Google has just rolled out their latest algorithm update called the Link Spam Algorithm. It started rolling out last July 26 and is designed to make Google’s algorithm more effective at identifying and nullifying all link spam.
Although the algorithm update has already taken effect, Google confirmed that it will take up to two weeks to completely roll out broadly to search results in multiple languages. And with the new algorithm update also means that there will be sudden changes in the rankings, which are imminent for some websites.
According to Google, the Link Spam Algorithm Update is part of their continued efforts to improve the quality of the search results. By launching this new link spam-fighting system, websites that take part in link spam will see changes in their search result rankings as those links they built will be reassessed by the algorithms.
There is information that suggests the algorithm update will emphasize targeting links coming from guest blog posts, sponsored content, and affiliate content. The announcement serves as a reminder for marketers to mark up their affiliate content with the appropriate, relevant values.
There is also an indication that Google wants site owners to properly handle the links within their content, especially if there’s an exchange of value involved in the link. This is why Google recommends that the proper tags should be added.
Here are the tags recommended by Google for each type of link:
- Affiliate link: sites should add tags to affiliate links with rel = “sponsored,” whether the links were manually created or dynamically.
- Sponsored post link: sites with links that are advertisements or are called paid links should be marked up with rel=” sponsored” value.
- Guest post link: links coming from guest blog posts should also be marked with rel = “nofollow” value.
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