Google scrutinizes content quality with the March 2025 core update
In a significant shift, Google's March 2025 Core Update has reshaped the digital landscape, particularly for sites that heavily rely on SEO-driven content. This update has made it harder for sites to rank with thin, unoriginal, or algorithm-gaming content.
One key takeaway from the update is the importance of getting rid of outdated or generic content. Assessing and eliminating such content that is no longer helpful or relevant to users is crucial. Google's new systems are now better at spotting content that lacks depth, originality, or real-world value and are likely to ignore or remove it from search results.
Transparency is another critical factor. Providing information about the author, their qualifications, and the article's timeliness contributes to trust. First-hand experience is valued, and Google favors content created by individuals with direct knowledge of the subject matter.
Originality is key. Adding unique insights, data, or perspectives to content can improve its performance. Sites with high-quality, expert, and original content generally improved positively in the Google March 2025 Core Update, while those relying heavily on automatically generated (e.g., AI) or low-value SEO content, especially many user-generated content forums, experienced significant negative ranking impacts.
Notably, Reddit gained a large boost despite broader forum losses, but overall German sites saw a click decline of about 17.8% partly due to AI overview summaries reducing traditional clicks. Sites with user-generated content, rich in first-hand experience and authenticity, such as Reddit and Yelp, have seen increased visibility post-update.
The update is a refined filter, applied domain by domain, page by page, with precision, and it rewards helpfulness. AI-generated or overly templated content, keyword-first, value-second pages, and outdated content libraries are currently under the microscope in the Google March 2025 update.
Credibility matters. Google prioritizes content with clear authorship, qualifications, and sourced data. Anonymous or generic content is less likely to rank. Outdated content hurts domain quality, and archiving old, irrelevant content can negatively impact a domain's quality and hinder newer content from ranking well.
The overall quality and purpose of an entire site are now under the microscope, not just individual pages. E-E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness, and Experience) has become a litmus test for site quality. The Google March 2025 core update has made it clear that Google is no longer lenient towards low-quality content.
Sites that reflect real expertise, have clear authorship and trust signals, solve actual problems for the audience, and show that they were written by someone who's been there, are likely on solid ground. Show your expertise by using real bylines, including bios, quoting subject matter experts, and linking to original data to demonstrate your knowledge in the field.
Quality over quantity is the new mantra. Publishing fewer, well-structured, and thorough articles is preferred over multiple shallow ones. If your content calendar prioritizes quantity over quality, reconsider your approach and focus on fewer, stronger pieces.
In conclusion, the Google March 2025 Core Update emphasizes the importance of high-quality, human-led content that offers real value, transparency, and originality. Sites that prioritize these factors are likely to see improved visibility and rankings in search results.
