Originally Posted on The Search Herald by Search Engine Journal
Google has officially confirmed the completion of its June 2024 spam update, a week-long process aimed at enhancing search result quality by targeting websites that violate the company’s spam policies.
The update began on June 20, 2024, and was announced via Google’s Search Central Twitter account.
Google’s Search Status Dashboard shows the update finished on June 27 at 9:10 PDT.
This spam update is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to combat web spam and improve user experience.
It’s important to note that this is not the algorithmic component of the site reputation abuse update, which Google has clarified is yet to be implemented.
Key Points Of The June 2024 Spam Update
- The update targets websites violating Google’s spam policies.
- It is separate from the anticipated site reputation abuse algorithmic update.
- The rollout process lasted approximately one week.
Google’s spam updates typically focus on eliminating various forms of web spam, including:
- Automatically generated content aimed solely at improving search rankings
- Purchased or sold links intended to manipulate rankings
- Thin, duplicated, or poor-quality content
- Hidden redirects or other deceptive techniques
This latest update follows Google’s previous spam update in March 2024.
Despite that update’s impact, some AI-generated content performed well in search results.
An analysis by Search Engine Journal’s Roger Montti revealed that certain AI spam sites ranked for over 217,000 queries, with more than 14,900 ranking in the top 10 search results.
The June update is expected to refine Google’s spam detection capabilities further. However, as with previous updates, it may cause fluctuations in website search rankings.
Those engaging in practices that violate Google’s spam policies or heavily relying on AI-generated content may see a decline in their search visibility.
Conversely, legitimate websites adhering to Google’s guidelines may benefit from reduced competition from spammy sites in search results.
SEO professionals and website owners are advised to review their sites for spammy practices and ensure compliance with Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
For more information about the June 2024 spam update and its potential impact, refer to Google’s official communication channels, including the Google Search Central Twitter account and the Google Search Status Dashboard.
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