Google has recently updated its spam policy documentation, making it clearer and easier to understand. The main change is a new definition of site reputation abuse, along with additional details about the consequences of manual actions. The updates aim to refresh the content and improve its clarity.
Key Updates in Documentation
The updated documentation includes eight key changes to improve the information provided. Here are the changes made:
- New information about site reputation abuse
- Detailed consequences for manual actions
- Change of term from “thin affiliate pages” to “thin affiliation”
- Improved introductory sentence
- Simpler language for practices and spam practices
- Introduction of the concept of spam abuse
- More concise wording overall
- A clearer explanation of machine-generated traffic
Definition of Site Reputation Abuse Refined
The previous documentation described site reputation abuse as when a third party posts content on a trusted site with “little or no first-party oversight.” The new version clarifies what “first-party oversight” means.
“Close oversight means that the first-party hosting site is actively creating unique content through its employees or freelancers. It does not include third-party services that mainly distribute content to influence search rankings.”
Expanded Insight on Manual Action Consequences
Google has added information about what happens if a site violates spam guidelines. A new sentence explains, “… and taking broader action in Google Search (for example, removing more sections of a site from Search results).” This detail emphasizes the potential consequences of continued spam activities.
Terminology Shift: From Thin Affiliate Pages to Thin Affiliation
The “thin affiliate pages” section has been updated to “thin affiliation” with a clearer definition. The original introduction started with “Thin affiliate pages are pages with product affiliate links…”.” In contrast, the new version starts with “Thin affiliation is the practice of publishing content with product affiliate links…”
Enhanced Introductory Overview
The introductory sentence has been revised to introduce the topic of spam better. The new sentence explains spam in the context of Google Search as web content designed to mislead users or manipulate search results, while the old sentence remains as a follow-up.
Streamlined Language for Spam Practices
Google has simplified language by consolidating different expressions related to spam. Terms like “content and behaviors” and “forms of spam” have been combined into “practices” and “spam practices.” This change helps make the documentation easier to follow.
Introduction of the Spam Abuse Concept
The updated documentation uses the term “abuse” more frequently, increasing from 11 times in the old version to 17 in the new version. This change highlights harmful activities related to spam. For instance, “doorways” are now referred to as “doorway abuse,” connecting various types of spam under a single concept.
Improved Conciseness in Explanations
The new version makes sentences more concise. For example, the section explaining link spam was shortened from three sentences to one: “Link spam is the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily to manipulate search rankings.” This change helps convey the core message more effectively.
Clarified Definition of Machine-Generated Traffic
The section on machine-generated traffic has been refined to focus on its definition. The text now states, “Machine-generated traffic (also called automated traffic) refers to the practice of sending automated queries to Google.” This improvement emphasizes clarity and understanding.
Documentation Refresh: A Focus on Clarity and Detail
The updated spam documentation is not a complete rewrite but rather a refresh that adds new details and enhances clarity, offering guidance on updating your content effectively.
Also Google has recently lunched its Algorithm update for website owners.
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