Featuring not one but two major Google algorithm updates, as well as multiple product expansions, the latter half of March was a big one for the search industry. Here we break down the developments most likely to influence your digital strategy.
Updates our colour coded by importance:
🔴 Major developments likely to impact strategy
🟡 Worth watching or understanding
🟢 Informative - but lower impact for most
SEO
🔴 Google launches March 2026 broad core update
Google launched the first broad core update of 2026 on March 27, predicting a rollout period of around two weeks.
Broad core updates are called so because they lack a singular focus, but early signals suggest aspects are aimed at improving Google’s ability to detect fresh information and unique perspectives in content.
For site owners…
We recommend monitoring website performance throughout the rollout. However, it’s best to hold off until rollout has finished to plan any restorative actions or strategies.
For a deep dive into the incomplete March 2026 broad core algorithm update, see our live history of Google updates. We’ll be providing updates on the nature and impact of the algorithm shift here.
If you’re concerned about how these changes affect your visibility, our SEO services can help you start the recovery process and navigate future updates.
🔴 Google is getting serious about publisher opt-out controls for generative AI search features
Back in January, we covered Google’s initial discussions about the possibility of opt-out controls for website owners who want to block AI Overviews and AI Mode from accessing and using their content.
A few weeks later, the topic was revisited, with Googler Sulina Connal stating that it would be a “huge engineering project”. Despite this, a new Google response to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) suggests the project is underway:
‘We are developing further updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of generative AI features in Search.”
For website owners…
More control over your work is always a good thing. Not everyone will need or want to block Google’s generative search features, but for publishers primarily running informational content, opting out is a moral victory.
It may not necessarily lead to more traffic. In fact, it could be argued that in certain scenarios, it might result in decreased overall traffic and visibility. But it stops Google from benefiting from your content without giving something in return.
For businesses, on the other hand, granular opt-out controls might be helpful, allowing you to make a distinction between valuable content for humans and more general, upper-funnel content to boost presence in AI search results. But a blanket opt-out would, for most brands, be a questionable idea.
As a business, you offer something generative AI cannot - tangible solutions to searcher problems. AI wants to connect users to relevant services. If you fully opt out, you won’t be in the running to secure these leads.
🟡 Google launches Search Live globally
Search Live is now available to use wherever AI Mode is supported, and in as many languages.
Search Live enables real-time voice conversations with Google Search. You can even use your camera to show Google what you’re talking about.
For site owners and marketers…
Search Live may increase the number of situations where Google answers directly rather than sending traffic to websites. It’s almost like an AI Overview for a hyper-contextual search. While this may contribute to traffic declines, brands with the right support will be able to buck the trend.
There will be instances where the user is specifically seeking information sources and solutions. For example, someone might use Search Live to show Google a broken appliance, but they’ll still need a repair service or replacement parts.
Even product‑related queries (e.g. “Is this running shoe good for overpronation?”) often lead people to reviews, comparison tools, or specialist retailers.
Search Live may handle the quick, contextual layer of the query, but deeper research, trusted expertise, and commercial decisions still rely on the wider web. Partnering with a digital agency that understands your industry can ensure your brand is visible in these high value moments.
🟡 Google launches March 2026 spam update
Just three days before Google began rolling out the March 2026 broad core update, they launched the March 2026 spam update, the first spam-centred update of the year.
Taking fewer than 24 hours to roll out, it was one of the quickest updates in Google’s history.
For site owners…
Google hasn’t made any updates to its spam documentation, so there are no new forms of spam to catch up on. This update instead appeared to focus on fine-tuning support for the existing framework.
Learn about the March 2026 spam update and how it may relate to other Google updates.
🟡 Google Personal Intelligence expands beyond subscriptions in the US
Personal Intelligence, Google’s AI-powered search personalisation tool, has expanded to AI Mode, the Gemini app, and Gemini in Chrome.
We covered Personal Intelligence when it was first launched and restricted to US Google Pro and Ultra subscribers. Now, it’s available to all users in the US.
In short, Personal Intelligence connects Google’s AI search tools to your personal data sources, such as your Gmail account, your YouTube history, any photos backed up to your Google Photos account, etc. It then uses this information as context for its response process.
Many believe that tech leaders like Google, OpenAI, and Apple are currently in a race to achieve an “ambient”, always-on AI system/product that knows everything about the user, and that Personal Intelligence is a major step by Google towards this end.
For UK website owners and marketers…
AI hyper personalisation could pose some SEO and reporting challenges in the future if widely adopted in the UK.
Personalised AI answers would vary from user to user, making it harder to understand what audiences are seeing in search. Traditional SEO signals like rankings, SERP features, and visibility tools would become less reliable because there would be no single “result” to optimise for.
On the other hand, such a wealth of personal data could open the door to highly relevant ad placements if Google chooses to monetise these interactions.
But it’s important to note that there are several reasons why Personal Intelligence won't be for everyone.
The most pressing issue is that of data security. Personal Intelligence requires access to multiple sensitive data sources (Gmail, Drive, YouTube history, photos, calendar, and more). Bringing all of this into a single AI model creates a high‑value, high‑risk target if anything goes wrong.
🟡 ChatGPT enables location sharing to improve local results
Users can now switch on location sharing in ChatGPT, allowing the chatbot to better satisfy local intent queries.
This is a natural progression, considering the platform has been occasionally showing local knowledge panels since December of 2025. It may also help OpenAI improve the relevance of certain ads that appear in ChatGPT.
For local businesses…
The practical takeaway is that ChatGPT may become a more meaningful discovery surface for businesses that rely on local demand.
Bear in mind that it’s not replacing Google Maps or local search, but it is becoming another place where users might look for nearby services, another environment where accurate business information starts to matter.
Paid Media
🟡 Google introduces PMax channel video segmentation option
You now have the option to segment Google ads served with video in your PMax reporting, giving you valuable insight into how video is impacting ad performance.
For advertisers…
This segmentation option offers a clear view into whether video ads are driving more and better quality engagement vs ads served without video.
Importantly, PMax campaigns can autogenerate video assets, so you may have some data in this segment even if you haven’t uploaded any videos yourself. If you see that the auto-generated assets are working well, it could be a sign that producing real video assets might be a worthwhile investment.
🟡 Google releases Ads Editor 2.12
Google has started rolling out Ads Editor version 2.12, bringing several new features into the desktop tool. This update should make campaign building and bulk management smoother, especially for Performance Max and Demand Gen.
Key Improvements include:
Performance Max upgrades
- Add up to 15 videos per asset group
- Support for 9:16 vertical images
- New non‑skippable video (responsive format) support
Demand Gen enhancements
- New customer acquisition goals
- Brand guidelines support
- Hotel feed integration
- Global budget floor
- More streamlined campaign construction
Flighted budgets across Search, Shopping & PMax
- Set a total campaign budget for 3–90 days
- Includes a new Promotion Mode to scale traffic during peak periods
Video bid guidance
- Real‑time bid suggestions now available during copy/paste workflows
Brand & text guidelines
- Up to 25 term exclusions and 40 messaging restrictions per campaign
- Available for Search and Performance Max
Account‑level tracking
- Tracking templates and final URL suffixes can now be set at the account level
Expanded final URL assets
- New reporting tab for easier visibility
Campaign status visibility
- Separate views for Pending, Ended, and Draft campaigns
Link check + bulk replace
- Quickly identify broken URLs and update them in bulk
🟡 OpenAI expands ads activity in ChatGPT
Ads have been appearing more frequently for US ChatGPT users, but according to reports from early adopters of OpenAI’s ad system, it’s difficult to tell if these ads are achieving measurable business outcomes.
One of the problems is that infrastructure appears to be lacking on two key fronts:
- No self‑serve platform: Buying ads requires manual back‑and‑forth with OpenAI reps, rather than an automated online system. This slows everything down and limits scale.
- Minimal reporting: Performance data is delivered via basic weekly CSV files, offering little real‑time insight or actionable metrics. Without proper dashboards or attribution tools, measuring ROI is difficult.
To address the latter, OpenAI is reportedly working on an “Ads Manager” where advertisers can get more hands-on with the process in real-time. But until this much-needed addition arrives, the feeling is that, for one of the leading tech companies of the day, this is a decidedly low-tech approach.
For brands thinking about advertising on ChatGPT…
At TDMP, we always recommend taking it slow when new ad surfaces emerge, and this is a great example of why. Platforms go through teething pains, particularly if they’re trying to do something differently, and it can limit the impact of your ad spend.
The good news is that, by the time ChatGPT ads come to the UK, OpenAI will have already developed a more effective and efficient system for advertisers. Even then, we recommend caution and meticulous testing before any substantial investment.
A much more effective and lower risk option remains the tried and tested platforms such as Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, Meta and other social channels. If you want to ensure your current campaigns are delivering maximum ROI while you monitor emerging tech, explore our PPC services to see how we help brands scale profitably across established channels.
🟢 Apple Maps gets ads
Apple has officially entered the local ads space with the launch of Apple Business, a new platform that will allow companies to run paid placements directly inside Apple Maps. The rollout is currently limited to the US and Canada, with ads expected to appear this summer.
The system works much like Google Maps ads in that businesses can bid on search terms so that when a user searches for something like “coffee,” the top‑paying nearby café appears first as a clearly labelled ad.
These placements will show both in standard search results and within a new “Suggested Places” experience, which surfaces recommendations based on what’s trending locally and a user’s recent activity.
For advertisers…
It’s too early to judge how effective these placements will be, and performance will likely vary depending on how widely users engage with Apple Maps versus other navigation apps.
If the format eventually reaches the UK, it may become another consideration for businesses with strong local intent, though its value will depend heavily on adoption, targeting options, and how well it integrates with existing marketing workflows.
🟢 Google announces several new PMax updates
Google has announced several new “precision steering” updates for Performance Max, aimed at giving advertisers more control and clearer visibility into how campaigns are behaving.
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The biggest change is the introduction of first‑party audience exclusions, which allow advertisers to exclude specific customer lists from Performance Max. This should help budgets focus on acquiring new customers rather than re‑engaging people who have already converted.
Google is also rolling out a set of new insight reports. A refreshed budget report will show projected end‑of‑month spend and help advertisers understand how daily budget changes affect performance.
Network segmentation in placement reporting is being added too, allowing advertisers to see where their ads have served across Google’s networks.
Finally, Google is introducing full audience reporting, offering more detailed performance breakdowns across demographics and audience segments, including age and gender.
Stay current with TDMP
Search is moving faster than ever, but with the right partner, you can stay informed and ahead of the game. Whether you’re concerned about the impact of Google updates, AI, or paid media developments, we can help you tap into the opportunities behind these challenges. Contact TDMP today for comprehensive digital marketing support.
Explore our previous 2026 roundups: