Google Announces the First Core Update of 2025

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Tablet pen pointing at the Google search bar on the homepage

After months of volatility in the SERPs, Google has dropped the first algorithm update of 2025. The March core update started on March 13 and is expected to last a couple of weeks.

The last core update occurred in December 2024 and surprised the SEO community since it came shortly after an update the month before.

What We Know So Far

Google announced the core update today, sharing a brief comment on LinkedIn:

“Today we released the March 2025 core update to Google Search.

This is a regular update designed to better surface relevant, satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites. We also continue our work to surface more content from creators through a series of improvements throughout this year. Some have already happened; additional ones will come later.

We’ll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete.”

Given Google’s efforts to get feedback from website owners and publishers last year, it’ll be interesting to see what impact this has on the changing search landscape.

Google Search Status Dashboard update showing the start of the March core update
Google updated its dashboard to reflect the March core update. Source: Website Builder Expert

Core updates usually happen sporadically throughout the year – 2024 had four core updates in total. So, while the March 2025 core update is the first to happen this year, it’s unlikely to be the last.

Google’s announcement has provided some insights into what this core update will target, but we won’t know its impact on websites and businesses until the rollout has finished. I’ll update this page as soon as we know more information.

Written by:
Headshot of Emma Ryan
Emma is Lead Writer at Website Builder Expert, having first joined the team in 2022. She manages the website's topical content strategy to help website owners navigate the highs and lows of being online. Emma also specializes in following the development of leading website builders Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, through hands-on testing and research. Her work and expertise have been featured in Startups.co.uk, Digiday, TechRound, Industry Today, and Digital Information World.

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