Google December 2022 Link Spam Update

The December 2022 Link Spam Update will be a significant shift for SEO campaigns and link building as we know it. Many tactics that have worked in the past are likely to become obsolete and even counterproductive, SEO’s will need to adopt new strategies if they want their websites to rank higher in search engine results pages.In this article, the Clearwater team discusses everything you need to know about the update and provides tips on modern SEO link-building strategies you can use before and after the update.

What is the SpamBrain Link Spam Detection Upgrade?

In December 2022, Google announced an algorithm update to address ‘link spam’. The algorithm is designed to identify and penalise websites that have been using unethical methods to manipulate search engine rankings, such as buying links, creating false backlinks, or participating in link farms.Like any business, Google is committed to customer experience to ensure more prolonged use and retention. As such, this update aims to ensure their search engine results are as accurate and relevant as possible. It's important to note that the majority of website owners who play by the rules will not be affected by this update, but those who use unethical techniques to gain higher rankings could see their sites drop significantly in SERPs (search engine result pages).What Makes Backlinks Such an Important Part of SEO?If you aren’t intimately familiar with the many elements that make a successful search engine optimisation (SEO) campaign, you might wonder what the big fuss is around ‘links’.Well, backlinks are actually an incredibly important factor in your SEO performance and have been for decades. With millions (or billions) of pages to review and choose from based on search queries, a key way to quickly recognise a topical or authoritative source is through these links.Backlinks stem from external websites that point to a page on your website. When a search engine like Google crawls the web, it follows these links to discover new pages and understand the content and context of those pages.As such, having a large number of high-quality backlinks can improve the ranking of a webpage in search engine results. This is because search engines view backlinks as a sign of the quality and relevance of a webpage. If a webpage has many high-quality backlinks, it is likely that the content on the webpage is valuable and relevant to the topic at hand.What Determines a Quality Backlink?Several factors determine the quality of a backlink, including:

• Relevance: One factor is the relevance of the linking website to the content on your webpage. If the linking website is relevant to your content, it is more likely that the link will be considered high quality.

• Authority: Another factor is the authority of the linking website. Websites that have high domain authority are more likely to pass on ranking power to the pages they link to. This means that a backlink from a high-authority website can have a greater impact on the ranking of your webpage than a backlink from a low-authority website.

• Reputation: It is important to note that search engines also look at the quality of the linking website as a whole. If a website has a high number of low-quality or spammy links, it can negatively affect the ranking of the webpage it links to. This is why it is important to focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable websites.

Why was the Link Spam Update Required?

Despite Google making their intentions around links commonly known among the SEO community, there are still people out there creating disingenuous tactics to find a ‘shortcut’ to the top of SERPs. The algorithm update was therefore necessary because link spamming has become rampant in recent years, with many unscrupulous actors attempting to game Google's ranking system by creating large numbers of low-quality backlinks pointing at shady websites they owned.These tactics are known as ‘black hat SEO’ and can significantly damage a website’s reputation if they are caught by Google’s algorithms.What is Black Hat SEO Link Building?Black-hat SEO refers to unethical or manipulative tactics used to improve the ranking of a website in SERPs. These tactics contrast white-hat SEO, which refers to the ethical and legitimate tactics used to improve search engine rankings. Black hat SEO techniques often violate the search engine’s terms of service and can result in the site being penalised or banned.One type of black-hat SEO tactic is link building, which involves obtaining external links to a website in an attempt to improve its authority and ranking in search results.There are several link-building tactics that are considered black hat and should be avoided, including:Private Blog Networks (PBNs)Private blog networks (PBNs) are a type of black hat SEO technique in which a network of sites is created and used to link back to a target website. These sites are often low-quality, spammy, and have no real value to users. They are created solely for the purpose of boosting the ranking of the target website. PBNs are highly risky and can result in severe penalties from search engines if they are discovered.Spamming Blog CommentsSpamming blog comments is a black hat SEO technique that involves posting low-quality, irrelevant comments on other websites in an attempt to gain backlinks. These comments are often unrelated to the website’s content and are simply an attempt to get a link back to the target site. This technique is not only unethical, but it is also ineffective, as most websites use spam filters to prevent these types of comments from being published.Low-Quality Guest PostsLow-quality guest posts are articles written by someone other than the website owner and published on the site for the sole purpose of gaining a backlink. While guest posting can be an effective white hat SEO technique, it is important to ensure that the articles are high-quality and relevant to the website's content. Low-quality guest posts, on the other hand, are often filled with spammy or irrelevant content and are used solely for the purpose of gaining a backlink.CloakingCloaking is a black hat SEO technique in which a website presents different content to search engines than it does to users. This is done in an attempt to trick the search engines into ranking the site higher than it deserves. Cloaking is highly unethical and is strictly prohibited by search engines.Devious RedirectsDevious redirects are a type of black hat SEO technique in which a website redirects users to a different website than the one they intended to visit. This is often done in an attempt to deceive search engines into ranking the site higher than it deserves. Devious redirects can be confusing and frustrating for users, undercutting user experience. Even if these tactics take you to the top spot of Google’s SERPs, once someone is redirected, they will likely move away from the site, leaving the efforts with little to no ROI.Purchasing Low-Quality Back LinksPurchasing low-quality backlinks is a black hat SEO technique in which a website pays for low-quality or spammy links to boost its ranking. Search engines strictly prohibit this practice and can result in severe penalties.

Will the December 2022 Link Spam Update Affect Your Site?

A recent statement from a Google representative stated that, “Our launch today, which we refer to as the December 2022 link spam update, will take about two weeks to fully roll out. Ranking may change as spammy links are neutralised, and any credit passed by these unnatural links [is] lost. This launch will affect all languages.”Here are some steps you can take if you suspect your site has been hit with a penalty related to the Google Link Spam Algorithm Update:

• Identify any unnatural links pointing to your site. You can use Google Search Console or tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs to do this.
• Disavow the bad links via a text file and upload it through Google's Disavow Tool. This will prevent those links from being counted in Google’s ranking algorithm.
• Take steps to improve on-page optimisation, such as ensuring you aren’t keyword stuffing, adding more fresh content and internal link building.
• Reach out to webmasters of sites linking to yours and ask them to remove bad backlinks if they are still active on their websites.
• Monitor rankings regularly to ensure that your website is not affected by any future Google updates.

How to Undergo Responsible & Ethical Link-Building Practices for Your SEO Campaign

With all of this information around black hat SEO tactics, it is important to remember that there are a variety of ethical methods available to organically build high-quality backlinks for your website. These include: Recover Unlinked MentionsLet’s start with some low-hanging fruit. If your website or brand is mentioned on another website, but there is no link back to your site, you can try reaching out to the website owner and asking for a link to be added. This is a simple and effective way to build backlinks, as long as the website mentioning you is reputable and relevant to your industry.Publish Content that Attracts LinksOne of the best ways to build backlinks is to create high-quality, valuable content that people want to link to. This could be a blog post, an infographic, a video, or any other type of content that is informative, interesting, and useful. The more people who see and share your content, the more likely it is that you'll earn backlinks.Build Guest Posting RelationshipsAnother way to build backlinks is through guest posting. This involves writing articles for other websites in your industry and including a link back to your own site in the author bio or within the article itself. This can be a great way to build backlinks and reach a new audience, as well as demonstrate your authority within the industry. Just make sure this guest-posting relationship is relevant and makes sense within your field; for example, if you are a construction firm, it would not make sense to write a guest post for a cosmetics retailer.Organise Features on PodcastsPodcasts are a growing medium for content creation and can be a great way to build backlinks. If you have expertise in a particular topic, consider reaching out to podcasts in your industry and offering to be a guest on their show. You can include a link to your website in the show notes or in your own social media promotion of the episode.Utilise Your Social Media ChannelsSocial media is a powerful tool for building backlinks. By sharing your content and website on social media, you can increase its visibility and reach a wider audience. This can lead to more people linking to your site and can help improve your search rankings.Reach Out to JournalistsIf you have a story or expertise that could be of interest to journalists regarding topical events, consider reaching out to them and offering to be a source or expert for their articles. This can be a great way to build backlinks and increase your visibility – again, as long as the journalists you reach out to are reputable and their publications are appropriate for your industry.Make the Most of DirectoriesThere are many online directories that allow you to list your website and provide pertinent information related to it, such as the address, business hours, and contact information. You can, of course, also include a link back to any of your target pages. While these types of backlinks are less valuable than others, they can still be a useful way to build backlinks and improve your search rankings. Just be sure only to use reputable directories and avoid any that are spammy or low-quality.Start Building High-Quality SEO Backlinks Within Your CampaignsBy using these white-hat strategies to build backlinks, you can improve your search rankings and drive more traffic to your website. Remember to always focus on creating high-quality, valuable content and building relationships with reputable websites and industry experts. This will help you earn backlinks that are valuable and will help improve your search rankings over the long term.