As of last week, the long-awaited October 2022 Spam Update is now complete.
This update was designed to do exactly what it says on the tin: Help Google root out bad actors in the SERPs, and just overall make it easier for users to find the information they’re searching for.*
*Without having to first wade through 5 or 6 search results that seem like they were written by an alien that knows every word in the English language, but only learned them an hour ago.
If you’re like most business owners reading this, you probably have several questions.
- What does Google’s October 2022 Spam Update mean for my business?
- What can I do to make sure I’m not getting penalized by this update?
- What’s a “tin”?
Never fear—we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about the October 2022 Spam Update:
Navigation
#1 – Google is getting better at detecting spammy content.
This means that if you’re not creating quality content—if you’re creating content that is purely designed to game the system—it’s going to be more difficult to get away with it.
If you’re putting content out on the web that is nothing but keyword stuffing or gibberish, you’re going to get caught. You may get caught this update, or the next, or the next—but eventually, you will be penalized.
Google is also getting better and better at detecting spun content, like articles that have been created by taking another article and changing a few words around.
This kind of crappy content is often used by people who are trying to game the system, and (checks notes) it’s not going to fool Google anymore.
Seriously though, if you (or your SEO provider) are creating content that is designed to game the system in a nefarious manner, just stop. It’s not worth it—the window of opportunity for this kind of nonsense is closing like a bear trap, and you don’t want your business to get caught. (We’ll get to what you should be doing instead in a bit.)
#2 – Google is continuing the good fight against content farms.
Content farms are sites that exist for the sole purpose of cranking out low-quality, keyword-stuffed articles. They’re used by people who are looking to game the system, and they’re a huge source of the useless, indecipherable content that’s been filling up the SERPs for the past year.
Google has been fighting against content farms for years, and this update is just another step in that battle.
If you think you might be running a content farm, it’s time to change your business model—or get ready for your site to be buried under a deluge of higher-quality articles.
#3 – Sites that publish crap content may already be suffering.
Sites hit by this update should expect to see their rankings drop—or see their content disappear from search results altogether.
The update is global, impacting all regions and languages—meaning that even if your site isn’t in English, you could still be affected.
If you’ve been hit by the update, it’s time to take a long, hard look at your content. If it’s low-quality or spammy, it needs to be fixed—and fast. As anyone who’s been hit by a Google anti-spam penalty can tell you, your site might never rank again.
#4 – If you’re creating/publishing high-quality content, you don’t need to worry.
This update was designed to target low-quality, spammy content. If you’re creating/publishing high-quality, well-structured content, you have nothing to worry about. With so many penalties being handed out, this update should only help your rankings.
So keep doing what you’re hopefully already doing—create great content that is actually helpful, interesting, entertaining, and informative, and you’ll be just fine.
Note: If your site was hit by the update, Google recommends reviewing its spam policies to ensure compliance. (You can find those policies here.)
Final Thoughts
Google’s October 2022 Spam Update is just the latest in a long series of recent algorithm changes aimed at improving the quality of search results and weeding out blatantly spammy ranking techniques.
So if you want to stay ahead of the curve (and stay in Google’s good graces) make sure you’re playing by the rules. Being good with Google equals good business—that’s just the way it is at the moment.
Yeah, it’s not exactly what I would call a fair arrangement. But it is what it is. Think of it like being good with the railroads in the early 1900s—if you weren’t on their good side, your business wasn’t going anywhere.
That’s basically the relationship Google has with business owners today. (Hence why corporations in the U.S. spent an estimated $47 billion on SEO in 2020—during a global pandemic/economic downturn.)
If you’re not good with Google, you’re not going to do anywhere near as much business. Period.
So make sure you’re staying up-to-date on all the latest algorithm changes and paying attention to their rules against spamming the search results.
And if you’re not sure what those rules are, well… that’s what we’re here for. So give us a call at 850-308-5952 or drop us a line—we can help you make sure your SEO strategy is on point and in line with all of Google’s recent algorithm updates.
Has your business been affected by Google’s October 2022 spam update? The King of Search can help you recover. Contact us today for a consultation, and get your site back on track.
