--- title: "March 2018 core update: what Google confirmed and what to do" url: https://seomadman.com/updates/march-2018-core-update section: updates language: en published: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z author: Adam Hafez topics: ["Core updates"] --- # March 2018 core update: what Google confirmed and what to do ## The short answer The March 2018 core update was a broad core algorithm update that Google confirmed on Twitter on 12 March 2018, saying it had released it the previous week. Ranking changes were first reported from 9 March. Google said pages that dropped had nothing wrong with them and that there was no fix beyond building great content. ## Key takeaways - Google's Search Liaison account confirmed on 12 March 2018 that a broad core algorithm update was released the week before. - Google said it releases broad core updates routinely, several times per year. - Google said changes benefited pages that were previously under-rewarded, not that dropped pages were wrong. - Danny Sullivan said the update had no official name because it was a core algorithm update. - Google gave no exact start date or completion date; ranking changes were first reported around 9 March. ## What Google changed Google described this only as a broad core algorithm update. On 12 March 2018, its Search Liaison account on Twitter wrote: "Last week, we released a broad core algorithm update. We do these routinely several times per year." It explained that Google usually releases one or more changes each day, some focused on specific improvements and some broad. Google's message to sites that lost rankings was unusual in its detail. It said "there's nothing wrong with pages that may now perform less well," and that the changes were "benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded." Danny Sullivan added that the update had no official name, because it was a core algorithm update. ## When it rolled out Google gave no exact date, saying only that the update was released the week before 12 March 2018. Search Engine Roundtable reported ranking changes starting around Friday, 9 March, and continuing through that weekend. The date used here is that first reported day, so it is approximate. Google stated no completion date. ## What is known about its impact Google published no impact figures. It said only that, as with any update, some sites may see drops or gains. Treat any percentage attributed to this update as a third-party estimate. ## What site owners should do Google's advice in March 2018 was that "there's no 'fix' for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content," and that such content may rise relative to other pages over time. Its current core update guidance says the same in more detail: - Wait until the update has finished, then compare a week after it with a week before. - A small drop needs no drastic action; a large, sustained drop warrants a site-wide review against Google's helpful, reliable, people-first content questions. - Avoid quick fixes, and treat deleting content as a last resort. - Improvements can take several months to show, sometimes not until a later core update. ## How to check whether it affected you This is historical. Search Console keeps only 16 months of data, so March 2018 is not in it. If you kept analytics from the time, compare Google organic traffic in the first week of March 2018 with the week of 19 March. The [Google Algorithm Updates timeline](/updates) lists the updates around it. ## Related updates - The [December 2017 updates](/updates/december-2017-updates) were the previous confirmed algorithm changes. - The [April 2018 core update](/updates/april-2018-core-update) was the next broad core update. - The [August 2018 core update](/updates/august-2018-core-update), nicknamed Medic, followed later that year. ## Frequently asked questions ### When did the March 2018 core update happen? Google said on 12 March 2018 that it had released the update the previous week, without giving a day. Search Engine Roundtable reported ranking changes starting around Friday, 9 March. ### What did Google say to sites that lost rankings? Google said there was nothing wrong with pages that now performed less well, and that its changes were benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded. It said there was no fix other than focusing on great content. ### Did the March 2018 core update have a name? No. Danny Sullivan of Google wrote on Twitter: because it's a core algorithm update, there's no official name for it. Google described it as a broad core algorithm update. ### What should I do after a core update today? Google's current guidance is to wait until an update finishes, compare a week after with a week before, and for large sustained drops assess the whole site against its helpful content questions, avoiding quick fixes. ## Sources 1. [Google SearchLiaison on Twitter: last week, we released a broad core algorithm update](https://twitter.com/searchliaison/status/973241540486164480) - Google SearchLiaison on Twitter (primary) 2. [Google Confirms Weekend Algorithm Ranking Shift As "Core Update"](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-confirms-core-update-25390.html) - Search Engine Roundtable 3. [Google Algorithm Update Over The Weekend: March 9th, 10th & 11th?](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-algorithm-update-25384.html) - Search Engine Roundtable 4. [Google Search's core updates and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/core-updates) - Google Search Central (primary) 5. [Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) - Google Search Central (primary)