Monthly SEO Insights: March 2026

To say March was an active month in search is an understatement. This past month saw further ranking volatility across Google, two core algorithm updates and even more developments in AI-led search.

We understand that changes in rankings can feel unsettling, but this is currently being seen across multiple industries and websites, and not solely isolated to individual businesses. This month has proven that search is evolving rapidly, so ongoing monitoring and a steady, strategic approach remain absolutely essential.

This month’s key themes are:

• Ongoing Google ranking volatility and major algorithm updates
• New Google guidance and platform developments
• Continued focus on protecting brand visibility across search and AI platforms

Our role is to monitor these shifts closely and ensure your website remains well-positioned as search continues to change at scale.

 

Google Updates and Ranking Volatility

March has seen unusually high levels of movement in organic rankings across Google, with widespread fluctuations throughout the month.

There have also been two major updates from Google:

• March 2026 Spam Update – rolled out rapidly from 24 March and completed in record time, targeting websites and content that breach Google’s Spam Policies
• March 2026 Core Update – announced on 27 March and expected to continue rolling out over the coming weeks

When core updates and spam updates come around, it’s normal to see rankings, traffic and keyword positions fluctuate. It’s important to remember that these fluctuations do not automatically indicate an issue with your website. In many cases, rankings may settle again once the rollout is complete.

What This Means for Your Website

Our focus during periods like this is stability, resilience, and clarity.

We are actively:

• Monitoring rankings closely to distinguish temporary movements from longer-term changes
• Reviewing key landing pages to ensure search intent and keyword targeting remain clear
• Continuing technical and on-page improvements to keep pages aligned with Google’s best-practice standards
• Strengthening E-E-A-T signals to reinforce trust, authority, and content quality

This approach helps protect visibility during volatile periods and ensures the site is in the strongest possible position once updates settle.

 

Google’s Latest Resources and Platform Changes

Google has also released several useful business resources this month. These included:

• A new guide around the Universal Commerce Protocol, which supports Google’s broader push towards more integrated and AI-led shopping experiences
• Updated advice on Google’s web crawling processes, reinforcing technical SEO best practices around crawlability and accessibility
• New Google Business Profile handbooks, offering sector-specific guidance for maintaining well-optimised profiles

While much of this reinforces best practice rather than introducing radical change, it supports the technical, local, and eCommerce SEO work already being carried out.

For relevant clients, we are continuing to review:

• Google Business Profile optimisation
• Merchant Centre configuration
• Crawlability and indexation best practice
• Local SEO signals and profile accuracy

 

Defensive SEO and Brand Visibility

As search behaviour continues to evolve, it is vital to manage how your brand is presented not only in Google’s traditional results, but also across AI-powered search platforms and assistants.

More users are now using tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity during the research and decision-making processes. These platforms build an understanding of your brand using multiple online sources, including your website, directory listings, third-party mentions, and profile data.

This is where Defensive SEO becomes increasingly important. In simple terms, Defensive SEO focuses on protecting and strengthening how your brand is understood and represented online.

Our work in this area includes:

• Improving brand consistency across the web
• Updating directory and citation data
• Strengthening trusted third-party brand profiles
• Improving how your services are understood by search engines and AI platforms
• Monitoring how your brand is being represented online

The goal is simple: protect trust, improve visibility, and ensure your business is represented accurately wherever potential customers are researching.

 

What This Means for Your Strategy

Search is continuing to evolve, both across traditional search engines and AI platforms. With frequent updates, new tools, and changing user behaviour, it illustrates the need to stay proactive, rather than reactive.

At Artemis, we continue to monitor these developments closely and adapt strategy where needed to protect visibility, maintain performance, and support long-term growth.

If you have any questions about how these changes may affect your website or wider SEO strategy, please feel free to get in touch.