Google Search’s New Spam Policy : Nov’22

Google has added a new spam policy to its search spam policies at the end of November 2022, termed “Policy circumvention.” To summarize, if you discover ways to bypass current spam prevention measures, Google may take action against your content, site, or account. In this article, we will discuss this new policy and what it means for digital marketers.

What is the new policy?

What exactly is a policy circumvention? It is an action designed to circumvent any of Google’s spam or content policies. It is an action that violates Google’s restrictions on the site, content, or account. It seeks alternative ways to distribute content that has already been removed or downgraded due to previous violations.

According to Google, circumvention “includes but is not limited to the creation or use of multiple sites or other methods intended to distribute content or engage in previously prohibited behaviour.”

In short, it appears to be any action taken to bypass other Google Search spam or content policies. This includes creating new sites, as well as using other sites or methods to distribute content, such as third-party sites or other avenues.

The new Google policy is available here. It says:

“If you engage in actions intended to bypass our spam or content policies for Google Search, undermine restrictions placed on content, a site, or an account, or otherwise continue to distribute content that has been removed or made ineligible from surfacing, we may take appropriate action which could include restricting or removing eligibility for some of our search features (for example, Top Stories, Discover). Circumvention includes but is not limited to creating or using multiple sites or other methods intended to distribute content or engage in a behavior that was previously prohibited.”

What is the penalty?

If you violate this new policy, Google may limit or remove the content from appearing in search or from some search features. Google stated that it “may take appropriate action, such as restricting or removing eligibility for some of our search features” (for example, Top Stories, Discover). In short, Google will reapply an action or penalty in the same or a more severe manner than the original action or penalty.

Why do we care?

Understanding Google’s spam and content policies is required for performing SEO and other marketing services on Google Search. This is a new policy, but its fundamental logic matches most of the previously published Google Search spam policies. In short, don’t try to manipulate Google Search’s ranking algorithms; if you do, you risk having your site removed or downgraded in Google Search.

Google also tweaked some of the other policies, such as legal removals and personal information removals, with the new policy circumvention policy.

Here are the before and after images.

Before:

After:

We hope this article was helpful and that now you have clarity on this new update. This update is going to help filter out duplicate content in the SERPs and penalize the content stealers.  Check EasyInsights for marketing and analytics tips and updates.