippets, knowledge panels, and shopping results all keep users on Google’s properties.
Google also warned that past success in search can no longer guarantee future success, and traffic patterns are likely to fluctuate at an accelerated rate.
What this means for you: The writing is on the wall: organic click-through rates will continue declining as Google provides more direct answers. You need to diversify your traffic sources – social media, email marketing, direct traffic through brand building, and yes, even paid advertising. Don’t put all your eggs in the organic search basket, no matter how well you’re currently ranking.
The Geotagging Study
A 10-week study involving 27 lawn care business clients tested whether geotagging images (adding location coordinates to photo metadata) affects Google Business Profile rankings in local search results.
The question was whether geotagging could influence visibility in “near me” searches and “[service] + [city]” queries. This has been a long-standing debate in the local SEO community – does adding GPS data to your photos actually help?
The study aimed to provide concrete data on this practice, with all other SEO activities paused during the test period to isolate the impact of geotagging.
What this means for you: Whilst I’d need to see the full results of the study to give definitive advice, the fact that it’s being researched at all suggests geotagging may have some influence. For local businesses, it’s a relatively easy tactic to implement. When taking photos for your Google Business Profile or website, ensure your phone’s location services are turned on so the GPS coordinates are automatically embedded. It certainly won’t hurt, and it might help.
What You Should Focus On After the March Update
Looking at everything that happened in March, several clear action points emerge:
- Quality over automation. Programmatic content and thin, templated pages are increasingly risky. Focus on creating fewer, better pages.
- Deep content wins. Generic location pages or surface-level content are struggling. Create comprehensive, expert-level content that can’t be easily replicated.
- User experience is paramount. Google explicitly said this update aims to surface “relevant, satisfying content.” Both words matter; relevant AND satisfying. Your content needs to match search intent and provide a good user experience (“Needs met”, as per the Quality Raters Guidelines)
- Diversify your approach. With Google keeping users on their own properties more than ever, you need multiple traffic sources, not just organic search.
- Be patient with recovery. If the March update hit you negatively, focus on long-term improvements rather than quick fixes. Recovery typically comes with subsequent core updates, not immediately.
Looking Forward
The Google March 2025 core update set the tone for what we can expect throughout the rest of the year. If Google follows through on its promise of more frequent updates, we might see the next one in May or June rather than waiting another three months.
The key trends – AI integration, focus on quality, preference for deep content over thin pages, and keeping users on Google’s properties – will only accelerate. The sites that thrive in this environment will be those that focus relentlessly on providing genuine value, demonstrating clear expertise, and creating content that people actually want to read, not just content designed to rank.
Need Help Making Sense of Your Rankings?
If you noticed changes to your website’s performance in March, be they positive or negative, and you’re not sure how to interpret them or what to do next, I’m here to help.
The March core update affected different sites in different ways, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. A proper analysis of your specific situation, your competitors, and your industry can help you understand what happened and chart a course forward.
For local businesses in Farnborough, Hampshire, and the surrounding areas, I offer comprehensive SEO audits and ongoing SEO management to help you navigate these constant changes whilst focusing on running your business.
Give me a ring on 01252 692 765 or drop me a message through my contact form. Let’s have a conversation about your website and how we can improve its performance in these rapidly changing times.
Paul Mackenzie-Ross is an SEO consultant based in Farnborough, Hampshire, specialising in helping local businesses improve their online visibility and attract more customers through search engines and AI.