Google Search Quality Rater Guidelines made significant changes, especially regarding AI-generated content. Google wants to ensure that the stuff we find in search results is genuinely valuable and not just generated to game the system.
One of the key updates is the definition of generative AI. They say it includes any machine learning model to create new content like text, images, or music. While they recognise that AI can be helpful, they warn against its misuse.
They’ve also expanded what they consider spam. For example, they’re now looking for things like repurposing expired domains with low-quality content and using trustworthy sites to publish third-party content to boost rankings. They’re also clamping down on mass-produced low-quality content created with automated tools.
What’s interesting is how they’re instructing raters on how to evaluate content. It can get the lowest rating if something’s mostly auto-generated and lacks originality or value. There’s a distinction now between a “low rating,” which applies to reused but slightly modified content, and a “lowest rating” for content that’s just copied or barely altered.
And they’re introducing the idea of “filler” content.
The low-effort stuff is just there to make a page look longer without adding substance. Oh, and they’re encouraging raters to question exaggerated claims made by content creators. Something that sounds too good to be true and lacks evidence should also get a low rating.
Overall, Google is focused on pushing for high-quality, original content and ensuring AI tools aren’t misused in the content creation.
What do you think of these changes?
