Just a few days after the March 2026 Spam Update, Google presents us with the first Core Update of the year. This is a classic update released over two weeks for all languages and regions, aiming to better reward relevant and satisfying content for all types of sites.

04/08/2026 Update: March 2026 Core Update Completed

Google officially completed the rollout of the March 2026 Core Update on Wednesday, April 8. This came after 15 days of significant fluctuations in the SERPs. Now is the time to assess and take necessary precautions!

Google Releases the First Core Update of 2026

Following the December 2025 Core Update, here comes the first Core Update of 2026. This update comes immediately after the March 2026 Spam Update.

What Google said in their communication:

Today, we released the March 2026 Core Update to Google Search.
This is a regular update designed to better highlight relevant and satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites. The rollout may take up to 2 weeks to complete.

Unlike previous Core Updates, the rollout of this update will be shorter. It is planned to last 2 weeks, not 3!

You can find all of Google's latest updates on our special page.

Should We Be Worried?

No, this is a classic update for Google, and its purpose is not to penalize sites but to highlight the best content. So, if you observe a drop, it means that other content is now being evaluated as more relevant than yours.

Beyond Core and Spam Updates, let's remember that Google makes thousands of updates each year to meet the expectations of its users. A few months ago, John Mueller mentioned that there are 4,700 updates per year, stemming from over 700,000 tests.

What Should We Do During Google's Algorithm Updates?

Do not do anything special! Instead of panicking, monitor your traffic in Google Search Console and wait for the update to finish (in this case, 2 weeks), then make major changes to your site.

Three resources you need to read to understand the concept of Core Update:

  • "Don't Panic!": How should we understand Google announcements?
  • Google Updates: Understanding Google updates
  • Google Algorithms: Definitions, History, and Functioning [2025 Guide]

Let's meet for assessment in 2 weeks!