Google’s New Spam Policy: What You Need to Know

1. Improved Quality Ranking

Google’s core ranking systems are getting an upgrade, and it’s all about prioritizing helpful information. Here’s what you need to know:

• Unoriginal Content: Google is on a mission to reduce the clutter of unoriginal, low-quality content in search results. If your website provides valuable, user-centric information, you’re in luck. However, if you’ve been churning out content primarily for search engines, expect a visibility hit. The focus is on rewarding sites that genuinely serve users with high-quality content.

2. New and Improved Spam Policies

Google is tightening the screws on spammy practices. Here’s how it affects website owners:

• Expired Websites Turned Spam Repositories: If you’ve acquired an expired domain and repurposed it as a spam haven, beware. Google’s policy now considers such behavior spammy. Ethical practices are the way forward. Website owners should avoid turning expired domains into content farms solely for ranking purposes.
• Obituary Spam: Yes, even obituaries can be exploited for spam. Google is cracking down on this. If you’re creating content related to obituaries, ensure it’s genuine, respectful, and serves a legitimate purpose. Manipulative practices will not go unnoticed.

3. Gmail’s Spam-Fighting Measures

Gmail, Google’s popular email service, isn’t sitting idle either. Here’s what Gmail senders need to know:

• Email Authentication: Bulk senders (those with more than 5,000 daily emails to Gmail addresses) must strongly authenticate their emails. Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to ensure recipients can trust the source. Email security matters, and Gmail is taking it seriously.
• Easy Unsubscription: Make it easy for recipients to unsubscribe. One-click unsubscription is the way to go. Process those requests within two days. Respect user preferences and avoid being labeled as spam.
• Spam Rate Threshold: Gmail enforces a clear spam rate threshold. Keep it below 0.1%. Exceed it, and your emails might face delays or blocks. Monitoring your sender reputation is critical.

  Google’s March 2024 Core Update is Now Complete:

  This update was a game-changer, impacting many sites through algorithmic changes and de-indexing from Google Search. Google’s goal is to reduce unhelpful, irrelevant, and unoriginal content in search results. Websites violating guidelines or employing questionable SEO tactics may face penalties or complete removal from both search results and the index. The penalties from this update were swift and hard. Site owners found their websites de-indexed without prior notification. To check if your site was impacted, search for it in Google using the query “site:website.com” and see if it appears in the results. Algorithmic updates do not trigger notifications in Google Search Console’s manual action viewer

Older Websites Were Not Immune: Even older websites that survived previous updates are not spared. Some cheer the removal of low-quality sites that gamed the system, while others wonder why their entire network vanished

What Should Website Owners and Creators Do?

1. 1. 1. Quality Content: Focus on creating original, valuable content. Google rewards sites that prioritize user needs. Invest in research, expertise, and user-friendly experiences.
      2. Ethical Practices: Avoid manipulative tactics. Don’t fall into the trap of spammy behavior. Respect the intent behind Google’s policies.
      3. Monitor Your Reputation: Regularly check your sender reputation using tools like Sender Score and Outlook SNDS. Keep your domain clean, engage with users authentically, and build trust.

In summary, Google’s new spam policy aims to improve the web experience for users while holding website owners accountable for their practices. Stay informed, adapt to the changes, and contribute positively to the digital ecosystem. Happy spam-free browsing!