When you thought Google Algorithm updates were done for the year, Google released a link spam update for December 2022 right after the Helpful Content Update and Google Core Algorithm Update. This Google algorithm update will take approximately two weeks to roll out globally.
On December 14, 2022, Google announced on Twitter that a new link spam algorithm update is being implemented. The most recent algorithm update uses Google’s AI-based SpamBrain spam-prevention system to mitigate the adverse effects of unnatural links on search results. SpamBrain is an AI-based spam-prevention system that can now detect both buying links and sites used to pass outgoing links and directly detect spam.
What Is In The Link Spam Update For December 2022?
Google is improving its spam detection system to detect purchased links and domains used primarily to pass links to other sites. The December 2022 link spam update eliminates unnatural links by utilizing Google’s AI-based spam-prevention system, SpamBrain.
SpamBrain can now identify sites that buy links and build unnatural backlinks, in addition to directly detecting spam. The previous link spam update was only concerned with identifying spam links on websites, i.e., links that do not provide helpful information to the user. It needed to be determined where the content publisher obtained these links. On the other hand, the December 2022 Link Spam Update will use SpamBrain to identify both sides of the transaction. It will detect websites that buy these links and websites that are used to publish them.
This update will improve search results quality by ranking web pages with genuine links higher than those with links published solely to hack the search algorithm logic. With the ability to locate purchased links and identify domains primarily used to pass links to other websites, Google is upgrading its spam detection system.
Quick Facts About the Google Link Spam Update
In short, here are the most important things we know right now:
- Launch Date: It went live on December 14.
- Rollout: It may take up to two weeks to complete the rollout.
- It targets sites that buy links and those used to pass outgoing links.
- Penalty: This will “neutralize” spam links, which means that detected links will not be counted and may result in a drop in rankings.
- Because this is not a manual action, you will not be notified if you are targeted in Search Console.
- Global and multilingual: This is a worldwide launch affecting all languages.
- SpamBrain: This is the first time Google’s AI-based spam detection system, SpamBrain, has been used to detect link spam.
Will Google’s New Spam Algorithm Impact Your Website?
Using unnatural links will result in a drop in your site’s ranking and pages on the search engine, negatively affecting how they appear in search results.
What Google Has To Say About The Update?
According to Google, they will be able to detect websites that are buying and selling links, and the effects of those links will no longer contribute to site authority, search visibility, and rankings.
For instance, you must qualify an affiliate link with a rel=sponsored tag if you include it within a body of text. Additionally, you must add rel=nofollow to links in guest posts to avoid further issues with Google.
How Should You Respond To Google’s Link Spam Algorithm Update?
- Scrutinize your site for potentially harmful links and remove them.
- Please make sure that your site links are genuine and that they were earned naturally.
- Use the rel=nofollow tag on guest posts that you publish on your website.
Wrapping Up:
Google has strict guidelines for those who use links to boost their rankings in search results. Google desires that content to be valuable and helpful to users. This year has seen a flurry of updates aimed at researchers and users, the most recent of which is this rolling update. If you adhere to Google’s recommendations for incoming and outgoing links and implement the updates, the December 2022 update won’t impact your website.