When you hear that Google has released yet another algorithm update, your first instinct as a small business owner might be somewhere between “what does that even mean?” and “please, not again.” And honestly, I get it. As someone who helps companies build their web presence and navigate local SEO, I’ve seen how these updates can throw a wrench into hard-earned rankings overnight. But not all updates should be met with panic. Some are nudges in the right direction, a flashlight trying to point us toward better web practices. The March 2024 Core Update is one of those. It's Google doubling down on content, experience, site quality, and helpfulness — which, if you’re a small business doing things the right way (or trying to), is actually good news.
So in this post, I want to break down what happened with the March 2024 Core Update, what it means for small business SEO specifically, and how to move forward with not just compliance in mind, but momentum. This isn't about chasing Google. It’s about understanding what moves the algorithm and how those shifts align with real human behavior online. Because ultimately, that’s what SEO has to be rooted in — people. And as someone who talks with business owners every day, I’m always reminded that behind every search query is a story, a need, or a problem someone wants solved. Let’s figure out how to meet them there, algorithm and all.
Let’s start with the facts. The March 2024 Core Update focused on elevating high-quality content and cracking down hard on spammy, low-value sites. But “low-value” doesn’t mean what many people think. It wasn’t just about keyword stuffing or bad backlinks. It targeted shallow content, AI-generated fluff, outdated info, and manipulative strategies masquerading as legitimate content marketing.
Google also rolled out a revamped spam policy to target “scaled content abuse.” In plain terms: a lot of websites had created tons of low-quality pages hoping to brute-force their way into visibility. The update penalized domains engaging in that behavior — even if parts of their site were technically okay. It was a full-domain demotion if found in violation.
One of the key parts of this update was tied directly to Google's ongoing push for helpful, people-first content. This ties into previous updates — including the Helpful Content Update rollouts in 2022 and 2023 — but March 2024 consolidated and built on those frameworks. Now, helpfulness is not just an isolated signal but integrated into core ranking systems.
Helpful means content that’s original, thorough, accurate, and designed primarily for the user, not for search rankings. For small businesses, this changes some of the game. You don’t necessarily need 10 blog posts a week anymore. You need one really good one that addresses your customer’s specific concerns. Fewer but better is the motto now.
I’ve got a few SEO management clients here in Tennessee that were hit by this — both positively and negatively. One landscaping company had a blog filled with short, vague posts like “5 Summer Lawn Tips” that were obviously just filler to hit a quota. Their traffic dropped by 32% within two weeks of the update.
Another client, a boutique gym in Nashville we helped build a site for on Webflow, had six long-form articles that went deep into fitness for different age groups. Those pieces answered real questions we got from their customers — stuff like “how should I train after 50 without risking joint injury?” and “what should my nutrition look like after a back injury?” Not only did their keyword rankings go up, but we started seeing those posts surface in Featured Snippets. That’s good SEO considering we didn’t write for Google at all. We wrote to help someone hearing conflicting advice from their chiropractor and their trainer.
If you’ve got a nationwide brand with thousands of backlinks and editorial features in major publications, algorithm updates may be something you can brute-force your way through. But small businesses don’t have that luxury. Every traffic dip can hurt. Every drop in rankings can mean fewer inquiries, fewer directions pressed in Maps, fewer calls to your shop.
But here’s the flip side: Google now appears more willing than ever to boost well-executed local content over weak national alternatives. If you’re a local flooring company and you’ve written a truly thorough guide about choosing vinyl versus hardwood in Middle Tennessee’s humid weather, there’s a real chance you’ll outrank mass-produced national content that doesn’t speak to regional nuance.
There’s a lot of talk in SEO about “E-E-A-T” — expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. The March 2024 update further emphasized these. Google’s ranking systems now try to understand whether content is created by someone with actual first-hand knowledge of what they’re writing about.
So if you’re a local baker showing how to frost cakes cleanly in a commercial kitchen environment, and it’s filled with original photos, tips, and anecdotes from your own workday — that can now outrank syndicated posts from a recipe mill that’s never touched a spatula.
A client of mine in Franklin — a smaller chiropractic office that we built a Webflow site for — had tried blogging before but mostly used recycled content. I mean literally copy-pasting from chiropractic content newsletters. That worked... until it didn’t. In March, their organic visibility cratered.
We rebuilt their blog with a new approach: real explanations from the doctor himself, photos of patients (with permission), and writeups that explained common conditions using understandable analogies. Think “herniated discs as the jelly in a donut” analogies. In four months, they went from not ranking at all for “sciatica treatments near me,” to ranking in the top 3 — because now, their page actually helped local people understand what sciatica feels like and how to know when to get help.
Based on data I’ve tracked across 15+ sites I manage, plus watching case studies from places like Search Engine Land and Moz, here are the types of content that survived or even thrived during the update:
What lost?
Don’t just check if you have enough content. Check if what you have deserves to exist. I advise clients to pretend they’re reading the site for the first time with a cup of coffee — seriously. If each page doesn’t either answer a legitimate question or help someone make a decision, it shouldn’t be on your site. You can repurpose or consolidate pages if they’re salvageable. But don’t be afraid to unpublish low-value posts.
Google wants recent insights — especially in industries that change fast. If you’re in financial services, health, marketing, or home improvement, outdated advice can kill trust. I make it a point to revisit all blog posts every six to twelve months. Look for:
Updating them shows Google and your readers that you care enough to stay accurate.
This one gets overlooked. You might not realize how helpful you already are just by being you. Whether you talk differently to clients or explain things colorfully in person, it helps to transfer that language into your website content. One of our clients in home remodeling started using on-site videos where the owner just talks casually while walking through projects. Those videos, uploaded to YouTube and embedded as blog posts, now bring in organic views and tons of engagement. People trust people. Google’s getting better at figuring out who wrote something and what experience they bring.
Keywords still matter, but intent matters more. Don’t just ask “what should I try to rank for?” Ask “what are customers searching because they don’t know what to do next?” Those are the sweet spots. Start collecting questions clients ask you as prompts for posts. Think less about traffic volume and more about decision-stage relevance.
Because I work with a lot of clients across Webflow, WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace, I’ve seen how different platforms respond to SEO challenges in the wake of updates like these. Here’s the truth: Google doesn’t care about what platform you use. It cares about how the content is delivered.
Webflow sites load fast, have leaner code, and give clean control over on-page SEO. If you’re trying to rank in 2025 and want full optimization power combined with visual aesthetic, it’s a strong choice. The downside is that it takes a bit more upfront effort or budget to build right.
WordPress remains a favorite for long-form content. But plugins can slow things down. I’ve had to do performance tuning to get sites back in Google’s good graces after updates exposed bloat or weak mobile experiences. If you're using WordPress, focus on core web vitals now more than ever.
These drag-and-drop platforms have really stepped up their SEO game. Wix, in particular, introduced advanced SEO controls that were previously limited. Still, limitations exist with structured data, blog formatting, and dynamic content. Use them strategically — focus on simplicity, clarity, and making the most of your single-page and blog experience.
Let’s be real: when your site traffic tanks, it doesn’t feel like a website problem. It feels like a you problem. That emotional attachment to your site’s performance is real, and as someone who’s often called a “marketing therapist,” I’ve walked people through this panic. Visibility equals validation for many business owners. When that’s ripped away, it can breed self-doubt.
But the algorithm isn’t judging you. It’s judging structure, content, clarity, helpfulness. That distinction matters. Because it means there is always a way forward. Every technical audit I do is really a conversation about communication. How are we showing up? What are we really saying?
You don’t need a full rebrand or to chase every trend. You just need alignment between what your audience needs and what your site delivers. The March 2024 update is reminding us: content is meant to serve, not sell. Reputation grows not from reach, but from resonance.
The March 2024 Google Core Update hit hard. But it didn’t hit randomly. It was a recalibration toward deeper value, real expertise, and user-prioritized experiences. If you’re a small business owner, this is your chance to reframe SEO not as a computer game — but as a communication strategy. The winners will be those who understand people better than bots.
Audit what you already have. Invest in content that only you can write. Prioritize platforms that elevate your speed, structure, and message. Own your knowledge. Share your experience. And remember: good SEO is just good listening, scaled. If that’s something you already do well in your business, you’re already ahead. This update just made that skill a superpower.
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