Google, which we all use many times every day, is constantly releasing various updates to serve you better. These updates can sometimes be related to the search results and sometimes directly to the algorithm. Sometimes these updates can make the situation worse even though they are made to fix the problems.
Especially if you have done a detailed search on a certain subject on Google in the last month, you may have encountered sites with strange names on the first page and at the top and ending with .it, .pl, .de, .ru and .ch. In fact, how come these sites, which are not even related to the topic you are looking for, rank higher than even real information sources?
How does the system work?
If you remember, last month, Google announced that it would update its search engine service and highlight content focused on user experience instead of SEO-focused content. As soon as this news was heard, the malicious user immediately rolled up his sleeves and tried to fool Google’s algorithm on SEO and user experience by copying sites that offer quality content. After the content that seems to be related to the words searched by users on successful sites and that will (so-called) have a positive effect on the user experience, victims begin to wait.
When users see these sites related to the topic they are looking for, when they click on the link, the link sometimes directs them to a different site and sometimes to a Youtube video. In this way, sites are used to infect users’ devices with viruses or to gain views on YouTube videos.
So why do these sites rank at the top?
Normally, when Google detects such sites, it either puts them at the bottom of the search results or removes them completely. However, after the latest updates, these sites started to appear in the top positions. Some experts think this may be due to a change in the algorithm messing up the system. According to some users, the owners of these sites discover a vulnerability in the new algorithm and use it for their own benefit.
In particular, the ‘Useful Content Update’ released by Google last month aimed to prevent such problems and to highlight content that focuses on user experience rather than SEO content. This problem, which has been literally rampant in the past days, seems to have finally come to an end after the step-by-step release of the Useful Content Update.
While Google has not made any explanation as to why these sites are so prominent, users around the world have already started sending feedback that the problems have been resolved.