Google’s latest core update, rolled out in March of 2025, has shook the SEO industry to its roots—introducing significant modifications to content assessment and search rankings. If your company thrives on organic traffic, understanding the changes is a primary determinant of competitiveness in search.
We’ve bee monitoring the latest Google Algorithm updates and what they mean for your online business to help our customers stay at the forefront of change. Below, we’ve provided a simple breakdown of what has changed and how it could impact your visibility in search results.
Want to dive deeper? Check out our latest blog on the Top 5 SEO Trends every business should be aware of right now.
What Was the Google Algorithm March 2025 Core Update?
The March 2025 Core Update bought about major changes in Google’s algorithms for ranking websites in search results (SERPS). It began its roll out on the 13th of March and completed on the 27th of March. Compared to small algorithm updates / changes, core updates typically have larger and more substantial effects on search rankings and can sometimes take a while to understand exactly how they will effect search results moving forward.
The update focused on content quality, user experience, and responding to low-value or manipulative SEO practices.
Principal Changes Made
1. Increased Content Expectations
Google has strengthened its focus on helpful, original, and in-depth content. Pages that merely touch on the surface or rehash existing content have been penalised in favour of content that provides concise, expert-driven value. This aligns with Googles E-E-A-T concept (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness) which aims to ensure that users receive industry specific expert advice throughtout their search.
What this means for you:
It’s time to take a look at your content. Focus on answering real user questions with depth, clarity, and authority and expertise.
2. Crackdown on Low Quality Third Party Content
Pages that have third party content published on them, especially that which is mass created or designed solely for SEO, are being significantly impacted. This means advertorials, affiliate sites, and minimal effort blog pages previously spammed with low-quality content are being penalised.
What this means for you:
If your site is hosting guest blogs or outsourced material, now is the time to review quality and relevance. Google’s message is direct: content must be user oriented, not search engine oriented.
3. UX and Technical Health Are More Important Than Ever
Core Web Vitals, mobile responsiveness, and page structure are all playing a growing role. The algorithm is more and more favouring fast, user-friendly, and accessible sites with a main focus around mobile first.
What this means for you:
Technical SEO can no longer be an afterthought. Invest in speed optimisation, mobile responsiveness, and structured data to maintain visibility intact.
Other Changes In The SEO Landscape
– Regulatory Pressures
Google is under investigation in the EU for antitrust violations, namely for allegedly favouring its own products in search results. This may impact future updates and presentation of results geographically.
– Changing User Search Behaviour
Younger users are shifting their search behaviour to platforms like TikTok and Amazon, especially for discovery based and product based searches. Google is changing, and so should your content strategy.
How to Respond
If your website has experienced rankings drop—or you want to future-proof your SEO efforts, here are the following steps:
✅ Conduct a content audit and remove or update thin, stale, or copycat pages
✅ Supplement your content with data, fresh insights, and topic authority
✅ Optimise for UX: improve page speed, mobile-friendliness, and internal linking
✅ Make every backlink organic and relevant—Google is tightening the screws on link spam filters
✅ Avoid AI or mass-produced content except if it is human-curated and reviewed
Final Thoughts
The March 2025 Google Core Update reinforces an old but valuable message: SEO success is the result of delivering true value to users. As AI technology keeps improving and getting revised, Google is trying its best to combat spammy, non-educational content and reiterating its commitment to educational expertise and trust. At Majestic One, we’re here to guide you through algorithm updates, technical optimisation, and content strategies that actually work.
Need help with how this update affects your website? Let’s discuss. Majestic One specialise in all SEO services from content planning, content creation to backlink building and conversion rate optimisation.
