Google’s Spam Explainer was updated to reflect the new realities introduced by the March 2024 Core Algorithm Update. Here’s everything that’s been removed and added, and what they mean implications for updating the core algorithm.
March 2024 Core Algorithm Update
Google’s core algorithm update is definitely one of the big ones, the changes to the core ranking algorithm and other systems are profound.
The change in the review system from a semi-annual update to a continuous update was the first indication that something major was going on behind the scenes because in my experience. This type of change is usually preceded by an update to Google’s underlying infrastructure, either at the software or hardware level or both simultaneously (as seen with Google’s Hummingbird update which enabled more powerful capabilities) .
Updates to Google’s Spam Explainer document reveal key information about what’s going on behind the scenes with this month’s ongoing update, much of which focuses on links.
1. Google does not emphasize links
At Pubcon Austin 2023, at least this year, Google’s Gary Illyes remarked that links aren’t even in the top 3 important ranking signals.
A single edit to the Spam documentation seems to confirm Illyes’ statement because the documentation literally shrinks the links.
Previous documentation:
“Google uses links as an important factor in determining the relevance of web pages.”
New documentation:
“Google uses links as a factor in determining the relevance of web pages.”
Dropping the word “important” could normally be considered conservatively ambiguous. But it’s hard to be conservative when contrasted with Illyes’ claim about links. In my opinion, removing the word “important” serves a purpose and that purpose is to downgrade the role of links.
2. Content created for link manipulation
There is a second link related to the guidelines. This new factor relates to the creation of content for the purpose of manipulative links. This is communicated in a new sentence added to a list of examples of manipulative links.
Here is the description of the new content and links signal:
“Creating low-value content primarily for the purpose of manipulating link and ranking signals.”
This is a bit ambiguous, but it seems to be aimed at a form of paid linking where a network of sites is created for the purpose of pointing links from contextually relevant pages. This is a very old practice that those new to SEO call Private Blog Networks (PBNs).
3. New signal related to outgoing links
Another new signal focuses on manipulative outbound links. Google has always penalized sites that sell (outbound) links. But this may be the first time Google has specifically mentioned outbound links as something its algorithm is looking at.
Here’s what the new sentences say:
“Any link that is intended to manipulate ranking in Google Search results can be considered link spam. This includes any behavior that manipulates links to your site or outbound links from your site.”
4. New expired domains signal
Some may conclude from today’s announcement that Google is cracking down on expired domains. This interpretation is not entirely accurate.
What’s actually happening is that Google is introducing a new signal related to how domains are used, which specifically looks for changes from how a domain was previously used to a new purpose.
Google uses the word “reuse” to describe the signal:
“Expired domain abuse is when an expired domain name is purchased and reused primarily to manipulate search rankings by hosting content that provides little or no value to users.”
Google’s updated guidelines list the following examples of some of what the new signal looks for:
“Affiliate content on a site previously used by a government agency
Commercial medical products sold at a location previously used by a non-profit medical charity
Casino related content on an old elementary school site”
The guidelines say that the above list are examples and that what the signal looks for is not limited to what is in the example above. The confirmed conclusion is that Google’s expired domain signal is examining how the purpose of the new site built on an expired domain differs from the previous purpose.
This does not necessarily mean that maintaining similar content is enough to fly under the signal because the signal looks at the purpose, such as moving from an unaffiliated purpose to an affiliated purpose.
Why are the changes described ambiguously?
Here are four additions to Google’s spam explainer page that specifically target link signals. Some of the changes may seem ambiguous in order to provide the general outlines of the new link signals without saying precisely what those changes are, which is understandable.
I have 25 years of hands-on SEO experience experiencing and analyzing search engine updates, and in my opinion it would be a mistake to use the ambiguity in how Google describes the signals to deny that a change has occurred. I expect those who have a financial interest in maintaining the status quo to deny change because that is what they tend to do. It’s up to you to decide for yourself.
There are more changes in the spam document, but these are the changes that specifically relate to link signals in Google’s updated core ranking algorithm.
Before making any changes in response to the algorithm, it may be helpful to note that the March 2024 core algorithm update will take a month to fully roll out.
Read Google’s updated documentation:
Spam Policies for Google Web Search
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