Google Search Rankings Experience Spicy Fluctuations in March

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Google’s search rankings continue to be highly unstable into March. While I could mention this issue daily, I’ve now shifted to weekly updates. Originally, we thought the situation might settle down a bit, but the volatility hasn’t decreased much at all. We’re still observing daily Google updates, likely smaller core modifications that Google prefers not to officially acknowledge.

To recall, the February 2026 Google Discover Core Update began on February 5, 2026, and wrapped up by February 27, 2026.

Earlier, we believed there was some easing during the last week of February—however, that may not be the case. Volatility persisted during the week of February 15, throughout much of last week, as well as on February 10, February 2, January 29 onward, around January 26-27, as well as on January 21, January 15, January 12, and January 6. Prior to these, the December 2025 core update launched on December 11, 2025, around 12:25 p.m. ET and concluded on December 29, about 2:05 p.m. ET, with noticeable spikes on December 13 and December 20.

Google Tracking Tools

Here’s what the different tools are indicating:

Semrush:

Wincher:

Advanced Web Rankings:

Wireboard’s Aggregator of Tools — this report compiles data from all the tools above into a single chart:

SEO Community Discussion

There’s ongoing chatter among SEO professionals about the current instability. Comments include reports of significant drops in search traffic, with some noting a 23% decrease yesterday and 22% today, even after the official end of recent updates. Many are observing fluctuating rankings for various keywords across desktop and mobile searches, with some noting that mobile rankings are on the rise while desktop rankings are falling. Others are questioning why Google hasn’t officially confirmed these ranking shifts, as different sites experience varying changes—some losing traffic, others gaining. Discussions about the possible continuation of the core update are prevalent, with some SEMrush sensor readings hitting as high as 9.5, indicating elevated volatility.