March 2019 Google Core Update: Rollout & Analysis

← Google Updates

Published: Last updated:

A broad core update that began March 12, 2019. The SEO community briefly called it Florida 2 until Google asked for it to be called the March 2019 Core Update, the first update named under Google's month-and-year convention.

Where this update falls among the 55 Google updates of the last 10 years. Hover any dot to identify it.
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026This update, 12th Mar 2019

Google confirmed on March 13, 2019 that "this week, we released a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year", and Danny Sullivan confirmed the rollout had started on March 12. Google did not announce a completion date; formal rollout-complete announcements were not yet standard practice in 2019.

The naming is what made this update historic. Brett Tabke, owner of WebmasterWorld and Pubcon, dubbed it "Florida 2" because a Pubcon Florida conference was under way, a nod to the original 2003 Florida update, but Search Engine Land stressed the two were unrelated algorithms. On March 15 Google stepped in with an official name: "Our name for this update is 'March 2019 Core Update.' We think this helps avoid confusion; it tells you the type of update it was and when it happened." Every core update since has followed that month-and-year structure.

Google's recovery guidance was already the familiar one: "there's no 'fix' for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content." If a site moved during this window, the standing advice in Google's core updates documentation applies, and our recovery guide covers the sequence.

Rollout log

  • The broad core update begins rolling out; the SEO community starts calling it Florida 2.

  • Google confirms via @searchliaison that a broad core algorithm update was released "this week", with March 12 as the start date.

  • Google names it the March 2019 Core Update, establishing the month-and-year naming convention used ever since.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Why was the March 2019 core update called Florida 2?

WebmasterWorld and Pubcon owner Brett Tabke coined "Florida 2" because a Pubcon Florida conference was running when the update hit, referencing the famous 2003 Florida update. The two updates are unrelated, and Google asked people to call it the March 2019 Core Update instead.

When did the March 2019 core update finish rolling out?

Google confirmed the start date, March 12, 2019, but never announced an official completion date. In 2019 Google did not yet publish rollout-complete confirmations for core updates.

What should I do if the March 2019 core update hit my site?

Google's guidance was that there is no specific fix: "there's no 'fix' for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content." Improve overall content quality and expect meaningful recovery to register at a later core update.

Spotted a change we have not covered? Ranking volatility, a new SERP test, a platform change: email us a tip and we will credit you if we cover it.
Cite this page: Keywords Everywhere, "March 2019 Google Core Update: Rollout & Analysis", last updated 12th Mar 2019, https://keywordseverywhere.com/news/google-algorithm-updates/march-2019-core-update/