Another March means another SEO rankings shakeup. If your website traffic dipped or spiked over the past few months, it probably wasn’t a fluke. 

Google’s March 2025 Core Update officially rolled out between March 5 and March 27, and it brought some noticeable changes to how websites are being ranked.

Some sites lost visibility overnight. Others saw a bump without changing a thing.

Let’s break down what happened, what changed, and what you need to do about it.

Quick disclaimer: This post was written just a month from the release of the update and could need editing as more data comes in over the next few months.

What Changed in Google’s March 2025 Core Update?

As always, Google didn’t release a full list of rules with the update. However, we have collected a lot of data from our own client sites, as well as other SEO experts and data providers. Here’s what shook things up the most:

1. Google cracked down on lazy content.

• Thin, repetitive, or vague content took a hit.
• Pages that didn’t really say anything useful have been demoted.
• If you’re publishing blog posts just to hit a word count, it might be time to rethink things.

What Google wants: Original content that helps real people. Google does not want reworded copy pulled from five other blogs. And I say that knowing there are probably dozens of SEO professionals giving similar recommendations right now, but I just keep telling myself, “In this instance, the data is the data so just post your thoughts.”

2. AI-written content got a closer look.

• AI-generated content isn’t banned (that would be impossible at this point), but it’s not getting a free pass anymore.
• If you think your AI content feels robotic, Google probably thinks so too.

What to do: If you’re using tools like ChatGPT to create content, cool. Just make sure a real human is editing it and adding value. Check out our copywriter’s post about ghostwriting for more on that.

3. Forums and community sites got re-evaluated.

• Some user-generated content (UGC) started ranking higher.
• But some UGC did not. Spammy, off-topic forum threads were pushed down.

The takeaway: If your site has a comment section, community platform, or a product Q&A, now is the time to make a plan on how you want to moderate it and highlight the good stuff.

4. AI Overviews became a much bigger deal.

• You’ve probably noticed these AI Overviews in your daily searching. Google now shows a smart summary of the search results for certain queries (and I would argue MOST queries).
• These AI-generated blurbs are pulling info from trusted websites, and they’re taking over more SERP screen space.

Why it matters: If your content doesn’t show up in these overviews, your click-throughs might drop. You need to figure out how to show up here AND make sure your content makes people want to click through to learn more when that is warranted.

Who Felt this Google Update the Most?

Some industries saw bigger swings in their rankings than others. Here’s what I’ve seen so far from my own clients and following other SEO pros:

• Health + Finance: Sites with well-cited, trustworthy content stayed strong. Generic, unsourced listicles didn’t.
• Retail + E-Commerce: E-Comm saw winners and losers, which is pretty common for these updates. Uniqlo saw positive ranking changes. Zara saw drops. What’s the difference? I would say the biggest differences are around clarity, product descriptions, and structured data.
• Local Businesses: Businesses with unique, helpful pages stayed steady or improved. Copy-paste content across locations? That didn’t hold up. I’ve been especially tuned in here as I watch and assess how this core update affects my clients like Life in Indy and Brown County. 

How You Should Adjust Your SEO Strategy (Starting Now)

Here’s how to get ahead of this update or avoid future damage to your website’s rankings.

1. Stop writing for search engines.

This one isn’t new but is still something I see brands struggle with everyday. Start writing for actual people. Even better, start writing for your actual target audience on each page to ensure you are providing value for the correct user intent. 

Google’s getting better at spotting fluff and filler, so focus a few simple things: 

• Break your content into sections.
• Use real examples whenever you can.
• Answer questions people actually ask.

2. Review all AI-generated content.

If you’re using AI to scale content, make sure your HUMAN copyeditor asks the following questions for each item:

• Is this something I’d enjoy reading (if I were the target audience?)
• Is it saying anything new?
• Would I trust this if I found it on Google?

If the answer to any question is no, rewrite it now. If the answer to all is yes, you still need to edit the piece to humanize it. 

3. Go deeper, not longer.

Google doesn’t care how many words you use. It cares what those words do. This one took me a little bit by surprise with this update because in past years, content was king and length of content was queen. Longer content used to rank higher, but those days are done. 

Here’s what matters more than length after the March 2025 Core Update: 

• Be specific.
• Cut the filler.
• Include stats, case studies, or examples.

All of the above helps to prove that you know what you’re talking about, and Google loves that!

4. Optimize for AI Overviews and Featured Snippets.

These two features are like the cover letter or resume before an in-person interview. They aren’t everything, but you need them to get your foot in the door. 

Here’s how to make your pages show up in them:

• Answer common questions in a sentence or two.
• Use bullet points and headings to make info skimmable.
• Include key phrases naturally (which means, don’t stuff them.)

5. Revisit your low-performing website pages.

Run a quick content audit to discover:

• What dropped after March 5?
• Does the content sound too generic?
• Are you repeating the same info from page to page?

Pages that aren’t performing may need a full rewrite, a quick trim of the fluff, or a discussion about whether or not it is time to retire that page. 

Questions You Should Ask to Improve Your SEO

• Do I have content on my page that says something new, or am I just echoing what others have said?
• If someone landed on this page, would they feel like their question was answered?
• Would I share this content with a friend? If not, why not?

If the answer to any of the above is no, the page isn’t ready for center stage. 

Don’t Panic, Just Update Your Content Strategy. 

Google updates its algorithm a few times a year. Some updates are quiet. Some are not.

This one wasn’t quiet.

So, if you haven’t looked at your content strategy in a while, now’s a good time. You need to:

• Cut the fluff.
• Add clarity.
• Make every page worth someone’s time.

And don’t panic. Rankings move. Traffic bounces. What matters is that you’re improving your content one page at a time.

Want help figuring out where to start? Look at your lowest-performing pages from the past 30 days. Then ask yourself one question:

If I found this on Google today, would I trust it?
If the answer is no, start rewriting.
If the answer is yes, great—Google might already be rewarding you for it.

And if you need more support, reach out today. I love helping our clients refresh and update their SEO content strategies for the greatest impact in this ever-changing, algorithm-driven world!