Google started rolling out its March 2026 core update on 27 March. It’s the first big one of the year, and it usually takes a couple of weeks to finish. So if your rankings are bouncing around this week, that’s probably why.
Before you start rewriting your whole website, take a breath. Here’s how I’d handle it.
What is a core update, anyway?
A few times a year, Google makes a broad change to how it ranks pages. It’s not a penalty and it’s not aimed at anyone in particular. Google is just reassessing what it thinks are the most helpful results for each search.
Think of it like a school reshuffling its rankings at the end of term. You didn’t necessarily do anything wrong. Someone else might just have done a better job, or Google might have changed its mind about what “good” looks like for your type of search.
Step one: wait
I know, not the exciting answer. But rankings swing up and down while an update rolls out. Some sites drop on day three and bounce back by day ten. If you start changing things mid-rollout, you won’t know what actually caused what.
Give it at least a week after Google says it’s finished before you make big decisions.
Step two: check the right data
Once things settle, open Google Search Console (not some third-party “visibility score”) and compare the two weeks after the update with the two weeks before. Look at:
- Which pages gained or lost clicks
- Which searches moved
- Whether it matters. Losing rankings for a keyword that never brought in leads isn’t a crisis.
And check your actual enquiries. Rankings are a means to an end. If leads are steady, you’re probably fine.
Step three: be honest about your content
If you did drop, look at the pages that lost ground and ask yourself some tough questions:
- Does this page actually answer what someone searching would want to know?
- Is it better than the pages now ranking above it? Really better, not just longer?
- Does it show real experience? Photos of your work, real examples, your own opinions?
- Was it written mainly for Google rather than for people?
Thin “suburb pages” with the same text and a different suburb name swapped in are a classic example. So are blog posts written just to hit a keyword. Google keeps getting better at spotting them.
What not to do
- Don’t panic-delete pages. Improve them first. Delete only if they’re genuinely useless.
- Don’t buy links from someone promising a quick recovery. That can make things a lot worse.
- Don’t change everything at once. Make sensible improvements and give them time.
- Don’t chase every SEO hot take on social media this week. Lots of people are guessing.
The long game
The sites that ride out core updates best are the ones that keep things simple: helpful pages, real expertise, a fast site that works on mobile and a solid local presence. No tricks needed.
If you’ve lost traffic and want a second set of eyes, have a look at my SEO services or get in touch and I’ll put together a quote.
