Google Core Update 2024 is on its way and Google’s spam policy has been updated.
The Google Core Update is designed to improve results in Google searches while the spam policy is specifically targeting scaled content abuse, expired domain abuse, and site reputation abuse. What caught my eye here was the scaled content abuse. This seems to be targeting content generated at scale with the help of generative AI. That’s what I’m mostly going to focus on here. Let’s first jump into the Google Core Update.
For insights into expired domain abuse and site reputation abuse, refer directly to Google’s announcement.
Google Core Update 2024
Google’s Core Update for March 2024 is expected to take up to a month or more to roll out. These are typically focused on, from Google’s perspective, improving the results pages. For this update, Google states that it will enhance its “core ranking systems to show more helpful results using a variety of innovative signals and approaches.”
Here’s Google’s Core Update announcement:
When core updates are implemented, fluctuations in rankings is quite common. Google says as long as you have user-friendly content on your site, you should be fine.
What does Google consider to be user-friendly, helpful content? Offer content that is well-written content, original has something new to offer, is based on your experience and expertise, is based on trustworthy sources, and more. Definitely check out what Google thinks is good content.
Keep in mind that Google’s suggestions for helpful content are not necessarily ranking factors. Just because you write stellar content does not guarantee it will rank in the top 3 or even top 10 of search results. Google’s suggestions here are to provide a good user experience.
Now let’s get into the spam update and particularly the Scaled Content Abuse portion.
What is Scaled Content?
Scaled content is digital content that is created and published on a large scale using automation tools such as AI. While this might sound attractive in a highly competitive market, it results in low-quality, unoriginal content that does not satisfy user intent.
The AI Content Dilemma
With the Google Core Update 2024, Google is targeting “scaled content. Here is Google’s statement:
Google states that:
Scaled content abuse is when many pages are generated for the primary purpose of manipulating Search rankings and not helping users.
By scaled content, I believe Google primarily means AI content due to the glut of AI content diluting the quality of search results.
Ever since ChatGPT (and other generative AI) was released, there have been countless videos, Twitter threads, and Reddit posts detailing how to produce AI content at scale to dominate the SERPS. Much of this has been focused on basically stealing content from other sites. The search results have been inundated with this type of content. This has been, and continues to be, a serious problem for search result quality.
For those interested in navigating this new landscape responsibly, my article “Responsible ChatGPT Content Creation” offers insightful guidelines on producing AI content that aligns with Google’s updated policies and ethical content creation practices.
Google Core Update 2024 Implications for Content Creators
Google Core Update 2024 is not targeting all AI-produced content. Google states that this update is targeting “unoriginal content that provides little to no value to users, no matter how it’s created.”
Specifically, as long as your content satisfies Google’s requirements, you will be safe. What are Google’s requirements? Flip the negatives in their statement above and it’s pretty clear what they’d like to see in the SERPs.
Google’s Content Guidelines:
Prioritizing Helpfulness, Originality, and Value
Focus on User Help: “Scaled content abuse is when many pages are generated for the primary purpose of manipulating Search rankings and not helping users.”
Value Originality: “This abusive practice is typically focused on creating large amounts of unoriginal content that provides little to no value to users, no matter how it’s created.”
Reward Valuable Content: “This new policy builds on our previous spam policy about automatically-generated content, ensuring that we can take action on scaled content abuse as needed, no matter whether content is produced through automation, human efforts, or some combination of human and automated processes.”
Quality and Relevance: “Our long-standing spam policy has been that use of automation, including generative AI, is spam if the primary purpose is manipulating ranking in Search results. The updated policy is in the same spirit of our previous policy and based on the same principle.”
I am pointing out that even if content meets all the criteria Google specifies for desirable content in its search results, it doesn’t guarantee a high ranking. Google will not tell you exactly how to rank highly. Your best bet is to experiment and test to see what works and what doesn’t.
Google Core Update 2024: Key Takeaways and Next Steps
The Google Core Update 2024 is rolling out over the next few weeks. To avoid being penalized, ensure that your content, no matter how it is produced, offers value to users. Specifically, when writing content, ensure it is helpful, original, valuable, high quality, and relevant. This is to ensure a positive experience for visitors to your site. Having said that, it absolutely does not mean that you will rank number one or even in the top 10 if you meet all of these criteria.
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