Google’s March 2025 Core Update: What It Means for Your Website

Google began rolling out its latest core update on 13th March 2025. The rollout is expected to complete this week and early signs suggest this could be one of the most impactful updates in recent years.

From UK retailers and public sector websites to content-driven platforms, we’re already seeing shifts across the board. But if your rankings or traffic have changed this month, don’t panic. A core update isn’t a penalty, it’s a recalibration.

So, what does this mean for your website and what should you be doing next?

What Is a Core Update?

Google makes several core updates each year to improve how it ranks content. These aren’t small tweaks, they’re broad algorithmic changes designed to ensure that the most useful, trustworthy and relevant pages appear higher in search results.

Unlike a manual penalty or a spam update, core updates don’t target individual websites. They update how the entire search system assesses content.

If your site has dropped in rankings, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong, it might just mean that something else is being considered more useful.

What’s Happening So Far?

Although the rollout is still underway, UK data from SISTRIX is already showing significant volatility:

• hmrc.gov.uk saw a 52.6% drop in visibility
• cyclinguk.org fell by 46.68%
• Other notable drops include reed.co.uk, expedia.co.uk and last.fm

At the same time, some UK retailers have seen sharp visibility gains:notonthehighstreet.com (+56.28%)

• uniqlo.com (+76.12%)
• matalan.co.uk (+25.34%)
• asos.com (+16.56%)

Government websites haven’t been spared either. Domains like hmrc.gov.uk have experienced notable drops in search visibility.

This isn’t a sector-specific update, it’s affecting multiple industries at once. What Google appears to be doing is rewarding clearer, more helpful content and rebalancing SERPs that may have become overly reliant on templated or mass-produced pages.

Should You Be Concerned?

If your site has dropped slightly, for example, moving from position 2 to 4, it’s usually nothing to worry about.

But if you’ve seen a more significant change, or your visibility has dropped across key pages, it’s worth taking a closer look.

Use Search Console to:

• Compare traffic and ranking changes since 13th March
• Focus on high-value landing pages and blog content
• Review which queries were affected and by how much

Don’t make knee-jerk changes. The update isn’t finished and you may see further shifts before things stabilise.

What You Should Be Doing Now

If your content is already strong, informative and people-first, you’re likely in a good position. If it isn’t, this is your prompt to raise the bar.

Here’s where to focus:

• Content quality – Does your page actually answer the user’s question or just repeat the keyword?
• Originality – Are you publishing something useful or repurposing what others have already written?
• Depth and clarity – Does your content explain a subject properly or skim the surface?
• Technical performance – Is the page fast, accessible and easy to navigate?

Avoid gimmicks. Focus on clarity, structure and value. That’s what’s being rewarded.

What This Update Tells Us About SEO in 2025

The direction of travel is clear. Google is still pushing hard towards:

• People-first content
• Less reliance on AI or low-effort pages
• Higher visibility for trusted platforms

SEO in 2025 isn’t about chasing loopholes. It’s about building something that genuinely helps your audience. That applies whether you’re a tech firm, healthcare provider or public sector body.

What’s Next?

We’ll have a better picture once the rollout completes later this week and we’ll be publishing a follow-up with insights on how businesses have been affected and what to do if your rankings haven’t recovered.

In the meantime, if you’ve seen changes in your website’s performance, or you’re not sure how to interpret them, speak to our team. From SEO audits to content strategy, we can help you take the right next step.

Let’s talk about where your site stands and how we can move it forward.