As I write this, we’re in the first week of the March 2024 core and spam updates – and the aftermath has been severe.
Sites with spam policy violations have been hit with manual actions, leaving many SEOs in a state of fear. And this is just the beginning. SpamBrain is starting to crack down on your links.
## There are only so many ways to build links
Links have long been considered the currency of the web, and no matter what anyone says, they still matter. For example, a client’s site-wide visibility significantly improved after we acquired a single high-authority digital PR link for them. The red mark on the visibility tracker in Semrush indicates the day the link was earned.
This client also appears to have benefited from the recent Google update. While link-building methods are diverse, they essentially boil down to:
– Earning through content/PR.
– Adding links to directory sites.
– Naturally gaining links through brand marketing.
– Buying links through guest posts or inserts.
– Private blog networks (PBNs).
– Link exchanges.
– Sponsorships.
Although there are other methods, these are the most common. And then comes the economics of backlink building, which is time-consuming, challenging, and often disappointing.
For the SEO industry, this is not good at all. Thus, link vendors have emerged, turning into a multi-million dollar industry aimed at addressing this problem. Link vending essentially took over the hard part of SEO—building links.
Google has been transparent about its stance on link buying for a while. However, unless you’re unfamiliar with SEO, you know this isn’t what actually happens. For instance, there are websites with a Domain Rating (DR) of 52 selling guest post links for $40 each, and others with a DR of 75 selling them for $75.
I could list hundreds of websites selling links. Like many in SEO, we frequently receive link lists. This is the modern state of link building—buying niche edits or guest post links at a fee, marking them up for agencies, which then charge clients even more.
This upward value chain has existed in the industry for as long as I can remember. It’s a significant issue for Google because paid links manipulate search rankings and improperly reward websites.
But Google has a solution.
## Enter SpamBrain: The nemesis of black hat SEO
SpamBrain was launched in 2018 to address ongoing spam issues on the web. Although Google has been tight-lipped about its capabilities, it was powerful enough in 2018 to dramatically reduce spam levels.
SpamBrain, being a machine-learning platform, only gets stronger over time. We saw it flex its muscles again in 2022 with Google’s link spam update, where many sites dropped from Page 1 to Page 2 in rankings as their links were devalued.
Personally, I’ve consulted with brands left puzzled by these changes. The simultaneous launch of Google’s helpful content update led to SEOs blaming content writers and vice versa, creating a serious issue in the industry. But this is somewhat of the industry’s own making.
## March 2024 core and spam updates = The apocalypse update?
As I write this, an SEO has reached out because their client’s site has been wiped from the rankings. It’s not deindexed, but all rankings are gone. They had been buying links. I’ve always said: Stop. Buying. Links.
Although the latest update is influenced by many factors, site reputation abuse is one of them.
### Link costs just blew up
In a world with fewer ways to gain links, the value of links skyrockets due to simple market economics. This implies that white hat link building will be back in fashion. Working at a digital PR and SEO agency, I see how a few quality media links can boost rankings significantly. However, getting these links is harder due to fewer journalists and more spam emails, making it crucial to have standout stories.
Digital PR is likely to become more valuable and costly. Google has explicitly stated that digital PR is not spam. Editorial content, syndicated content from news sites, press releases, and editorial content with close reviews by the host site are all acceptable and should be your focus.
If SpamBrain can devalue your links, it will lead to a loss of rankings. Therefore, you simply can’t afford to buy links anymore; it’s a recipe for long-term disaster. SpamBrain will only get stronger, and black hat SEOs should be wary. Just when you think you’re outsmarting Google, it’s really outsmarting you.
