For thousands of websites, Google Search rankings determine whether a business thrives or shuts down. Many industries have suffered due to Google's recent algorithm updates, but media websites have been hit particularly hard.
For sites like GGRecon, Ginx, or our sister site Gfinity, the difference between a high and low rank in search results is crucial. The recent Google algorithm update has faced criticism, with many believing it favors Reddit. This issue is exacerbated by Google's deal to use Reddit data for AI.
The problem intensifies when Google AI actively uses information from websites that Google Search results (or SERPs) are de-ranking. For example, the gaming website Ginx has been suppressed in recent updates, yet the AI uses information from a "Where is Xur" guide for Destiny 2.
Lloyd Coombes, the Editor-in-Chief of GGRecon, also shared a tweet about the Google AI snippet. In the thread, Coombes suggests that "our own 'Where is Xur' page is packed with info, usually one of the first to be updated," but due to Google ranking it as "unhelpful" in recent algorithm updates, he adds, "we may as well ignore it."
I personally know Coombes, and he's a Destiny 2 fanatic. The fact that he manages the "Where is Xur" guide for GGRecon suggests that the information is filled with expertise, something that Google claims to value. However, Google's signals for "helpful" content seem confusing, leaving many media sites in the same position as GGRecon.
If Google Search deems an article 'unhelpful', why does the Google AI seem to summarize them? It brings up a lot of confusion, and while general audiences won't bat an eyelid, many publications will look at this tweet with a strange look.
If Google made it clear what it looks for in good search results, many sites would be willing to make significant changes to adapt. However, Google's dominance in the web search market has left it in a powerful position—one that many publishers are understandably upset about. Let's hope the new Google Search 'web' filter will become the main one instead.