Google has updated its search protocol with an algorithm that lowers the ranks of heavy affiliate sites, and sponsored content.

Putting an end to the reuse of fake news

In what has been playfully dubbed the “Fred update,” sites with ad-focused content have been targeted, meaning faux-blogs and masked advertisements prioritising revenue over content are feeling the burn.

Sites that focus on making capital off their SEO are plummeting in the search ranks. According to Google’s tracking algorithm Algoroo, ad-focused sites have seen as much as a 90% drop in traffic.

The simplest explanation is that Google is cracking down on sites it considers to be going against Google webmaster guidelines.

SEO community gets shook

Fred isn’t the only update taking on the sneaky SEO tactics of money hungry sites either.

The quorum of search specific updates are honing in on key words laundered into site pages that are meant to ensnare and advertise rather than inform.

The benefit here is more sites with robust and relevant content, with unobtrusive ads, are to be ranked highest on a given search.

Those sites playing by Google guidelines will be relatively unaffected by the updates.

Have you ever been caught in an advert-heavy site? Do you approve of Google’s new updates?