SEO, Google Discover & Content Strategy

Google’s March 2024 core update: What you need to do NOW

GOOGLE have unleashed the March 2024 core update.

The aim of the update is to tackle low-quality content and remove spam from search results.

Contact TRAFCK if you want to know how to avoid being negatively impacted by the core update

What are core updates on Google?

Google make significant changes to their search algorithms several times per year.

These changes are called core updates.

Google have stated: “Core updates are designed to ensure that overall, we’re delivering on our mission to present helpful and reliable results for searchers.”

The core updates are used to allow Google to change how their internal systems view content.

Google want their algorithm to award the best possible content in order to improve their user experience.

A core update can see your website significantly increase or decrease in organic search traffic.

Google do not tell you in advance before they roll out a core update.

But you can keep up to date with the latest updates using the Google Search Status Dashboard.

What is the March 2024 core update?

Google announced on 5 March, 2024 that the March 2024 core update had started.

At the same time, the March 2024 spam update was unleashed.

Google are on a mission to surface and rank content that real life users will find useful – rather than content that was purely created for clicks.

However, website owners have been left panicking.

In a recent post on their website, Google have stated that the March core update will be more ‘complex’ than recent ones.

This means there will be changes to multiple core systems – and could mean an even bigger impact on website traffic.

Google stated: “We have enhanced our core ranking systems to show more helpful results using a variety of innovative signals and approaches.”

Back in 2022, Google launched their ‘Helpful Content System’.

This has evolved since – but the aim to improve the helpfulness of search results continues.

How to avoid being negatively hit by the March 2024 core update

Helpful content

If you have been producing high-quality, original content then you do not need to panic.

To avoid being negatively impacted by an algorithm update, this should be your sole focus.

Google have released clear guidelines and stated the importance of producing helpful content.

One way to avoid being hit by the update is to remove all unhelpful content from website.

This will also help your other pages perform better.

Spam content

Google have urged all content creators to abide by their strict spam policies.

Breaching these rules could lead to a manual action.

It is stated on the website: “Sites that violate our policies may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all.”

Google’s spam policies include:

  • Cloaking – Producing content that manipulates the search engine and readers
  • Doorways – Sites or pages created to rank for specific, similar search queries
  • Expired domain abuse – When an expired domain is purchased and used to manipulate search rankings
  • Hacked content – Content that is used on a site without permission
  • Hidden text or links – Manipulating search engines using hidden texts or links e.g. using white text on a white background
  • Keyword stuffing – Filling a webpage with keywords just to manipulate the search engine
  • Link Spam – E.g. buying and selling links or using automated services to create links for your site
  • Machine generated traffic – Using a network that send automatic traffic to your website
  • Malware and malicious behaviours – Hosting malware or unwanted software that impacts the reader negatively
  • Misleading functionality – Creating sites with misleading functionality and services that trick users
  • Scaled content abuse – When many pages are created to manipulate search engines
  • Scraped content – Content taken from other sites without value input from your site
  • Sneaky redirects – Redirecting a page meaning users do not find the intended webpage
  • Site reputation abuse – When third-party pages are published with no oversight
  • Thin affiliate pages – Pages with product affiliate links that are copied directly from the original source

If you abide by all of the above, you will not receive a manual action.

Should you receive a manual action, you will be notified via Google Search Console.

Users can appeal to have the action reconsidered.

It is expected that the March 2024 core update will take up to 30 days to roll out.

Concerned about your website being negatively impacted? Reach out to TRAFCK to save your traffic.