Can I overcome the march update?

[matci]

Hello guys,

I wanted to ask an important question. I had a fairly succesfull business for more than years in the education sector. I ranked pretty high on alot of keywords and had clients from all over the country (Netherlands). Then came the march update, which put maps, GBP's and q&a's everywhere on top and pushed me and many businesses down. I lost approximately 60-70% of revenue/demand in two weeks, even though i gained better positions on the organic search on some keywords. I changed the profile from no adress to service area but this did nothing.

I don't know what to do exactly. I have many pages (16k x 70 courses) that are tied to cities in my country, but google never ranked them due to duplicate content. I I didn't think about them that much over the years. I'm trying to make these pages unique content now, but Google put map packs and q&a's everywhere on top, on every city and pushed organic search down. Is it going to help me if I give these pages unique content?

Also, I'm almost not ranking on maps/GBP's, even though I have a reasonable amount of reviews (some of them are bought I admit). I have the disadvantage to be located in a part of the country with few people, so I'm not visible in big cities where all the students are, even though, like I said, I have pretty good rankings on organic.

I feel very discouraged. Is it even possible to overcome this disaster? It seems Google doesn't want to send clicks to sites anymore? This is the first time in 10 years that a google update hit me hard. My SEO was never bad (hence the high rankings on google), but now it seems all pointless. I see random businesses with no SEO or no website, some of them don't even offer services anymore, ranking above me in maps.

I feel betrayed by Google. Anyone else in the same boat? And what should I do? Will unique content for local pages help? And could I be visible in more maps if I add reviews or do something else? It seems like google has decided: you're too far away, we're not showing you in the big areas.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Aldus]

Hey Matci — totally hear your frustration, and you're definitely not alone. The March 2025 core update hit a lot of businesses hard. Here's a breakdown of what could be going on based on what you shared:

What Might Be Happening​

• Local SERPs shifted hard: Google’s now favoring Map Packs and Q&A sections, pushing traditional organic listings way down. So even if your organic rankings went up, your visibility likely dropped if you're not ranking in the Maps section.
  
  
• GBP setup may not be helping: Switching from “no address” to “service area” might not be enough — especially if your listed areas don’t align with where the demand (students) actually is.
  
  
• You're too far from the action: If your business is located in a low-population area, Google may be prioritizing businesses closer to major cities.
  
  
• Your city pages could be hurting: With 16k+ pages tied to courses and cities, duplicate content or templated content can trigger Google's helpful content filters, even if the intent is good.
  
  
• Reviews may be holding you back: Admitting some reviews are bought is helpful context — Google may be discounting or flagging them, and that could hurt your trust signals.
  
  
• Others ranking above you with weak SEO? That’s often due to better proximity and local engagement, not better websites.

Questions to Help Narrow This Down​

GBP Basics

What’s your primary category on your Google profile?
Are your service areas set to the right cities where students actually search?
Are you regularly posting updates, answering Q&As, or uploading fresh photos?

Reviews
How many reviews are legit, and are they from locals?
Have any been removed or filtered lately?
Are customers uploading photos or engaging with your profile?

Location Relevance
How far are you from your target markets (e.g., bigger cities)?
Have you done any geo-grid scans to see your GBP’s visibility in nearby cities?

Organic vs Local
Which keywords improved in organic?
Do they still trigger Map Packs now?
Are they more transactional (“enroll now”) or informational?

Site Structure
How are those 16k city pages built — are they unique or template-based?
Are they properly indexed?
Do they include helpful, specific content like testimonials or outcomes?

Technical Factors
Any warnings in Search Console (coverage, usability, etc.)?
Are your pages clearly showing authority, relevance, and trust?

What Usually Helps​

1. Geo-Grid Testing
To figure out where you’re still showing up and where visibility dropped, send me the GBP to run scans using our geo grid mapping tool. It uses drive-time and polygon-based targeting to define your actual service area. This helps you pinpoint where to optimize your GBP and which nearby markets are worth focusing on.

2. Redefine Your Trade Area
Even for service area businesses, Google gives preference to proximity. So dropping the address may not have been the best move. But with the tool I mentioned, you can redefine your trade area to focus on where demand actually is — the cities and zip codes where students are searching. Our proprietary geo grid tool will do the trick and help you reset your strategy based on real visibility data.

3. Boost GBP Activity
Our own tool for managing this is coming out of beta next month, but it's best to get started right away. I’d recommend using a tool like Paige from a company called Merchynt — it helps automate regular posting, Q&As, and other engagement tasks that Google favors.

4. Focus on Real Reviews
Avoid fake reviews going forward — they tend to cause more harm than good long-term. Aim for authentic reviews from actual students, especially ones that mention specific services or locations. Paige also has a reputation tool, or you can use something like Birdeye to help with better review acquisition and follow-up automation.

5. Improve or Add City Pages Based on Trade Area
If you don’t already have location-specific pages, now’s the time to add them — one for every suburb and city in your actual trade area as shown by the Drive-Time or Polygon Geo Grid tool. If you do have them, make sure they’re unique and offer real value (local testimonials, course info, etc.). Our patent-pending tool focuses only on where 95% of your real customers and competitors are — that’s where your effort should go.

If you want me to send you some maps, just let me know. I just need the GBP and some keywords. Lets start with 3. It’s Easter weekend right now but I’ll have my development guys take care of it on Tuesday. Good luck!

P.S. There are a lot of good SEO people and agencies on this channel that could help you, I’m sure. But if you’re a do-it-yourself SEO type, those recommendations above will definitely help.

 

[Aldus]

Hi Matci, last point having to do with Google letting you down. Google is out for the best user experience, not best business experience. With that said:
1. It's up to each business to adapt to what's happening in the marketplace. Imagine how the people who used to count on the Yellow Pages feel.
2. You might want to explore clustering (if eligible). If proximity is a consistent blocker and your business serves multiple cities, consider adding additional GBPs in key locations. I don't mean spam, I mean real secondary businesses with their own internet properties. I can send you a checklist of the right steps to do this the right way (without risking suspension), especially if you can create legitimate satellite locations or partner setups closer to your demand zones. If you do it yourself, I saw some good video content on youtube on this from a company called Whitespark too. The key is to do it legitimately, not spam.
3. Again, there are many great agencies out there so always make sure you allow 5-7% of your gross to go for marketing and include SEO and local SEO in your plans. Its hard to be a jack of all trades.