Google launches new search spam policy to combat 'parasitic SEO' or reputation abuse. This change will be announced at the same time as plans for the March 2024 core update, and the policy will be implemented starting May 5th. Google's latest anti-spam policy aims to target “parasite SEO” and ensure the relevance and high quality of content within search results.
“Parasite SEO,” which Google characterizes, refers to content creation by a third party whose main purpose is to improve search rankings. Such content is typically created with minimal involvement from the website owner. Google's new policy classifies this as spam.
An example of this tactic is that payday loan reviews posted on reputable educational sites can leverage the site's search rankings to misdirect visitors. Under the new policy, such intentionally created third-party content is considered reputational abuse.
Dealing with Parasite SEO: Google's latest policy
Organizations that practice this can face severe penalties.
Google has made it clear that most sponsored content, often referred to as “native advertising” or “ads,” is not spam because it is primarily targeted at the publisher's regular customers. As long as such content is clearly marked as sponsored and provides value to the publisher's patrons, it is not considered spam. Google advocates transparency and honesty and encourages the use of the “rel=sponsored” tag to mark such pages.
Starting May 5th, Google will increase enforcement of this effort using both automated and manual measures to combat these abuses. This move was primarily in response to his SEO experts' concerns about the potential harm and undue advantage caused by parasitic SEO. It remains to be seen whether this policy will be successful in addressing these concerns.
Google Search Central has issued a warning about this updated spam policy targeting reputation abuse. This policy is effective after May 5, 2024. Please see our blog post or policy section for more information about these changes.