Google’s latest spam update rollout, which started on June 20, 2024, targeting websites violating Google’s spam policies, is complete.
Google announced the completion of its spam update, which took one week to implement, on June 27 via its Search Status Dashboard:
June 2024 spam update key points
Google’s June 2024 spam update is another step in Google’s continuous efforts to tackle web spam, remove low-quality content, and improve its search results and user experience.
The latest update was a standard spam update. Google confirmed this on June 20 upon its rollout, saying, “The update is not the algorithmic version of its site reputation abuse policy,” which Google has yet to implement.
This means this update explicitly targets websites violating Google’s spam policies, which focus on removing low-quality, spammy content, including:
- Poor quality or duplicated content.
- Spammy links (sold or purchased) to manipulate search rankings.
- Deceptive techniques like hidden redirects that trick users.
- Automatically generated content that serves no purpose other than improving search rankings.
But as with every Google update, site owners and SEO professionals are bracing themselves for possible search ranking fluctuations!
Possible implications
It’s no secret that Google’s recent updates have devastated many legitimate websites’ search rankings. With the latest spam update aimed at refining Google’s spam identification abilities, site owners are worried about the negative effect it could have on their rankings.
And while Google’s Senior Search Analyst John Mueller has said websites can recover from updates, that does little to ease the financial loss many site owners are experiencing.
Hopefully, the June 2024 spam update will only target sites violating Google’s spam policies.
On the upside, maybe your rankings improved because of the removal of spammy sites; wouldn’t that be great?
Google`s advice to site owners
Google advises website owners and SEO professionals who have experienced a negative impact on their search rankings during the June spam update to audit their sites to ensure they comply with Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. For further information about the 2024 spam update or how Google ranks your website, check out Google’s Helpful Content Guidelines and follow Google’s SEO office hours.