Google
March 2023 Core Update
In brief
First core update of 2023, rolled out over about two weeks, with no specific target.
Key points
- First core update of 2023, rolled out over roughly two weeks.
- No specific target: a global reassessment of quality and relevance.
- Strong volatility across many topics.
- Drops reflect a relative reshuffle, not a sanction.
Analysis
This core update refreshes the global assessment of page relevance without targeting a type of content. As usual, a site may rise or fall depending on the relative value Google assigns to its pages against the available alternatives.
The strong volatility seen over these two weeks means you have to reason over the whole period. Conclusions drawn from an intermediate spike are unreliable, as only stabilization reveals the underlying trend.
What to do
- Analyze the impact over the entire rollout window rather than day by day.
- In case of a decline, assess the quality and usefulness of pages via Google's self-assessment questions.
- Focus improvement efforts on the most affected content and topics.
Impact
Global re-evaluation of quality. Strong volatility across many topics.