When it comes to Googling a question we need answers to, there’s nothing more frustrating than clicking on a link that purports to have those answers, only to read an entire page or blog post and find that it provides no information whatsoever. Google’s March 2024 Search algorithm update is the latest in their fight against websites and pages that do just that. They’ve also updated their spam content policies to further minimize the impact of unhelpful and malicious web pages.
Building on the 2022 Helpful Content Update, Google’s March 2024 core update includes upgrades to their search algorithm that aim to reward content that was written for people, providing them with answers to their questions, by elevating it to the top of search results and removing or suppressing content that was produced for search engines, i.e., what they refer to as “low-quality, unoriginal results.” How does Google’s algorithm separate helpful from unhelpful content? What kind of spam content is the latest to be added to their “new and improved spam policies?” Let’s get into it.
According to their web creator’s blog, the Google March 2024 core update is more involved than their regular updates, as this one improved several core systems, including enhancements to Google Search ranking systems. Since the Helpful Content update and subsequent Google search updates in 2023, their core ranking system has evolved to use various signals and systems to identify ‘helpful’ content to prioritize in search results.
Google also augmented their spam policies in response to the growing issues of:
Aided by the AI revolution, Google has seen a recent rise in these methods of gaming the system to increase a website’s rank in search results. The updated policy on site reputation abuse doesn’t come into effect until May 5, 2024, however, to give site owners the opportunity to conduct an SEO site audit and address content or pages they host that may violate the new policy.
The rollout of this latest algorithm update began March 5, 2024, and is expected to take about a month. You can check the status of the update on the Google Search Status Dashboard to find out when the update is complete.
The following are explanations of the latest practices added to Google’s spam content definitions with their March 2024 update:
Google’s definition of site reputation abuse is when content created by a third party is posted on a website with little to no oversight by the site owner, and that content is irrelevant and/or unhelpful to users who normally visit that site. These pages are usually created solely to manipulate search rankings. It’s a tactic used by either the hosting site, the content creator or both to avoid the work and relationship-building that goes into a proper link-building campaign.
In the announcement of the March 2024 updated content spam policies, Google made it clear they understand that sites publish promotional blog posts and articles as part of the web economy and are not targeting these ‘advertorials’ or ‘native content.’
This updated spam policy is a great reminder that cutting corners on fundamental work that needs to be done in any job usually ends up costing you more in the end. Partner with a reputable SEO company that provides professional SEO link-building services to ensure you a) don’t violate spam policies and, b) maximize the effectiveness of your link-building campaigns. Well-crafted, helpful content posted to quality sites provides valuable links pointing back to your own website – a crucial component of improving your website’s search engine rankings.
Expired domain abuse happens when someone buys a domain name that was not renewed by the previous owner of a well-trafficked site, likely one that has good domain authority. They use its existing traffic, backlinks, search rankings, and desirable reputation to manipulate searchers into visiting unrelated, unhelpful content or malicious sites to get around Google’s spam detection and helpful content systems.
Google’s spam policy regarding automated content has always been that any content, whether produced by human, machine, or a combination of both, that was solely created to rank well in search results and is unhelpful to their users is considered spam. This updated policy, however, specifies content created at scale as a direct response to spammers pumping out a massive amount of web pages with the help of mainstream generative AI tools like ChatGPT. These pages contain low-quality content that provides little to no information or value to a searcher and are created to boost a website’s search rankings.It’s important to note, however, the difference between automated spam content and automated content that’s just unhelpful. When done to manipulate search results, it’s considered spam that can get all or part of your website removed from Google search results. However, relying on AI to write blog posts and web pages containing generic, superficial content might not get you de-listed from Google, but it will eventually get your website classified as unhelpful and negatively impact your search rankings – especially in light of this latest algorithm update and the more sophisticated iterations to come.
As a reminder, here’s a brief summary of a few common forms of content and website behaviours that violate Google’s spam content policies:
Google systems flagging one of your pages and a human reviewer determining that it violates their spam policies can result in a manual action that will cause some or all of your site to be removed from Google search results. They’ll also notify you of the manual action on your Google Dashboard and provide you with instructions and resources for addressing the classification.
Google’s March 2024 core update to the Search algorithm and how it affects search rankings is also a concern for website and business owners.
Google’s March 2024 Core Update signifies a significant step in their mission to provide user-oriented, helpful content while reducing the visibility of unoriginal, spammy, and uninformative pages. This update to the Search algorithm is designed to refine Google’s ability to identify content created primarily for search engine rankings instead of genuinely assisting users, ensuring searchers are connected with high-quality websites. As an aside, trying to optimize your content for search engines is one of many common and ineffective link-building myths.
It’s worth noting that Google is integrating the “helpful content system” directly into the core systems, meaning that future core updates will automatically include upgrades to the search engine’s mechanism for distinguishing between content written for people and algorithm-driven content. As with many Google core updates, fluctuations in website rankings should be expected as search results adjust in response.
Here’s a quick summary of Google’s guidelines for creating “helpful content.”
In short, Google’s benchmark for “helpful content” has remained consistent. They prioritize content that answers user questions, enhances their knowledge, or solves their problems effectively and efficiently.
Google’s testing process and rating guidelines are vital components impacting how the search engine delivers relevant and high-quality results to its users. This is how they work in a nutshell.
Search Algorithm Testing
Before Google implements changes to its Search algorithm, it conducts rigorous testing to determine the potential impact on search results. This involves A/B testing, where two versions of search results are shown to different groups of users. The performance of these variations is analyzed based on user interaction data, like click-through rates and session duration.
Google uses these tests to gauge whether new algorithm changes improve the relevance and quality of search results. Typically, thousands of these tests are run every year to ensure that adjustments are beneficial to a user’s search experience.
Quality Raters and Guidelines
Google employs a team of quality raters — third-party individuals who assess the quality of search results based on specific guidelines they provide. These guidelines offer a detailed framework for evaluating webpage quality, focusing on EEAT factors as well as a website’s overall user experience.
The data from quality raters do not directly influence search rankings; Google uses it to understand how changes to the algorithm might impact the user experience. It helps them identify weaknesses in their search results and confirm that algorithm updates align with the goal of providing users with relevant, reliable, and useful information.
Search Quality Rater Guidelines are publicly available and provide insights into what Google considers high-quality content – a valuable tool for content creators and SEO professionals to understand how to create and optimize content that aligns with Google’s quality expectations. Adhering to these standards can improve your chances of ranking well in search results.
If a Google update negatively impacts your website rankings, don’t panic; fluctuations in rankings can be normal after a major update. Give it some time for the changes to settle and for your website’s rankings to stabilize.
That said, however, if you start noticing that previously lower-ranking competitors are performing better post-update or have passed you in search rankings, learn from them. Analyze and understand what they are doing differently or better. Look for patterns in the types of content, user experience, and other factors that may be contributing to their success.
Other ways you can look to improve your website’s search rankings include:
Auditing Your Content. Review your content against Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines. Ensure that your pages provide value to users and exhibit expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
Analyzing User Experience. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights and Mobile-Friendly Test to find and fix issues with your website’s usability, mobile-friendliness, page speed, and security settings.
Evaluating Your Backlink Profile. Assess your backlink profile for low-quality or spammy links that could be affecting your site’s trustworthiness. Use tools like Google Search Console to identify and disavow harmful backlinks.
Monitoring Search Performance. Keep an eye on your site’s performance in Google Search Console. Look for trends in impressions, clicks, and rankings to identify which pages have lost traffic and look for possible reasons why they might be underperforming.
Improving and Refreshing Your Content. Update existing content to ensure it is comprehensive, still factually accurate and relevant, and serves a user’s search intent. Consider adding new, high-quality pages that address gaps in your current content or emerging user needs.
Engaging Your Community. Use social media, email newsletters, and other platforms to maintain engagement with your audience. This can help drive direct traffic to your site and reduce your dependency on organic search visitors while you recover.
Staying Informed. Keep up-to-date with Google’s guidelines and industry best practices. SEO is an ever-evolving field, and staying informed can help you adjust your strategies proactively.
Being Patient and Persistent. Recovery from a core update can take time. In some cases, significant improvement might not be visible until after the next update. Continue to refine and improve your website, focusing on providing the best possible experience and value for users.
Implementing these strategies, especially with a proven SEO specialist in Toronto, can help mitigate the impact of the March 2024 and future Google core updates. Remember, the goal is to align your website more closely with Google’s focus on delivering the best user experience and the most relevant, authoritative content to future-proof your website against algorithm updates.
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