Google is Planning to Crack Down on Search Spam

Google has a major spam problem, with many examples popping up of top ranking sites being replete with affiliate links and irrelevant content. This poses a problem due to how untrustworthy Google will become if its SERP consists solely of websites that are trying to game the algorithm with all things having been considered and taken into account. However, it turns out that Google is developing a strategy that will make spam far less commonplace than might have been the case otherwise.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Google Search Liaison Danny Sullivan took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce that the company is finally cracking down on the problem. In spite of the fact that this is the case, he hasn’t really provided a timeline for the implementation of this solution.

Solving the issue is essential because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up restoring user trust in the search engine. Sullivan has stated that the solution will take time, and that users need to wait and see what Google has in store.

Responding to a post about a particularly spam heavy site, the search liaison suggested that it was a one off issue. The site in question didn’t appear to know about the content that was being pointed out, so according to Google, it was a case of accidental spam rather than malicious intent.

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Whether or not this is true remains to be seen. Many are criticizing the algorithm update for ruining the SERP instead of making it better. Google’s attempts to improve the quality of the content people can find through it appears to be doing more harm than good, and instead of reverting to the tried and trusted algorithm, the company is doubling down.

The main issue here is that top ranking sites are full of spam. Since most users rarely ever go past the top two or three sites, this might bring down the quality of the entire SERP if steps aren’t taken fast.

Photo: Digital Information World - AIgen

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World