Google’s search engine spam problem seems to be worsening with time.
- Search engines like Google are getting less helpful, according to a new study.
- They’re more likely to retrieve SEO-optimized web pages monetized with affiliate links.
Search engines like Google are becoming less effective as they are filled with spam content, according to a new research paper by a team of German researchers. The abundance of spam makes it difficult for users to find useful information online, which, as we know, is the core function of the internet.
The researchers analyzed almost 7,400 product review queries on three search engines- Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo- over a year. They found that search engines have a significant problem with affiliate links, which are paid-for links that refer a customer to a seller. Although the number of product reviews online that contain affiliate links is relatively small, these reviews are overrepresented in search engine results.
The issue with affiliate links stems from trust. Users often trust their search engines, and affiliate links inherit this trust as a byproduct of a high ranking. However, this creates tension between affiliates, search providers, and users because affiliates are more likely to design web pages to optimize their rankings rather than investing in higher-quality product reviews.
The researchers noted that web pages that have more affiliate links and are more optimized are more likely to come up in search results. However, on average, they also show signs of lower text quality.
As content generated by AI continues to flood the internet, the researchers warned that search engine results are likely to deteriorate further. Google responded to the study by saying that it only looked at product review content and did not reflect the overall quality of Google Search. The Google spokesperson also mentioned that they have launched specific improvements to address these issues, and the study itself points out that Google has improved over the past year and is performing better than other search engines.
The researchers believe that this issue deserves more attention, but for now, they don’t see any obvious solution.