Late last year Google introduced a brand new update to deal with the spread of fake news. No doubt this has affect some website’s standing in search. SEO is a constantly changing field, and you will want to make sure you don’t get swept up in this fake news problem. Here’s what every webmaster needs to know about Google’s battle with fake news.
Autocomplete Feedback
SEO for brands often involved autocomplete, and that could easily lead to common words like “scam” or “fraud” attached to a search. These kinds of searches can harm a brand even without disputes on record.
One big change Google has made is to provide user feedback to autocomplete forms. Users can now flag terms that go against the terms of use for autocomplete, and Google will presumably strike them from results. How this will affect businesses long term is unclear, but it does mark one of the few times Google has reached out to the public for feedback.
Project Owl and Your Site
Essentially, if your site isn’t promoting fake news or political propaganda you have almost nothing to worry about with this update. It may affect your negative terms, though, which is a good thing. If competitors have been spreading false reviews or trying to promote untrue information, this update will help to curb some of that. Still, you need to do even more work as a webmaster to verify your identity and the authenticity of your site, and the feedback your business receives.
Increasing your attention on the reputation of your business will become important in the coming year.