After more than 26 days, the Google spam update is now officially complete. 📊 Although there were noticeable ranking fluctuations during this period, it was mainly sites with low-quality or manipulative content that were affected. Those who consistently focus on high-quality content are unlikely to have experienced any losses.
The goal of the update remains clear: to combat spam. This includes link and redirect manipulation as well as massively automatically generated content. Particular focus is placed on so-called “scaled content abuse” – content that is created in large quantities using AI tools solely to achieve better rankings. Expired domains and questionable reputation tricks are also coming under greater scrutiny.
Now that the update is complete, attention is already turning to new developments. After the third major update this year, another core update could follow soon. However, the attention of SEOs and website operators is currently focused primarily on Google’s AI innovations. AI Overviews and the new AI Mode have long been an integral part of Chrome 🌐, are now available in 180 additional countries, and are equipped with features such as link carousels designed to create additional traffic touchpoints.
Whether these innovations will reduce traffic in the long term is controversial. Many publishers fear massive losses, while Google emphasises that AI modes deliver higher-quality clicks and better serve users’ search intentions. The seriousness of the debate is demonstrated by the first lawsuit against Google, filed by the publisher behind Variety and Rolling Stone.
Meanwhile, Google has a positive signal for retailers: the new store widget. 🛍️ It displays important information such as ratings ⭐, shipping details, reviews and payment options directly on shop pages. Initial tests have already proven its success: retailers who use the widget have been able to increase their sales by up to eight per cent on average. 📈 However, one crucial point remains: in order for customers to see the widget at all, they must first visit the page – and that is still only possible with a solid SEO strategy. 🔍
