Latest Google link quality update and penalty effects discussion

Lately i got some questions from new (potential) clients that need to fix some penalties after latest Google update. What i find strange is that their common point is heavy use of redirect links

Anyone got some more information on this ?

 

It's not just the heavy use of redirect links. Since the release of GPT-4, many websites have started cloaking, churning out thousands of articles to capture more search traffic.
As a result, Google has been issuing penalties against these websites.. which we've been seeing over the past six months to a year.

 

Excessive use of redirect links can lead to poor user experience and potential penalties, as Google favors straightforward navigation. Advising clients to streamline their linking strategy and focus on quality content might be a good start in addressing these penalties.

 

It's concerning that multiple clients with penalties after the recent Google update share a common factor of heavy redirect link usage. This suggests that Google may be cracking down on excessive or manipulative redirects as part of its latest algorithm changes. I'd recommend carefully auditing these clients' redirect practices, ensuring they serve a legitimate purpose and don't violate Google's guidelines, while also investigating other potential issues that could have triggered penalties.

 

Yes, I’d agree with that. Google’s been pretty clear about cracking down on redirects that seem spammy or manipulative. With the latest updates, it’s likely Google’s gotten even better at spotting these kinds of tactics to clean up search results.

It’s definitely worth reviewing these clients’ redirects to make sure they’re actually needed and follow Google’s rules. And it might help to look at other potential issues too, just to cover all the bases and catch anything else that might’ve triggered the penalties.

 

Recent Google updates have targeted sites that misuse redirect links, particularly when they mislead users or manipulate search rankings. Common issues include excessive use of redirects, especially temporary ones (302s), which can confuse search engines and lead to poor user experiences. Additionally, redirect chains dilute link equity and slow down crawling. If clients are facing penalties related to redirects, it’s essential to audit their linking strategies, ensure proper implementation, and focus on high-quality content to improve their SEO performance.