Google’s New Spam Update – What Does This Mean For Your Website

On October 4th and 5th, Google released two significant updates – the Spam Update and the latest Google Core Update. These updates have brought about a major shift in how Google ranks and reviews content, affecting how websites appear in search engine results pages (SERPs). As a result, website owners are now concerned about how these changes will affect their websites. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, we will explore what the new core and spam update entails and what it means for your website.

Why Google Released a Spam and Core Update

Google puts a great deal of effort into updating its search engine regularly to improve the overall user experience. These updates are designed to make it simpler for users to locate the information they are searching for, be it a product, service, or piece of content. From tweaking its algorithms to refining the way results are displayed, Google is constantly working to ensure that users can find what they need quickly and easily.

The main purpose of Google’s new spam update is to prioritise the quality of search results by targeting spammy and low-quality links. This update aims to reduce the amount of spam content that appears in search results, making it more reliable and trustworthy for users. By doing so, Google can protect its users from harmful and misleading content that may have ranked highly in the search results before. By prioritising quality search results, Google hopes to ensure that users are presented with accurate and relevant information that meets their needs.

On the other hand, the Google Core Update was a routine update that occurs periodically, just like any other Core Update. This update aims to enhance the search algorithms and systems that Google uses, ultimately resulting in a better online experience for users.

An image of a women using Google on their iPad.

The Impact of Google’s Spam Update

If you have been following Google’s Spam Policies, the new update will not affect you. If anything, you may notice an improvement in your website’s search rankings. However, those who have violated any part of the spam policies may find themselves subject to manual actions, which could result in a significant drop in rankings or even a complete removal from the search results.

Those who have engaged in spammy practices such as distracting ads, hidden text and links, thin content with little to no value, false claims, article scraping and doorway pages will face penalties. Failing to address or remove any of the above will negatively impact your website’s performance and ranking on search engines, which could ultimately harm your online presence and reputation.

An image that displays a warning sign with the word Spam on it.

The Impact of Google’s Core Update

The core update differs from the spam update because it was designed to reward quality pages. Nevertheless, it is essential to note that the core update could result in a drop in rankings for some websites, but this does not necessarily mean that they have done anything wrong. Google’s core updates are focused on improving their algorithms and making changes to enhance how they evaluate content. It is possible that certain under-rewarded pages could move up the rankings after the core update, as Google determines which pages deserve to rank higher based on their relevance and usefulness to users.

If you notice that your competitors have moved up in rankings, it is simply because they have content that Google now views as more helpful and relevant for their users. Therefore, it is crucial to continue creating high-quality content that is user-focused and optimised for search engines to maintain or improve your rankings.

What Should You Do if The Updates Negatively Impact You?

If Google’s recent Spam update has negatively impacted you, there are steps you can take to recover and improve your website. We recommend producing more original, engaging content that offers visitors practical, helpful, and valuable information. This will help improve your site’s user experience and ultimately increase your rankings in the search results. Stop and remove all spam content such as distracting ads, hidden text and links, thin content with little to no value, false claims, article scraping and doorway pages.

In addition to producing new content, we recommend conducting an SEO audit to follow Google’s new Core update to assess any old content that may not meet the updated algorithm assessments. By optimising and improving your existing content, you can ensure that it meets the latest SEO standards and is more likely to maintain or improve your search engine rankings. For a comprehensive and detailed SEO audit, contact the experts at Odyssey New Media. It’s also important to follow Google’s other guidelines, which include top SEO practices and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) guidelines.

An image of someone using Google on their MacBook.

It’s crucial to note that taking shortcuts or trying to manipulate the system will not help you recover from the Google Core and Spam update. Instead, focus on producing high-quality, informative content that meets Google’s guidelines and provides value to your visitors. By doing so, you can improve your site’s rankings and recover from the recent updates.

Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy

Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists who have the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets.

Call our team on 0121 439 5450, alternatively, fill out our contact form.

Share
SEO