Google Enhances Quality Standards to Demote Low-Effort Web Content
Defining Low-Quality Pages
A significant update in the guidelines is the refined definition of the lowest quality pages. Previously, pages with harmful intentions or deceptive purposes were flagged. The updated guidelines still include these criteria but now also prompt raters to assess the publisher’s motives, focusing on whether the content primarily serves the publisher’s interests at the expense of the user’s.
“The Lowest rating is required if the page is created to benefit the owner of the website (e.g., to make money) with very little or no attempt to benefit website visitors or otherwise serve a beneficial purpose.”
While monetization of websites isn’t criticized, Google’s updates aim to penalize content that doesn’t also offer clear benefits to its users.
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