March wrapped up with a series of important updates in search. From Google's core algorithm rollout to testing new AI features and changes in Bing and paid media, here's what you need to know.
Google Search
Google March core update completed
Google’s March 2025 core update finished rolling out on March 27, two weeks after launch on the 13th.
As a “regular update”, it had no specific target and is more of a general iteration of some of Google’s core systems.
Rank volatility began heating up as the rollout commenced, cooled off for a while, then picked up again as the update neared completion.
Although some sites have lost or gained a significant amount of traffic in reaction to this update, it doesn’t seem to have been quite as broad as others of recent memory.
One poll posted to social media by Barry Schwartz of SERoundtable suggests that most publishers saw no change in site performance, but far more saw declines than saw improvement.
Source: SERoundtable
Another poll—posted to an internet marketing forum—paints a less alarming picture:
Source: BHW
For publishers…
Those hit should consult Google’s core update guidance. Recovery should start with a long, hard look at your content, followed by optimisations aligning with Google’s E.E.A.T signals.
Note that recovery can take some time and may occur over the course of several core updates.
Google tests adding links to additional searches in AI Overviews
Google has been spotted placing links in AI Overviews that trigger a new Google search when clicked. Thes links are identified by dotted line beneath the anchor text—identical to those seen in featured snippets.
Some are concerned that this link style is more eye-catching than the paperclip icons used to cite websites in AI Overviews, which could reduce click-through to information sources.
Another outlook is that it gives the SERPs more of a chance to shine, showcasing the traditional blue listings more often.
Whichever way you slice it, Google stands to benefit through bolstered search figures, users staying within their ecosystem for longer, and more opportunities to serve sponsored content.
For publishers…
If this test were to become a permanent feature, it would increase the relevance of Google’s SERPs and your rank on them, meaning any AI-centred optimisations would have to be paired with a strong, fundamentals SEO approach—helping you gain clicks via both AI Overview link types.
Google accidentally leaks new AI search features
Some Google employees are no doubt getting a stern-talking-to after a dropdown menu appeared in the search UI showing several unannounced AI search features the company has been working on behind closed doors.
Current consensus is this was an accidental leak, but no specifics have surfaced as to the origin of the mysterious drop-down menu expanding from the AI Search option (for those who are testing it via Google Search Labs).
The full list of AI features revealed were as follows:
- Web Guide
- Memora
- Air
- AI Topics
- AI Topics Layer 10
- Info Sleuth
- Allium
- Automat
- Neon
- Topic Map
- Learn About X
- QTalk
- MedExplainer
- Fantasy Sports Researcher
- Neural Chef
- Smart Kitchen
- Lsi
- Golden Compass
- Spark
- Fact-checker
- About This Image
- Airport AIO
- Bizmatch
- Shopping
- Health
- Limelight
- AI List
- AIM Guided Narration (Fig)
- Home Energy Assistant
- Explore
- Clarifying questions
- Getting Things Done
- Outfit Dreamer
- Visit Guide
- Highlight
- Supercat Prototype
- Nitroboost:Create
- Fig Slideshow
- Incentives Explorer
- web_guide_flagship
- Create
- Stateful Journey
- Stargaze
- Weekend Hub
- Motorcycles
- Opt-in
You can probably take an educated guess as to what some of these features do, but others are quite opaque—who knows what Supercat Prototype is all about?!
For publishers…
Without a fuller understanding of what these features are designed for, it’s hard to say what the implications are. However, one thing we can say is that this shows that Google isn’t stopping with AI Mode.
The company is investing in and experimenting heavily with AI, and we can expect more disruption of search norms as we move forward.
Catch up on AI Mode news in our updated guide ‘AI Mode: Everything we know so far’.
Mid-SERP AI Overviews in testing
As they did with featured snippets, Google is testing placing AI Overviews mid-page as opposed to “position zero” at the top of the SERP.
For publishers…
It seems very unlikely this will become the norm, but if it did, it would significantly increase competition for positions on the top half of Google’s results—as clicks for pages below the AI Overviews would go into decline.
Significant investment in expert SEO would be essential to competing on the traditional SERPs.
Google SEO
Low SERP engagement metrics can banish your pages from results
It’s common knowledge that Google uses SERP engagement metrics (how users interact with search results) as part of their webpage evaluation process.
However, on a recent video posted to Google’s Search Central YouTube channel, Martin Splitt confirmed that if users aren’t engaging with your page on the SERPs, the page might “fall off the index”.
Split explained that this is because, “we gave it a chance but, you know, others are doing better here.”
For publishers…
SERP performance optimisation is key in ensuring this doesn’t happen to one or more of your pages.
Meta tags need to be present and optimised, as do title tags, and structured data can help you land some SERP features and improve searcher engagement too.
But don’t forget to evaluate and improve your content as well!
Pogo-sticking—where a user quickly bounces and clicks on another result—shows Google that your page content isn’t satisfying the search query, and that the user has moved on to look elsewhere.
Aim to produce clear, valuable, and engaging content that aligns with user intent. Answer key queries efficiently, then hook your readers with additional expert insights and well-crafted content.
Google explains why AIO data isn’t available in Search Console… sort of
At the Google Search Central Live event held in NYC on the 20th, Google finally responded to a question the marketing world has been throwing their way since before the launch of AI Overviews…
“Will there be a way for us to start tracking AIO traffic through Search Console?”
And the answer… Drum roll, please: No—or at least not in the immediate future. The reason? According to the presenter, Daniel Waisberg, AI Overviews is changing so rapidly that it wouldn’t make sense to introduce discrete measurement for it in Search Console yet.
We disagree.
While it’s true that Google is tweaking AI Overviews on a regular basis, the core features and general effect on search behaviour remain, by and large, the same—and publishers need to understand how AI Overviews is impacting their business.
It’s also worth pointing out that Google’s standard Search service is subject to constant iteration too, so, by Google’s own logic, website owners shouldn’t be able to monitor organic traffic from traditional search either—but they can.
We’ve observed AI Overviews cannibalising more and more of Google’s other features and services, from traditional SERPs to Business Profiles. This interference is skewing SEO metrics and causing widespread confusion among website owners.
Any sort of basic, native Search Console tracking specific to AI Overviews would do wonders for the digital community, but it looks like Google will continue to drag their feet on this front.
The recently launched MMM Google Meridian has a lot of measurement potential (read about it in our guide ‘Google Meridian: What is it - and should you use it?’), but even that fails to acknowledge AI Overviews as a discrete traffic source.
For publishers…
At TDMP, we’re currently working on filling in these crucial blanks left by Google—helping our clients make informed and effective decisions. Contact us to discuss how we can work together to overcome measurement challenges.
Bing SEO
Bing says to focus on click value over traffic and rank
In mid-March, Fabrice Canel of the Bing team suggested that SEOs should shift focus from traffic and rank to conversions and click-value as AI search evolves.
TDMP—and any digital agency worth their salt—has always factored conversions and click-value into client campaigns, as these are what drive progress towards business outcomes. But Canel makes an interesting point about how AI is going to change the nature of engagement.
As AI improves, search engines are getting better at understanding search intent and serving more relevant results. This means that users clicking through from AI-powered search solutions are more likely to be highly qualified leads, making each click more valuable.
For businesses…
This underscores the value of building visibility in the outputs of AI search tools, but the idea that you should stop focusing on rank is fool hearted.
Get started optimising content for AI search with our guide, ‘How to boost visibility in AI search results’.
While some AI answer engines cite lower authority sources in their responses, some of the big players in the industry—think Google Gemini and its AI Mode variant in development—prefer to cite websites that rank well on traditional SERPs.
In summation, it’s interesting to think on how AI innovation will impact the value of clicks—but SEO to improve search engine rank is still very much essential.
Structured data helps Bing Copilot understand your content
March was a big month for Fabrice Canel, as they also caught some attention for announcing that the use of structured data can help Bing Copilot better understand your content, thereby increasing the chances that it will be appropriately indexed and served.
For publishers…
At TDMP, we’ve long known the key role structured data plays in helping AI search systems, LLMs or otherwise, understand your content. So, while this is no revelation to us, it’s a crucial reminder that structured data is more important than ever.
If structured data isn’t already part of your SEO strategy, now is the time to implement it. AI search tools are here to stay, and optimising for them ensures your content remains visible, relevant, and competitive.
Need help with this? TDMP are technical SEO experts, and we can ensure your website a clean bill of technical health, including but not limited to optimised structured data—Let’s talk!
Paid media
Google will allow double ad placements on a single page
Google has revised its Unfair Advantage policy to enable advertisers to serve two identical ads on the same page—as long as the ads are in different ad locations on the page.
This move follows a brief testing period, during which we can only assume Google discovered that double-served ads at the very least didn’t harm user engagement—but that’s not to say they won’t for your business!
For advertisers…
The ability to secure more SERP real estate is an interesting proposition—more visibility can mean higher click-through rates (CTR) and stronger brand dominance, especially as AI Overviews introduces new ad placement opportunities.
However, increased ad frequency isn't always a win. Some potential downsides to consider:
- Ad fatigue – Seeing the same ad twice might reduce its effectiveness, particularly for users prone to banner blindness.
- Higher costs with diminishing returns – Competing against yourself in Google Ads auctions could drive up costs without proportionate increases in conversions.
- User trust & brand perception – Overexposure could make ads feel spammy, negatively impacting brand sentiment and trust.
Need expert paid media guidance? TDMP are Google Premier Partner PPC experts with a proven track record of delivering exceptional results for our clients—Let’s talk.
Google settles 14-year-old Ads lawsuit - for $100 million
14 years ago, when Google Ads was still AdWords, Google got into hot water when advertisers accused the company of charging them for clicks on ads served outside target geographies.
Now, this long-simmering class action case has finally evaporated—with Google agreeing to pay a settlement fee of $100 million!
For advertisers…
While this lawsuit dates back to the early days of Google Ads, it serves as a reminder that ad spend transparency and accurate targeting remain critical concerns.
Advertisers should:
- Regularly audit location targeting settings to ensure ads are reaching the right audience.
- Monitor discrepancies in ad performance metrics, especially for geotargeted campaigns.
- Stay informed on ad platform policies and settlement outcomes—they can signal potential future changes in ad transparency.
Stay current with TDMP
Tracking industry updates is essential, as they signal where search is headed. Staying proactive is key. If you’re unsure how these changes might affect your business, get in touch with TDMP—we’re here to help.