Following March’s spam update, Google is now rolling out its March Core Update, the first core update of 2026. The rollout began on 27 March and is expected to take around two weeks, with ranking changes likely to be felt into early April.
Google updates always create noise in the SEO world, but Dialled In is here to cut through it and tell you what actually matters, what to watch, and what to do next.
If you want to know how our team can support your SEO growth goals, get in touch for a free consultation today.
What are Google Core updates?
Put simply, Google uses a set of standards and signals to decide which content appears in its search engine results pages, or SERPs. Together, these make up the algorithm.
Core updates are major changes to the way Google evaluates content. Sometimes that means adjusting the weight of certain ranking factors, such as H1 tags. Other times, it means changing how certain types of content, such as AI-assisted content, are assessed. When that happens, rankings can shift across the search results.
Google’s goal stays the same: to give users the most useful content as quickly as possible. Core updates are part of how it refines that process, changing how it measures quality, relevance and helpfulness.
One example from a previous update was the wider rollout of AI Overviews, which became a major talking point following the November 2024 core update and pushed more businesses to think seriously about AEO.
Google Update for SEO: What to Expect From Google’s March Core Update
So far, Google has shared very little detail through its Search Status Dashboard, but it has confirmed that this update will affect website ranking systems in Google Search.
With the rollout expected to take around two weeks, websites may see ranking fluctuations throughout early April.
Dialled In will continue to monitor the rollout and update this post as more information becomes available.
Google’s March Core Update for Business Growth: How to Update-Proof Your Site
If Google Search plays an important role in your customer acquisition strategy, this update is worth paying attention to.
There is no guaranteed way to prepare for or recover from a core update. However, when ranking factors shift, it makes sense to focus on the fundamentals:
- Creating unique and authentic content: Original, useful and genuinely thoughtful content continues to matter. That has been a clear theme across multiple core updates.
- Authoritative link building: Earning links and citations from relevant, trustworthy websites remains a strong signal of E-E-A-T. A balanced, quality-first approach to link building also stays in line with Google’s recent spam guidance, so it is likely to remain important during this core update too. Don’t forget internal linking too, as a good rule of thumb, every page should feature at least 3 internal links that point to another page on your website.
- Define your industry: Now is the perfect time to ensure you are aligned with what your niche is in the market and create quality content that focuses on your key areas of service.
- Using AI-generated content carefully: AI has made content creation faster and easier, but Google’s position on AI-generated content is still nuanced. Previous updates have made it clear that content must still be high quality, original and helpful. Any AI-assisted content should be reviewed, refined and quality-checked by a human before it goes live.
Silver Linings: How Updates Create Opportunities
At Dialled In, we understand that limited information from Google can feel unsettling, especially if organic SEO is a major traffic source for your business. But core updates can also create opportunities, particularly for SMEs competing in crowded markets.
When ranking factors change, strong content has the chance to rise above bigger competitors that may have previously dominated the results.
If you want to talk through what Google’s latest Core Update could mean for your rankings, or need support with your organic SEO or PPC strategy, Dialled In is here to help.