Month: March 2026

Google’s March 2026 Core Update: Everything you need to know

Posted on by Chloe Smith

The latest Google Core Update officially began on Friday, the 27th March. This update is scheduled to take around two weeks to complete, and is the first core update of 2026. Last week, the Google Spam Update March 2026 was rolled out, with each update occurring multiple times a year. The future dates have not yet been announced, but these tend to happen every few months, and previous updates can be found listed on Google’s search status dashboard.

 

The Google March core update 2026 summed up 

 

  • The Google March Core Update 2026 started on the 27th March 2026 and will take around two weeks to complete 
  • This is the first core update of 2026, since the last one rolled out in December 2025 
  • It will be rolled out across all languages and geographical areas
  • The update will focus on all types of content
  • The key goal is to reward high-quality content/pages, not to penalise sites
  • Ways to check if your SEO has been affected include monitoring impressions, click-through rates, ranking and average position 
  • If your site has been affected, be sure to read up on the latest Google core update advice and make sure your content is up to scratch and complies with Google’s E-E-A-T model 
  • Ensuring that your content is original, helpful and valuable will keep you in the clear when it comes to future Google Core Updates 

 

What is a Google core update? 

 

A Google core update is a change to Google’s search algorithms and systems that rolls out multiple times a year. They are designed to ensure that Google are presenting users with helpful and reliable content. They don’t target specific sites or pages; it is a broad update that applies to all content as a whole, undertaken regularly to keep up with new content and any changes to existing content, focusing primarily on: 

 

  • Content quality ranking
  • Content originality 
  • Real-world relevance/experience 
  • User satisfaction 
  • Alignment with search intent 

 

What will this change? 

 

Google has yet to announce specific details of this latest core update, but previous updates of this nature have focused on improving how its system assesses content as a whole. The advice remains consistent; focus on quality, trustworthy content and user intent. 

 

Will the Google core update affect my site’s visibility? 

 

The majority of sites out there won’t need to worry about this update, and you might not even realise that it has been rolled out. If you are dedicated to sharing high-quality content that is useful and trustworthy, and resonates with your audience, you should be in the clear! But if your site is affected, this could potentially influence: 

 

  • Search ranking 
  • Featured snippets 
  • Google Discover traffic 

Here’s how to check if your site has been affected by the update: 

 

  • Use Google Search Console to review your top-performing pages both before and after the update 
  • Analyse performance data and traffic trends 
  • Monitor clicks, impressions, click-through rates and average position  
  • Look out for specific unexplained patterns/drops in traffic

 

Ways to improve your content and avoid being affected by Google core updates 

 

  • Improve content quality (ensure that your content is original, helpful, and provides real value for your audience) 
  • Ensure your content is aligned with search intent (make sure your content fully answers the query that it is targeting) 
  • Implement/strengthen the use of Google’s E-E-A-T model (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness) and people-first content 
  • Keep content relevant and up to date (make sure to regularly update your content, removing outdated information and adding new relevant insight) 
  • Make your content as readable and user-friendly as possible (use clear descriptive headings, easy-to-read bullet points, and short digestible paragraphs) 
  • Consolidate thin, low-quality content (if you have several pieces of content that are all similar and low-performing, consider consolidating these into one long-form piece of content so can users can find the information they need in one simple place) 
  • Optimise your content for mobile (ensure that your page content is still easy to navigate for those viewing on a mobile as opposed to a desktop) 
  • Improve internal linking (strong internal linking helps both Google and users understand your content) 
  • Avoid programmatic pages / SEO (avoid using templates and creating multiple pages with the same information/intent) 



Our team of SEO experts are here to help 


Whether the latest Google Core Update has affected you or not, it’s always a good time to make sure your content is in line with Google’s expectations and keep ahead of the game. What better time to carry out a content audit than in the aftermath of a core update? And the team at Fusion are here to help. Our SEO and content team can help determine the potential impact of the latest update and provide our expert insights and recommendations. Contact us today and let us help take your site content to the next level! And make sure to keep up with our helpful blog for future Google update announcements.

Fusion client shortlisted for the Prolific North Champions Awards 2026

Posted on by Chloe Smith

We’re pleased to announce that one of our clients has been shortlisted for the Prolific North Champions Awards 2026. These awards are designed to recognise top talent and work across the North’s creative, digital, tech, and marketing sectors. The famous awards return on the 14th May 2026 at Emirates Old Trafford with a live ceremony where the winners will be revealed. 

 

Who’s on the Prolific North awards panel?

 

This year’s Prolific North Champions Awards panel brings together an impressive mix of industry experts, from well-known brands and organisations, such as: 

 

  • Warburtons
  • Kellogs
  • Formula 1
  • CLOUD NINE
  • AO retail 
  • Virgin Red 
  • Waypoint 
  • Pharmacy2U

 

Amongst the panel will also be several Directors and Partners from a number of digital agencies, alongside a Digital Marketing & Innovative Lead lecturer from the University of Salford. This ensures that all award entries are assessed from both a commercial and strategic perspective. 

 

Not-for-profit campaign of the year 

 

Our long-standing client, Anchor, has been shortlisted for the not-for-profit campaign of the year for successfully closing the digital trust gap in the care sector. Anchor is England’s largest provider of tailored housing and care for those in later life. They have held this position since 2018, when we led their site migration that merged Anchor and Hanover into a single platform. Anchor first onboarded with Fusion in 2014, and following the 2018 migration, we saw further results and performance improvements. We’ve continued to lead Anchor’s SEO marketing strategy ever since. 

 

What this means for our client – and for us 

 

Being shortlisted means that Anchor’s campaign has been recognised as one of the strongest in the North this year by senior industry experts. This is more than just glowing feedback; it’s a third-party endorsement from the marketing industry that helps position Anchor as a leader in the care industry. It reinforces trust and credibility with residents and their families, as well as partners and funders. 

 

For Fusion Unlimited, this is a proud moment and an opportunity to say that our work is award-recognised. The Prolific North Awards recognise the best organisations, work and teams across the North’s digital marketing sectors, and we’re delighted to be a part of that! 

 

Turbo-boost your marketing with Fusion Unlimited 


We’re extremely proud to have worked with Anchor on a campaign that has been shortlisted for these prestigious awards, and we want to help more businesses shine. We have years of experience in delivering high-quality, purpose-led campaigns, and we know how to translate complex messages into standout marketing. Contact our friendly and knowledgeable team today and find out how we can help!

Google spam update March 2026: everything you need to know 

Posted on by Chloe Smith

The March 2026 Google spam update was rolled out on the 24th March and officially completed on the 25th in record time, after Google originally stated it may take a few days to roll out. This is the first spam update of the year and the last one since the August 2025 update. Google hasn’t yet revealed why the update could be carried out so quickly, and there are no concrete details about what’s actually been changed this time, but we’re here to offer advice on how this update can affect SEO, along with recommendations for keeping in line with Google’s policies. 

 

The March 2026 Google spam update summed up 

 

  • The rollout for the March 2026 Google spam update officially began on 24th March 
  • It has been rolled out across all languages and geographical areas 
  • It took just over a day and was fully completed as of the 25th March, notably faster than previous spam updates
  • This is the first Google spam update of 2026, and the last since the August 2025 update
  • It’s the second Google algorithm update of 2026, following the Google Discover Core update in February   
  • Implement E-E-A-T and people-first content as a top priority to stay in line with Google’s spam policy 
  • If your website is based around quality content that is helpful to users and in line with Google’s spam policy, then your rankings shouldn’t be affected by the March 2026 update 
  • Ways to check if your site has been affected include monitoring impressions, click-through rates, ranking and average position to detect any noticeable declines or patterns around the time of the update 
  • The Google spam update differs from the core update as it is designed to detect specific behaviours, as opposed to assessing the quality and relevance of content as a whole 

 

What is the Google spam update? 

 

The March 2026 Google spam update, like those from previous years, is designed to reduce visibility for content that violates Google’s spam policy. This is put in place to improve the quality of search results and reduce the visibility of websites that try to manipulate rankings rather than actually providing helpful content for users. This is part of their push for a people-first approach to content over the last few years, in line with their E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness & Trustworthiness) model.

What’s different? 

 

Google hasn’t announced any specific changes yet about what the March update is designed to target; however, based on previous updates, we can assume the main goal is to reduce spam-like content and, in turn, reward sites that follow the guidelines and provide users with helpful information. 

 

Do Google spam updates affect SEO? 

 

Are you wondering whether you should be concerned? The simple answer is: if your website is built around quality content that is helpful and useful to users, not just there to rank, then you should be in the clear! If you do find that your organic visibility has dropped since the Google spam update, it’s worth reviewing their spam policy to determine in what way your content violates this in order to fix it and become visible again. 

 

Ways of checking whether your site has been affected 

 

  • Use GSC (Google Search Console) to track visibility data specifically around the time of the update 
  • Monitor rankings and CTR (click-through rates) 
  • Track clicks, impressions and average page position across key pages and look out for any noticeable declines 
  • Look out for patterns (if a large number of your page rankings drop around the same time, it’s likely this could be because of the update) 

 

Ways to keep your content in line with Google’s spam policy

 

Discover our top tips below to keep your site content in line with Google’s spam policy. If you stick to this advice, you shouldn’t have to worry when the Google spam updates come around. 

 

  • Implement E-E-A-T and people-first content as a top priority 
  • Avoid producing and posting content that doesn’t offer any value to users / your target audience
  • Take advantage of the second E, expertise! Google favours content backed by experience, explanation, or data, or all 3. 
  • Keep your content relevant and up to date (Google also likes timely, accurate content) 
  • Avoid using spammy/manipulative SEO tactics (keyword stuffing, hidden text and links, link buying, doorway pages, creating and uploading large amounts of content with little to no oversight, etc.) 


How are Google’s spam updates different from the core updates? 

 

Google’s core updates focus on assessing content quality and relevance as a whole, whereas the Google spam update is designed to identify specific behaviour that isn’t in line with their spam policies. The update aims to improve their automated systems and catch spam more effectively, allowing them to detect more sophisticated forms of SEO violations. The last Google core update was rolled out in February 2026, and there is no official announcement yet around when to expect the next one, but these tend to happen several times a year. 

 

Discover how our expert SEO team can help 

 

Whether this update has affected you or not, the team at Fusion are here to help. We can help navigate any potential impact of this update by offering guidance and recommending improvements to stay in line with Google’s policies. Get in touch today and let us help! And be sure to keep up with our blog to stay on top of future Google algorithm updates.