AI & SEO Trends Update – 17th April 2026

The past fortnight has been dominated by the completion of Google’s March 2026 core update, alongside the earlier March 2026 spam update.

As we outlined in our previous AI & SEO update, search is continuing to shift beyond simple rankings. Visibility now depends on how content is evaluated for quality, how it compares to competing pages, and how easily it can be interpreted and surfaced within search and AI-driven environments.

With the core update now complete, we can move beyond rollout volatility and start to understand the real impact.

Key Takeaway This Fortnight

The March core update has had the biggest and most widespread impact.

While the spam update was fast and targeted, the core update has driven broader ranking changes across multiple industries. Google confirmed the rollout timeline via the Search Status Dashboard, and early analysis suggests this update has significantly reshaped which types of sites are being prioritised.

What Happened with the March 2026 Core Update?

Google’s March 2026 core update began on 27 March and completed on 8 April, running for just over 12 days. According to Google, it was a standard broad core update designed to surface more relevant and satisfying content rather than penalise specific sites.

Effects of the Core Update

Early data suggests this was a high-volatility update, with significant movement across the SERPs.

The clearest trend so far is that Google appears to be prioritising:

• Brands and official websites
• Data-rich and specialist sources
• Content with clear first-hand value or expertise

At the same time, many sites have lost visibility where they rely heavily on:

• Aggregated or “middleman” content
• Generic round-ups (e.g. “best of” lists without unique insight)
• Thin category or listing pages
• Content that summarises rather than adds value

What This Means for You

Core updates reward better content instead of penalising sites.

If rankings have dropped, it does not necessarily mean something is “wrong” with your site. It means Google is now favouring other content as more useful or relevant.

The focus should be on:

• Improving differentiation
• Demonstrating expertise
• Adding unique value beyond what already exists

What Happened With the March 2026 Spam Update?

Google’s March 2026 spam update ran from 24 March to 25 March, completing in under 20 hours. You can view the official timeline via the Search Status Dashboard.

Unlike the core update, this was a targeted update focused on spam policy enforcement, rather than a broad reassessment of content quality.

Effects of the Spam Update

The impact of the spam update appears to have been:

• More targeted
• Less widespread
• Sharper where it did apply

Sites affected are more likely to have seen:

• Sudden, significant drops
• Visibility loss tied closely to the rollout window

Analysis from SISTRIX suggests this was one of the fastest spam updates Google has run, reinforcing its targeted nature.

What This Means for You

If visibility dropped sharply around 24–25 March, it is worth reviewing:

• Content quality and originality
• Scaled or templated content
• Potential spam policy risks

If movement was more gradual or extended into April, the core update is the more likely cause.

Core Update vs Spam Update: Key Differences

Understanding the difference is critical when diagnosing performance changes:

• Spam update: sudden, sharp drops tied to specific dates
• Core update: broader volatility and ranking reshuffles over time

For most sites, the core update will be the bigger factor this month, as it affects how Google evaluates relevance across the board.

Search Console Impression Fix

Google has also confirmed a fix to a Search Console logging issue that had been inflating impression data since May 2025 stating:

“A logging error is preventing Search Console from accurately reporting impressions from May 13, 2025 onward. This issue will be resolved over the next few weeks; as a result, you may notice a decrease in impressions in the Search Console Performance report. Clicks and other metrics were not affected by the error, and this issue affected data logging only”.

As this fix rolls out, some sites may see:

• Lower reported impressions
• No corresponding drop in clicks or rankings

More information can be found here.

What This Means

When analysing performance post-update, it is important to:

• Focus on clicks and landing page trends
• Be cautious with impression-only changes
• Avoid misattributing reporting changes to algorithm updates

What to Look Out For

Over the next few weeks, you may notice:

• Rankings stabilising after the core update rollout
• Continued pressure on lower-value or aggregator content
• Clearer separation between high-authority and lower-authority sites
• Some reporting fluctuations due to Search Console changes

What We’ll Be Monitoring

We’ll be keeping a close eye on:

• Post-update ranking stabilisation
• Which content types have gained or lost visibility
• Whether Google continues to favour brands and primary sources
• Any signs of spam-policy related drops vs core update impacts
• The effect of the Search Console impressions fix on reporting

If you have any questions about how AI-driven search developments may affect your SEO strategy, get in touch with us today.