Google Implements Site Reputation Abuse Policy by Delisting Portions of Sites
In a move to combat site reputation abuse, Google has begun enforcing its new policy by deranking or deindexing specific sections of websites from its search index. The enforcement of this policy seems to have started recently, with major sites such as CNN, USA Today, Fortune, and LA Times seeing their coupon directories no longer ranking for coupon-related keyword phrases.
This enforcement was expected to begin this week, as Google had announced multiple search enhancements in March, including the March 2024 core update. Google’s Search Liaison stated that the enforcement would start later that day, and it appears that it has indeed begun.
Several examples of enforcement have been highlighted by Laura Chiocciora and Glenn Gabe, who shared screenshots of impacted sites such as CNN, USA Today, and LA Times. These sites had not blocked these directories from being indexed or ranked by Google but found those sections removed from Google Search.
However, some other sites like Forbes and Wall Street Journal had manually blocked these directories from Google’s spiders before the enforcement of the new policy began.
It’s important to note that these examples of enforcement seem to be algorithmic changes rather than manual actions issued through Google Search Console. Manual actions are expected to come later.
So, what exactly is site reputation abuse? It refers to third-party sites hosting low-quality content provided by third parties to take advantage of the ranking power of those websites. This type of content can confuse or mislead visitors who have different expectations for the content on a particular website.
Under Google’s new policy, site reputation abuse is defined as third-party content produced primarily for ranking purposes without close oversight from the website owner and intended to manipulate search rankings. Such content will be considered spam.
Not all third-party content will be considered spam, though. Google acknowledges that many publications host advertising content intended for their regular readers rather than solely for manipulating search rankings. This type of content, often referred to as “native advertising” or “advertorial,” typically wouldn’t confuse regular readers of the publication.
This implementation of strict policies around site reputation abuse is a response to the complaints about the harm and unfairness caused by parasite SEO. With many SEO professionals expressing concerns about the quality of search results, this move by Google may help address some of those complaints.
In conclusion, Google’s enforcement of its site reputation abuse policy by delisting portions of sites is a significant step towards combating low-quality content and manipulation of search rankings. While major sites like CNN, USA Today, Fortune, and LA Times have been affected, some sites had taken precautions to block these directories before the enforcement began. This algorithmic enforcement is expected to be followed by manual actions issued through Google Search Console. Overall, this move by Google aims to improve the quality of search results and address concerns raised by SEO professionals.
