August 3, 2021 - LaunchUX

Day: August 3, 2021

Google Spam Link Update July 2021

Google updates can be a bit overwhelming for those in the SEO community. So far this summer Google has already rolled out a big core update, now followed by an update meant to target and nullify spam links in multiple languages. This update is not meant to hurt websites but meant to prevent and stop link schemes. Link schemes are used to manipulate search engine ranking. This can include buying or selling links, excessive link usage, and using programs to link to your site, as well as other tactics. While this may alarm some, you can take steps to ensure your site’s ranking will not be affected by this new update. 

What Does The Update Include?

Like many of Google’s other updates, Google’s spam link update began rolling out on 26 July 2021, and will be fully out two weeks from the release. The update is mostly targeting sponsored links, affiliate links, and guest links. Google explains that one thing that people can do to help their site through this update is to qualify their links. When a website qualifies their links, they are telling Google the relationship between the website using the link, and the website that the link came from. To qualify your links, you have to use a rel attribute value in the <a> tag. Google recommends that sponsored links use the rel=”sponsored” value, affiliate links use the  rel=”sponsored” value, and guest links use the rel=”nofollow” value. It is important to take the time to do this when there is some sort of exchange of value between businesses using each other’s links.

Google’s newest update is meant to prevent spam links and also link schemes. The update is not meant to penalize any website but will nullify any spam links (they will not hurt or help SEO). As the spam link update rolls out, remember to just qualify the appropriate links as to maintain and boost your website’s SEO.