Google Rolls Out March 2025 Core Update

Google announces 2025's first core update and, as predicted, it's all the SEO community is talking about. Core algorithm updates can be stressful as they often result in noticeable search ranking changes, but what does this actually mean for your travel website, your content, and your sanity?

What Google Announced:

"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."

The Gist:

• It's Happening Now: Google's March 2025 core update is live, and it's set to take about two weeks to fully deploy, per Google's Search Status Dashboard.  

• "Relevant, Satisfying Content": Google's standard line, but it's worth drilling down. They're aiming to surface content that genuinely helps users. No surprises there.

• Creator Focus: Google's also hinting at ongoing efforts to boost content from creators. This likely means they're fine-tuning how they recognize and reward original, valuable work. So far, so good.

• First of the Year: This is the initial core update of 2025, following the December 2024 update. So, if you've been holding your breath, now's the time to pay close attention. 

What's Different This Time? (Or Is It?)

As we've come to expect, Google's not showing their full hand, but they're sticking to the tried-and-true advice: focus on creating helpful, people-first content. But here's the thing—this isn't just another hollow platitude. It's the core of what Google is trying to achieve, and it's consistent with Whirr's customer-centric approach to SEO with travel clients.

Our Take:

• The mention of "surfacing more content from creators" is intriguing. It signals that Google is still trying to refine how it identifies and rewards original work. If you're producing high-quality, unique content, this should be good news. Whether said content is properly recognized remains to be seen, but we admire the motivation nonetheless.

• The timing, three months after the last core update, is fairly standard. But that doesn't mean the impact will be. If you see fluctuations in your rankings, don't panic. Just keep a close eye on your analytics.

• It is worth noting that the March 2024 core update was massive, and took 45 days. This update is scheduled for 2 weeks. It may be that Google is using a more refined approach.

What You Should Be Doing:

• Breathe: All too often, core updates are seen as an excuse for

• Double Down on Quality: If you're not already, make sure your content is genuinely helpful and engaging. Are you drawing from your unique experiences and expertise to create something valuable, or are you just sharing someone else's creation?

• Focus on the User: Write content for people, not search engines. Algorithm updates are a way for search engines to react and course-correct based on users' changing preferences and expectations. The more connected you are with your audience, the less concerned you need to be about algorithms.

• Monitor Your Performance: That said, keep a close eye on your rankings and traffic. You can be both optimistic and cautious. The weeks immediately following core updates are times to exercise both mindsets.

• Stay Patient: Core updates take time to roll out, and even longer for their impact to be understood. Don't make any drastic changes based on short-term fluctuations.

The Bottom Line:

Google's core updates are a fact of life. Instead of fearing them, embrace them as a reminder to focus on what really matters: creating valuable content for your audience.

Still concerned about how the latest core update might impact your travel business? Schedule your free SEO audit with Whirr.