Google updates its algorithm roughly 600 times a year – about twice a day on average. These frequent changes are mostly minor, automated tweaks designed to maintain the quality of search results, much like making small adjustments while driving along a straight highway.
However, just as the road is never perfectly straight, external factors and unforeseen influences require ongoing adjustments.
Over time, these small changes can accumulate, leading to significant shifts in search results. To correct these deviations, Google rolls out Core Updates, which occur about four to five times a year.
Recently, concerns have been raised about a decline in the quality of Google’s search results. This issue is largely attributed to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – aka Large Language Models (LLMs) – by websites attempting to artificially boost rankings by generating large volumes of content (whether fully automated or human-guided) that is tailored solely towards search engines’ perceived preferences.
The last major decline in search quality occurred in 2013, prompting Google to introduce Semantic Search with the Hummingbird update. This marked a turning point in SEO: simply stuffing a page with keywords was no longer sufficient; websites needed to demonstrate genuine expertise. Today, users may search for a keyword only to find that the results don’t even contain it.
Since the mid-2000s, the science of SEO has rapidly evolved, driven in part by Google’s substantial investment – literally billions of dollars – in refining search results, including the use of military-grade supercomputers for data analysis. However, the widespread availability of inexpensive AI tools has given website owners new opportunities to “chase the algorithm.”
Bing, a rival search engine, has integrated the AI platform ChatGPT into its results with limited success. Earlier this year, Google decided not to incorporate its own AI, Gemini (formerly Bard), into the search engine results pages (SERPs). While Google might have considered using AI to counteract the surge in AI-generated content, it ultimately chose not to take that route.
This brings us to the March Core Update, which introduced significant changes to Google’s core ranking algorithm and related systems in response to the “AI menace.”
Chris Nelson, a member of Google’s Search Quality team, informed a respected industry source that the March Update was “more complex” than usual, involving “changes to multiple core systems.” Notably, Google is transitioning from a semi-monthly algorithm review process to continuous updates. This shift often signals significant changes to Google’s underlying infrastructure, as was the case with Hummingbird.
One of the primary targets of the new update is an old issue: spam. Google believes spam is once again distorting search results and undermining search quality.
Key changes revealed in documentation released this week include:
- De-emphasis of Links: Google has announced that inbound links are no longer among the top three ranking signals, now described merely as a “factor in determining the relevancy of web pages.” There is a renewed focus on discouraging the creation of low-value content primarily intended to manipulate linking and ranking signals, such as those involving Private Blog Networks (PBNs). While links still matter, they are no longer a dominant factor in SEO success.
- Content Created for Link Manipulation: This update builds on last September’s Helpful Content update, emphasizing the importance of creating content that is genuinely helpful to users, not just crafted to rank in search engines. The new guidelines extend beyond the old “spammy automatically-generated content” policy to include any large-scale content production aimed at manipulating search rankings, whether automated or human-generated. Google warns that it will take action against content with little to no value, such as pages that appear to answer popular queries but fail to deliver useful information.
- New Signals Related to Outgoing Links: This element targets “Parasite SEO,” where low-quality content on third-party sites leverages the ranking power of reputable websites. Google clarifies that not all third-party content is problematic –, only content hosted without close oversight and intended to manipulate SERPs. The new rules will be enforced starting May 5, so those using this technique should take heed.
- New Expired Domains Signal: Google will now frown upon the practice of repurposing expired domains to exploit their existing SEO value, especially if the new site does not closely match the old one.
Google states that this complex Core Update will take at least a month to fully roll out. As with any major update, tweaks, adjustments, and potentially even reversals are expected as the implementation unfolds.
Key Takeaways:
- Content Quality is Paramount: Content remains king, but it must be genuinely useful and focused on answering questions, not just driving traffic.
- Inbound Links are Not a Cure-All: While they can boost SERPs, they should be part of a broader, content-based SEO strategy.
- Piggybacking on Other Sites’ Reputations: Techniques like irrelevant outbound links or using expired domains for SEO gain will now negatively impact rankings. There is no benefit in continuing these practices.
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