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Google's March 2026 Algorithm Update
What the broad core update means for your rankings, what the SEO community is saying, and — most importantly — what you should actually be doing about it.
Breaking Update
Google's March 2026 Broad Core Update — rolling out now. Up to 2 weeks for full deployment across all regions and languages.
Google confirmed that it began a broad core algorithm update on 27 March 2026 and that it might take up to two weeks to roll out across all regions and languages. That explains why Google Search Consoles look more volatile over the past two weeks than the price of oil — and as any seasoned SEO will tell you, that kind of turbulence almost always precedes a core update.
GSC Data Right Now
More volatile than the price of oil — and that's exactly how it looks before every core update
Here's What Google Said
The update followed a February Discover-focused update and a March spam update.
"Google described the core update as a 'regular update' designed to better surface relevant and satisfying content."
(Vague as always)
Google repeated its usual recommendation to focus on helpful, reliable, people-first content rather than chasing algorithm rumours. Refreshingly consistent guidance, even if it's consistently vague.
February Update
Discover-focused update targeting content surfaced in Google Discover feeds.
March Spam Update
Targeted spammy practices, low-quality signals, and manipulative link schemes.
March Core Update
Broad core update to better surface relevant, satisfying, helpful content across all search.
Here's What the SEO Community Is Saying
Anyone with sense is saying we'll have to wait and see — it's way too early to tell where things will land.
Conspiracy Corner
Some SEOs are suggesting that the February Discover update and the March spam update were distractions, arguing that the core update continued to "wipe out organic traffic" and that Google's "layout is designed to hoard users for themselves".
Discover Traffic Impact
Some SEOs reported that their Discover traffic disappeared entirely and that older articles appeared in Discover while newer content did not — a particularly frustrating pattern for content-heavy sites.
The Sensible Take
Anyone with real experience is reserving judgement. Extreme ranking and traffic volatility is the norm during a broad core rollout. The signal-to-noise ratio right now is extremely low — watch the data, not the Twitter threads.
What I've Seen in My Data
Based on what I'm seeing across client accounts, here are the patterns emerging from the data so far.
AI Overviews Are Hammering CTRs
CTRs continue to get absolutely hammered by AI Overviews, but this doesn't seem to be affecting the average position of the main transactional keywords. Impressions and position are holding; it's the clicks that are being captured upstream.
Strong Brand + PR = Winning
Strong brand presence and an increase in broad search terms as a result of aggressive PR activity — along with a well-maintained technical SEO setup and strong brand x influencer collaborations — are increasing authority, organic rankings, and organic traffic.
Short-Cuts Are Failing
Efforts to over-optimise technically, react to fluctuations in traffic too quickly with testing, obtain low-quality backlinks, or produce low-quality AI-generated content with no human oversight or input have minimal or only temporary effect.
What You Should Be Doing
Your algorithm-proof SEO strategy, distilled.
Ignore the Noise & Trends
Stop refreshing Twitter during a core update rollout. The chatter is almost always emotional, premature, and not representative of what will ultimately happen when the dust settles. Patience is a legitimate SEO strategy.
Create Genuinely Useful, Unique Assets
Create things that are helpful, useful, and unique to your business — things people can actually use on your website — and spread the word about it through your network. Real utility always beats optimisation tricks.
Earn Legitimate High-Authority Press Coverage
Obtain legitimate press releases from high-authority publications with links to your money pages. Editorial links from respected publications remain one of the most powerful trust signals you can send to Google.
Expand Your Presence Through Every Channel
Guest blog, speak on podcasts, speak at events, and get nominated for and win awards — then get links to your website from those sources. Every offline activity that gets referenced online builds your digital authority.
Build Brand & Influencer Partnerships
Partner with other businesses, brands, or influencers through events, product collaborations, awards, and charity events. Brand signals, social amplification, and co-created content are becoming increasingly important trust indicators.
The Bottom Line
The strategies that are working are the ones that look less like SEO and more like running a genuinely remarkable business.
Build your brand, earn your links, create real value, and let Google's algorithm — whatever it does next — reward you for it.
Want to Know How Your Site Is Positioned?
Get a no-obligation SEO audit and find out exactly how your website is performing in the wake of this update — and what to do about it.
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