The surge in spam has been attributed to the lucrative nature of affiliate links, where websites earn a commission if a product is bought after clicking a link on their page. This has led to the rise of "SEO parasites" who lease space on trusted websites to post sponsored content filled with affiliate links. While Google has acknowledged the issue and is working on improvements, critics argue that the situation highlights the challenges faced by search engine companies in dealing with targeted SEO affiliate spam.
Key takeaways:
- Google's recent algorithm update, which prioritized user-generated content, has led to an increase in spam and low-quality results, according to Lily Ray, senior director of SEO at Amsive Digital.
- Scammers have exploited this change by placing spam links in areas prioritized by the new algorithm, such as Google Docs, Google Maps, LinkedIn, and Reddit.
- Despite the increase in spam, Google's search quality still outperforms competitors like Bing and DuckDuckGo, and the company has the most effective mitigation tactics against spam.
- Another issue affecting Google's search results quality is the practice of "SEO parasites" who lease space on trusted websites to post sponsored content filled with affiliate links, exploiting loopholes in Google's system.