Google Search “Link Spam Update” Algorithm Suggests Better Link Spam Oversight
For site owners and those in the web marketing industry, there is nothing more frustrating than finding your biggest competitors have spammed the system to get their rankings.
Spam has always been a huge problem, now as much as ever before. And despite Google’s constant reassurance that fighting spam was one of their biggest priorities, spammers were always finding ways to game the system. Maybe a new algorithm update can put a dent in the proliferation of link spamming that goes on throughout the industry.
New Link Spam Algorithm Has Now Been Implemented
Just last month, Google announced a rollout of a new link spam algorithm.
In July 26th’s announcement of its new update, Google wrote “in our continued efforts to improve the quality of the search result, we’re launching a new link spam fighting change today, which we call the ‘link spam update.’ This algorithm update, which will rollout across the next two weeks, is even more effective at identifying and nullifying link space more broadly, across multiple languages.”
That rollout has now officially been implemented.
What does this mean for those sites that are now indulging in link spam activities? Hopefully, big changes, and not for the better.
“Nullify” Not “Penalize”
While Google has diplomatically used the term “nullify” regarding measures against spam-indulgent sites instead of “penalize,” the new algorithm serves to render these sites potentially null and void, as in ignoring them altogether.
Nullifying can be synonymous with penalizing if link spamming is how a site has managed to rank so well and that rank goes away. For those who have relied on link spamming to fuel their rankings, Google’s “link spam update” may cause those rankings to plummet. And for those of us who diligently play by Google’s rules, that’s a very good thing.
Google Reiterates Its Stance on Best Practices Regarding Linking
While they believe that their continual improvements in their ranking systems and spam detection have helped curtail a lot of the use of link spam, they admit “room for improvement” as they continue to see the use of spam being used for manipulative and deceptive practices.
Google is clear on its guidelines and best practices when it comes to linking and link schemes and continues to remind site owners of the need to use qualified and appropriately attributed links when linking out to others. They have specifically singled out sponsored, guest, and affiliate links, reminding site owners to use the correct and appropriate rel tags to define relationships between linked pages.
Those who don’t may now suffer for it.
A Caution to Site Owners
At Fuel Web Marketing, we always caution site owners against the use of spam schemes and uses.
While spammers may see a short-term boost in rankings, they run the risk of suddenly disappearing altogether as Google continues to hold spam sites accountable.
Consequently, here at Fuel, our focus is always on best guideline practices and approaches, using high-quality, authoritative, and relevant content and links without the need for spammy techniques that may get site users in trouble.
One of the cornerstones of Google’s business model rests squarely on the shoulders of user experience. We do that by ensuring site structure only uses natural, authoritative, and properly tagged links. We always believe that Google-consistent site improvement will naturally attract relevant and high-quality traffic over time without the need for spam and possible potential “dings” for our clients.
Experts Helping Experts
You’re an expert at what you do. So are we. While you are focused on your business, let us focus on the website that helps that business grow. Contact us today to learn how we can improve your website reach so you can do what you do best.