Google Discover: Search Rankings Less Relevant?

Google Discover's Evolving Relationship with Search Ranking

Google Discover, the personalized content feed available on mobile devices, operates with a degree of independence from Google Search ranking. This strategic divergence, recently highlighted by Andy Almeida from Google's Trust and Safety team at the Google Search Central Live event in Zurich, signifies a deliberate effort to cultivate a more diverse and inclusive content ecosystem within Discover.

Combatting Emerging Abuse with Independent Systems

A key takeaway from Almeida's presentation is that Google Discover now employs systems with "minimal alignment to search ranking" to combat emerging abuse. This suggests a departure from relying heavily on established search ranking signals, allowing Discover to proactively address spam and low-quality content that may exploit loopholes within the platform.

Prioritizing Lesser-Known Publishers

This shift also indicates Google Discover's intention to surface content from lesser-known, less-established, and smaller publishers. While Google Search might prioritize authoritative and well-established websites, Google Discover aims to provide a platform for niche voices and emerging content creators. This is achieved by relying less on traditional search ranking signals and more on Discover's proprietary systems to evaluate content relevance and user interest.

The Challenge of AI Spam

One of the primary drivers behind this strategic adjustment is the persistent problem of AI-generated spam within Google Discover. Malicious actors often utilize expired or newly created domains to disseminate spammy content, exploiting vulnerabilities that are less prevalent in Google Search. This necessitates a distinct approach to content evaluation and spam detection within Discover.

A Shift from 2019

It's worth noting that in 2019, Google indicated that core ranking systems significantly impacted Google Discover's content selection. Specifically, a site penalized by a core update could experience a decline in visibility within Discover. The current emphasis on minimal alignment with search ranking seems to represent a shift from this previous approach.

Why This Matters

Google's efforts to refine its approach to Google Discover has major implications for publishers, especially smaller ones. A more independent system presents an opportunity for niche websites and emerging voices to gain visibility within the platform. This can lead to increased traffic, brand awareness, and audience engagement for publishers who might struggle to compete in the broader Google Search landscape.

However, the success of this strategy hinges on Google's ability to effectively combat spam and prevent the platform from being overrun by low-quality content. Striking the right balance between promoting diverse content and maintaining a high standard of quality is a critical challenge.

Google's Ongoing Efforts

Google is actively working to address the spam issues plaguing Google Discover. Tweaking the balance of allowing new or lesser-known sites to perform well on Google Discover, while also preventing spam from showing up, is hard. Google is working on that now and hopes to find a solid solution for it.

Potential Benefits for Smaller Publishers

The long-term goal is to create a thriving content ecosystem where smaller publishers can find an audience and contribute to a more diverse range of topics. This can benefit both publishers and users, fostering a richer and more engaging online experience – if Google can also solve the spam problem on Google Discover.

Here's a breakdown of the key changes and their implications:

Feature	Previous Approach (Circa 2019)	Current Approach	Implications
Alignment with Search Ranking	High	Minimal	Greater opportunity for smaller publishers; Requires robust spam detection.
Impact of Core Updates	Significant	Reduced	Less reliance on overall website authority; Focus on content relevance within Discover.
Content Evaluation	Primarily based on Search ranking signals	More reliance on Discover-specific systems	Potential for more personalized and diverse content; Risk of increased spam.

Google's willingness to experiment with different approaches to content discovery is a positive sign. The company is aware of the challenges and is actively working to find a sustainable solution that benefits both users and publishers.

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