March 2025 Google Core Update UK

When Google rolls out a new core update, everyone in the SEO strategy world holds their breath. That happened once more in March 2025, when Google released its biggest update of the year. The aim of this update was to enhance search quality for users, resulting in a significant impact on SERPs (search engine results pages).

So, what did the Google Core Update March 2025 actually do? Have you found that this change in Google’s algorithm has impacted your rankings? This guide will shed some light on the matter.

What Are Google Core Updates?

If you are relatively new to the world of SEO, you may wonder, what is a Google Core Update?

The Google algorithm changes slightly all of the time, but these are more impactful algorithm updates. Google releases these core updates just a few times a year to refine the search engine and provide better results for users. They are significant updates that have a substantial impact on rankings.

This latest Google Core Update is far from the first one to occur. There is a long list of Google Core Updates, dating back to 2011. There have been several significant updates over the years, such as the Google Search Update March 2024, which addressed low-quality content to fight spammy results and took an entire 45 days to roll out.

About the March 2025 Google Core Update

The March Google algorithm core update officially began on March 13th and ended two weeks later, on March 27th.

Here is what Google had to say:

“Today, we released the March 2025 core update to Google Search. 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.”

During this two-week period, website owners noticed a significant change in their search rankings in the UK. Some industry experts monitored keywords and observed that this update led to the highest fluctuations of SERP in more than a year.

Google search updates like these can be intimidating, especially if you feel you’ve just refined your SEO plan. That’s why using SEO services from experts who stay on top of the game makes so much sense.

What Has Changed?

It’s not always easy to see the Google ranking changes immediately, but luckily, industry experts have been monitoring the exact shifts. Here is where the most significant changes have been observed.

A Decline in Forum Results: One major pattern noticed by experts is the devaluation of forum content. Forums noticed an increase in rankings in recent times, but this has shifted, with forum results displaying thin content falling down the ranks once more.

Scrutiny on AI-Generated Content: This Google search update has targeted AI-generated content, particularly thin, low-value AI content that lacks depth. Given the significant impact of AI on the internet in recent years, this crackdown is to be expected, with Google preferring to show results from human-centered, high-quality content.

Penalties for Programmatic SEO Pages: Experts have noticed that those using programmatic SEO strategies have been subject to ranking penalties. That means anyone creating multiple web pages in bulk to try and target specific keywords. This practice is intended to appeal to Google, but it appears to have the opposite effect, as Google is now more focused on organic, high-quality content.

An Impact on Various Sectors: This March core update has not only impacted a few sectors; it has had a wide, cross-sector impact, changing rankings for forums, e-commerce sites, official government websites, blogs, and more. However, the most significant impact was seen on forum rankings.

A Focus on Originality and User Experience: All Google search engine updates have prioritised user experience, and this one is no exception. Google has emphasised multiple times that it rewards genuinely valuable content, particularly content that ticks off E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness). Therefore, websites that display genuinely high-quality content with clear authorship and accurate sourcing are far more likely to rank higher following this update.

If you need more help understanding what makes higher-ranking content, our managed SEO services always take into account the latest updates from Google.

What Should You Do About It?

Now that Google’s updated algorithm has been out for some time, you may wonder, what can you do to boost your SEO? SEO consulting is a valuable next step, as expert advice is always crucial for climbing the search engine rankings and enhancing your online presence. However, here are some steps you can take in the meantime.

Focus on Creating Genuinely Useful Content

One of the key points Google has stressed is the importance of creating genuinely useful and high-quality content. Avoid generating excessive low-quality, thin content (particularly AI-generated content), as this will not benefit your rankings in the long term. Instead, think about the reader when creating content – answer their questions and deliver readable, helpful articles that they will find helpful.

Boost Your Credibility

Google has emphasised the importance of authoritativeness, which has become even more crucial in this era of AI summaries (as more credible websites are more likely to be cited). To boost your SEO authority and credibility, focus on acquiring high quality links from authoritative sites. You can also optimise for technical SEO, ensure a mobile-friendly site, and, of course, produce genuinely high-quality, helpful content.

Check Your Rankings

It’s essential to stay up-to-date with your site’s performance, especially after such a significant Google update like this one. You can check your website’s performance using Google Search Console. On there, you can see if you have lost any traffic due to the update. To take it a step further, our services include performing an SEO audit, which provides a comprehensive analysis of your website. With this, you can identify the exact areas to improve and climb the ranks.

Be Patient When Waiting for Results

SEO newbies sometimes expect their fixes to have an automatic impact on rankings, but that is simply not how it works. Focus on adhering to Google’s ranking guidelines, and then be patient when waiting for the results. It can take weeks or months for any changes you make to have a real impact.

When is the Next Google Core Update?

Google has not stated when the next update will be; however, the biggest Google Core Updates typically occur a few times per year, so it is reasonable to expect another one by the end of the year. Keep in mind that Google often releases smaller updates throughout the year, often without publicly announcing them, which may impact your rankings. We always keep our clients up-to-date with the latest shifts in SEO, so check back here if you want to check for any new updates.

Need Help Staying on Top of the SEO Game?

To stay competitive, you need to keep on top of any core web vitals updates from Google. For many website owners, that is not always easy – you may have other priorities, after all.

That is where we come in. We are a team of SEO experts who understand the intricacies of Google’s ranking system, and we adjust our strategy in response to Google’s ongoing updates. With us, you can stay ahead of the SEO game, no matter what happens.

If you’re interested in learning more about your current SEO position or want to get started climbing the ranks, book a free SEO strategy session with our team today.