We’ve now entered the realm of the Google March 2024 core and spam updates, and it’s been quite the whirlwind. Over the past week, we’ve witnessed fluctuations in search rankings, some attributed to algorithmic tweaks, while others stem from Google’s enforcement of updated spam policies.
But hold onto your hats because these updates are far from concluding. According to Google, the core update is slated to roll out over a month, with multiple systems undergoing adjustments during this period. Additionally, the spam update is expected to unfold over approximately two weeks. Since we’re only one week into the update, brace yourselves for further shifts in search result rankings in the weeks ahead.
Now, let’s glance back at the timeline of changes observed during this eventful week:

March 5th – Google unveiled the Google March 2024 core and spam updates.
March 6th and 7th – Google took swift action by issuing numerous manual penalties for spam policy violations, resulting in many sites being removed from Google Search.
March 8th and 9th – Initial indications suggested potential algorithmic impacts of the core and spam updates on site rankings.
March 10th and 11th—Google’s activity appeared to stabilize somewhat, although sporadic reports indicated partial reversals for some sites affected by both algorithmic adjustments and manual penalties, albeit temporarily.
Amidst these developments, the landscape of Google Search became increasingly intricate, with various updates occurring concurrently. The convergence of the core update, spam update, manual actions, and the Core Web Vitals transition further complicates matters, posing challenges for SEO professionals and website owners alike.
Interestingly, Google’s recent actions deviate from its efforts to minimize overlapping updates. In both 2021 and 2022, Google Search Liaison Danny Sullivan emphasized their commitment to reducing overlap between updates, aiming to enhance clarity for content creators.
However, in the latest update, Sullivan clarified that while Google typically avoids such situations, the simultaneous rollout of the core and spam updates was unavoidable. He emphasized that manual penalties and new spam policies do not constitute updates in the same vein as algorithmic adjustments; hence, they do not directly “overlap” with the core and spam updates.

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