If you’ve noticed some volatility in your search rankings over the past few months, you’re not alone. The March 2024 Core Update has caused a stir across the SEO world—and for good reason. This Google algorithm update doesn’t just tweak a few knobs; it significantly redefines how content quality and site integrity are evaluated.
A Core Update That Hits Harder Than Usual
Every time Google rolls out a core algorithm update, the digital world holds its breath. But March 2024’s version turned out to be one of the most impactful in recent memory. Why?
Because Google isn’t just looking at individual pages anymore. With this update, Google rolled its “Helpful Content” system into the core Google algorithm as a sitewide signal. That means if a significant portion of your site is considered unhelpful or low-quality, the entire domain can be penalised in the rankings—even if you’ve got a few stand-out blog posts here and there.
It’s no longer enough to publish a handful of good articles and call it a day. The overall quality of your entire site now plays a major role in how Google evaluates your relevance and authority.
Helpful Content: Now a Permanent, Sitewide Metric
Google’s Helpful Content System was first introduced in 2022 as a separate ranking system designed to reward content that’s written “for people, not search engines.” In March 2024, that system has now been baked into the core ranking algorithm.
So what’s the big deal?
The shift means that your entire site is being graded on whether your content actually helps users. If you’ve got too much fluff, filler, or generic regurgitated info—especially content written solely to chase keywords—you could be in trouble. And not just that one article. The quality signal affects your whole domain.
Here’s what Google says counts as helpful:
- Original, people-first content that solves problems or answers questions.
- Content created with genuine expertise or insight.
- Pages that avoid clickbait or misleading headlines.
It’s also worth noting that AI-generated content isn’t banned—contrary to some rumours. In fact, Google has confirmed that AI content is perfectly acceptable as long as it’s helpful.
Crackdown on Spam: Three New Policies You Need to Know
Alongside the core update, Google also introduced three major spam policy changes. These are directly aimed at cleaning up the worst offenders in the SEO space and stopping people from gaming the system.
Here’s what’s new:
1. Scaled Content Abuse
This targets websites that churn out massive volumes of low-quality content, often using AI or other automation tools. The idea is to flood search engines with hundreds or thousands of pages, hoping that a few rank.
While creating content at scale isn’t inherently bad, doing so without adding real value is now officially against Google’s spam policies.
Translation: If you’re publishing dozens of articles per day with little editing or originality, expect to see a drop.
2. Site Reputation Abuse (a.k.a. Parasite SEO)
This policy cracks down on third-party content hosted on reputable domains purely for SEO manipulation. For example, imagine a news site hosting payday loan reviews written by an affiliate marketer who paid for the placement. That’s parasite SEO, and it’s now under fire.
This is a big deal for businesses that relied on publishing SEO-focused articles on other sites to drive rankings. If the content has no editorial oversight or isn’t aligned with the host site’s purpose, it’s likely to be penalised.
3. Expired Domain Abuse
Some marketers have been buying up expired domains with existing authority and filling them with low-quality or unrelated content to piggyback off the domain’s old reputation. Google has now officially labelled this practice as spam.
If you’ve bought an expired domain recently, make sure the content you’re hosting is relevant to the domain’s original purpose, or you could see a major drop in visibility.
Who’s Been Hit the Hardest?
Unsurprisingly, a lot of affiliate marketers, AI content farms, and thin-content websites have reported massive losses in traffic since the update rolled out. Some estimates suggest up to 800 websites have been fully deindexed, and thousands more have seen ranking declines.
But the update didn’t just hit dodgy operators. Even legitimate businesses with outdated SEO tactics or a bloated content archive have felt the pinch.
If your site has:
- Lots of outdated or duplicated articles,
- Thin blog posts written purely for search rankings,
- Unmoderated third-party publishing,
- Or was built on an expired domain without purpose-driven content,
…then you might be in the crosshairs too.
Actionable Tips to Stay Compliant (and Competitive)
So, what should you do about it? Here’s a straightforward checklist to keep your site in Google’s good books:
1. Audit Your Content—Ruthlessly
Go through your content archives and prune thin or outdated articles. If a blog post hasn’t been updated in years, offers no unique insight, or is under 300 words of fluff, it’s time to either fix it or ditch it.
Prioritise quality over quantity. Fewer, better pieces will perform far better than a sea of half-baked articles.
2. Stop Publishing for Search Engines Only
If your content exists solely to rank and doesn’t actually help readers, you’re doing it wrong. Focus on solving real problems, offering genuine advice, and writing like you’re talking to a person—not an algorithm.
Ironically, that’s how you please the algorithm now.
3. Clean Up Third-Party Publishing
If your strategy involves posting on high-authority sites with paid placements or zero editorial review, you’re playing with fire. Google is watching closely, and they’re now smart enough to detect content that’s off-topic or clearly made for manipulation.
Collaborations are still fine—but they need to be organic, topic-aligned, and editorially approved.
4. Be Careful with Expired Domains
Buying up expired domains isn’t automatically bad—but if you’re using them just to rank content unrelated to the domain’s history, expect trouble.
If you inherit an old domain, make sure your content strategy aligns with its original topic and audience. Otherwise, you’re building on sand.
5. Use AI Responsibly
AI tools can be a massive productivity booster, but they need oversight. Human editing, fact-checking, and original insight are non-negotiable. Use AI to assist—not replace—your content creation process.
The new Google algorithm is smart enough to tell the difference between lazily generated filler and thoughtfully crafted articles.
Final Thoughts: SEO Isn’t Dead, But It’s Growing Up
The March 2024 update has made one thing very clear: Google is doubling down on quality. Shortcut tactics are out. Parasite publishing is out. Spammy mass production is out.
What’s in? Real expertise, trustworthy content, and meaningful user experience.
For SEO pros and digital marketers in Australia and beyond, this means shifting away from short-term hacks and focusing on sustainable strategies. The goal isn’t to trick Google anymore—it’s to work with it.
In a post-March-2024 world, the most reliable way to climb the rankings is to create content that deserves to be there.
