You have probably seen before that an update is currently underway at Google. The so-called spam update started on December 14 and will take approximately 14 days before it is rolled out. This is not the first of its kind to be rolled out at the moment. A spam update was previously released in July 2021. But what does this actually mean? Does it have consequences for your website and what should you not do?

The December 2022 update

Many SEO experts thought they would be done with 2022 so they could focus on 2023. Google thought differently by rolling out a spam update in 2022. However, what Google hasn't used before is SpamBrain. With this they hope to automatically neutralize unnatural links. Google says they can find websites that buy and sell links. The effect of these links will therefore no longer contribute to the authority of your website. The positions can also be determined differently.

Is this update global?

Google often uses an update that is not rolled out worldwide. However, in this case it is. Google believes it is important that this update is implemented worldwide in all languages ​​and regions.

Is your website being penalized?

Google may not specifically say that a website is being penalized, but in fact it is. If you see a drop in the rankings, you can assume that links in your profile have been neutralized. A drop in search results can mean quite a lot for an entrepreneur. So keep a close eye on this over the next two weeks!

Google's guidelines for this update:

• It will take about two weeks to fully roll out;
• The greatest impact will occur at this time;
• Links obtained to improve rankings will be neutralized;
• Artificial manipulation by combating link spam is being updated.

It is important to know that Google's goal is to prevent spam links. For example, if a website scores well in Google and experiences a sudden drop in rankings and traffic, there is a good chance that the spam links have been neutralized. This is not a penalty, but a clear picture that you have been affected by this update.

What to do when you experience this?

Do you honestly notice a decline and are you concerned about this? Then there are a number of things you can do about this:

• Assess your competitors. Do you see an improvement in them or a decline? Then check their backlink profile to find out what the difference is.
• View your own backlink profile to understand which links you have that may have an impact. You can check this via Ahrefs or Semrush. Although preference is given to Google Search Console. You can often find more information in Search Console, as this is brought out by Google.
• Don't make major changes. It will take two weeks before this update is completely rolled out. If you do not notice a decrease, leave it alone. The less you make a change, the greater the chance that it will not cause any inconvenience.
• Are you still in doubt? Consult an expert. They often know better than anyone else what to pay attention to and how any decline can be recovered.

Should you be concerned?

It is not unknown to many people that Google is rolling out an update. What exactly the content of this will be. Fortunately, there are many SEO companies that have now acquired sufficient knowledge in this. They can provide you with the right advice you need. The words “worry” may be a bit too close, but it is still important to keep a close eye on the positions in the coming week.

An SEO professional often knows when a link is spam and will not use it. So be wise and have your backlink profile built up by an SEO professional.

There was also an update at the beginning of December in which the use of Google was refined. For example, refining search-related topics in Google has been improved. You can click directly in the top filter bar to find more relevant content. In addition, Google has rolled out continuous scrolling through an update. This has already been rolled out on mobile in October 2021. For the desktop version, Google will first deliver the printout in the United States.

Would you like to know more about these updates? Or have you noticed a decline in your traffic and positions? Then don't wait any longer and call in an expert!