Back in March 2024, Google rolled out one of its most controversial and impactful core algorithm updates in years. Known unofficially as the March 2024 Core Update, the changes dramatically reshaped how websites are ranked in search results. The consequences weren't subtle. Sites that once held top spots saw a drastic drop, while others previously buried in obscurity surfaced overnight.
For small businesses, particularly local ones reliant on visibility to drive foot traffic or service inquiries, the shakeup felt intense. And as someone who’s spent countless hours guiding overwhelmed founders through the maze of digital presence, I can say this: the update didn’t just tweak code, it touched business livelihoods.
But beneath the panic lies opportunity—if we can understand what changed, why it changed, and how to recalibrate accordingly. Whether you’re a coffee shop in Franklin, TN or a multi-location home services company, this post will unpack the March 2024 Core Update and what it means for your SEO efforts moving forward.
Google’s core updates usually target broad areas like content quality, relevance, and authority. But the March 2024 update dialed in on one particular area: system manipulation.
According to Google's official blog (source), this update aimed to reduce unoriginal content and reward sites offering what they called “authenticity and experience.” Sites relying on AI-generated articles, mass-produced blog spam, or templated answers saw massive losses. Meanwhile, businesses offering in-depth, real-world knowledge moved upward—even if their backlinks or domain authority weren't as strong.
It wasn’t just about content though. Google's systems also cracked down on link manipulation, doorway pages, and what they loosely categorized as “deceptively optimized content”—copy made only for search engines, not human beings.
One particular change stood out: Google emphasized “Experience” as part of its E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). Wait, another acronym? I get it. It sounds like textbook SEO lingo. But this one matters—especially to small business owners.
“Experience” means that having firsthand, real-world knowledge is now a ranking factor. For example, a local mechanic writing about auto repairs or a restaurant sharing how they source local ingredients suddenly hold more authority than a generic content writer repurposing secondhand info.
In short, real stories and practical insights now rank better than theoretical fluff.
Small businesses that relied heavily on local map listings saw some strange fluctuations. One of my clients, a chiropractor in Murfreesboro, TN, plummeted from the top three map pack results to position eight—almost overnight. His Google Business Profile didn't change much, but his site content relied on vague, keyword-heavy text like “best chiropractor near you.”
Meanwhile, another client—a local florist in Franklin—experienced a ranking boost. Her site blog included thoughtful posts about flower care in Tennessee’s humid summers, behind-the-scenes stories about sourcing blooms, and straight-up Q&A sessions from customer feedback.
The difference? Authentic content rooted in real community experience.
Sites built on one-size-fits-all templates, especially those duplicated across multiple locations or franchise pages, didn't fare well. One multi-location HVAC company I consulted used nearly identical landing pages for 10 cities in Middle Tennessee. Their rankings dropped by over 65% because the update penalized “content redundancy.”
Compare that with a boutique landscaping company whose site we customized in Webflow with locally tailored content, embedded video testimonials, and unique project case studies for each neighborhood they worked in. Their visibility increased post-update, not because they gamed SEO, but because they actually told their story.
Generative AI has its uses, but in 2023–early 2024, it became the Wild West. Countless marketers churned out blog content at scale using tools like ChatGPT or Jasper, flooding search with lifeless articles aimed at keyword density, not user value.
This update cracked down. I audited a pet supply store in Spring Hill whose blog produced 150 posts in under six months using AI. Not only did engagement tank, but half the posts were deindexed entirely after the update. The reason was plain: Google can now recognize low-effort AI-driven content, even if it seems “optimized.”
On the flip side, hand-crafted content, even if produced less often, felt the impact in a good way. A Nashville-based wedding planner published just seven blog posts in 2024, all personal guides about stressful planning moments. Post-update, site traffic doubled. Fewer articles. Greater impact. Quality over quantity.
In years past, many SEO agencies—and yes, even some “industry leaders”—offered link-building packages that were little more than paid directories and “guest posts” on irrelevant blogs. Google noticed. Starting with this update, they began devaluing (and in some cases penalizing) sites with unnatural backlink profiles.
One accountant in Brentwood hired a low-cost SEO vendor to pump over 200 backlinks in a month—from cooking blogs, travel sites, and fitness forums. Not surprisingly, rankings crashed. The algorithm recognized the links had zero contextual relevance.
We have to stop thinking in search terms like “plumber Franklin TN” and start asking what your customer is actually wondering when they go online. One contractor I worked with recently shifted from targeting keyword-rich service pages to answering questions like “Why does my water heater smell weird in spring?”
The result? His blog posts were shared locally and appeared in more long-tail search results. Positioning your web content like a helpful conversation rather than a sales pitch is no longer a luxury—it’s survival.
Instead of 25 disconnected blog posts, focus on 4–5 strong topic clusters. A coffee shop might build a content circle around fair trade sourcing, brewing methods, local farmer spotlights, and home brewing tips.
This interconnected network of related content helps Google better understand your expertise and site architecture, which in turn boosts rankings steadily over time. This strategy worked wonders for a local bookstore when we redid their Squarespace site to focus on “independent literature,” tying all content back to that core theme.
With the March update, “helpful content” doesn’t just mean readable. It means navigable, visually calming, and intuitive. When someone lands on a chaotic WordPress site overloaded with popups, autoplay ads, or cryptic layouts—they bounce. Google sees that, and it counts against you.
In contrast, we revamped a financial advisor’s site in Webflow, eliminated clutter, and included subtle micro-interactions to guide attention through important content. Bounce rate dropped 30%, and time-on-site increased by over a minute within two weeks. Rankings followed.
You can’t separate SEO from mobile usability anymore. One local gym had everything going for it—decent backlinks, reviews, and branded search—but their Wix site was painfully slow on mobile. After we optimized media, compressed files, and cleaned up unnecessary animations, their visibility shot back up. PageSpeed is still a metric Google cares about.
Your website isn’t an ad—it’s a conversation. Visitors aren’t just scanning for promos, they’re asking: “Do I trust this person?” Small business SEO post-March 2024 is about signaling that trust in subtle ways: photos of your real team, unfiltered video testimonials, transparent pricing tables, community involvement badges.
This authenticity builds cumulative trust signals. One law firm in Mt. Juliet embedded a welcome video directly on their homepage, with no script—just a partner walking through how they help families. Engagement jumped 80%. Sometimes the most “optimized” strategy is being yourself.
If you say one thing on your website but something different on your Google Business Profile, Yelp, or Facebook, you're sending mixed signals. Search engines notice those discrepancies. Human visitors do too.
One of the easiest wins post-update? Making sure your Name, Address, Phone, and Hours match everywhere. A local HVAC business we worked with had three variations of their business name across platforms. We unified everything and saw a gradual climb in visibility over two months—proof that alignment matters more than flash.
Here’s the kicker: the best response to the March 2024 Core Update isn't some new SEO gimmick. It’s stepping back and asking—what kind of content would I actually trust if I visited this site as a potential customer?
Google is evolving, not to punish, but to prioritize content that truly serves its readers. That shift may feel uncomfortable for businesses clinging to legacy tactics, but it's actually freeing. Because once you realize SEO is just a mirror of how genuinely helpful your business is—you stop chasing the algorithm and start shaping value.
If your website reflects your voice, your expertise, and your heart, you're not just future-proofing your search visibility. You're building something you can be proud of. And in my experience—as a designer, a consultant, and sometimes a “marketing therapist”—that kind of clarity ripples far beyond search rankings.
Copyright © Zach Sean Web Design
