
Google has rolled out its first major update to the Search Quality Rater Guidelines since March, addressing AI-generated content and introducing new forms of spam. While these guidelines don’t directly influence search rankings, they provide critical insights into how Google assesses content quality.
Key Takeaways from Google’s Latest Update
1. Generative AI Officially Defined
The updated guidelines now explicitly define AI-generated content under Section 2.1, “Important Definitions.”
“Generative AI is a type of machine learning (ML) model that can take what it has learned from the examples it has been provided to create new content, such as text, images, music, and code.”
This addition clarifies how quality raters should assess AI-driven content and its impact on search quality.
2. New Spam Categories Identified
Sections 4.0 through 4.6 have been overhauled to highlight emerging spam tactics. Three key types have been outlined:
- Expired Domain Abuse – The misuse of expired domains to host low-value content purely for SEO gains.
- Site Reputation Abuse – Hosting third-party content on a reputable site to leverage its established ranking signals.
- Scaled Content Abuse – The mass production of low-value content using automation, including generative AI.
Google explicitly warns against using AI to churn out large volumes of content that offer little user value.
“Using automated tools (generative AI or otherwise) as a low-effort way to produce many pages that add little-to-no value for website visitors as compared to other pages on the web on the same topic.”
3. Identifying AI-Generated Content
Section 4.7 now provides clearer guidelines on rating AI-generated content. An example of the lowest-quality content includes:
“The contents of the page show it is created with generative AI with likely no original content and provides no value to users. For example, the article starts with ‘As a language model, I don’t have real-time data and my knowledge cutoff date is September 2021.’”
This update reinforces Google’s stance on AI-generated content: it must add unique value and not be used solely for bulk content generation.
4. New Technical Requirements for Raters
To ensure an accurate evaluation of search results, the guidelines now require raters to disable ad blockers:
“Some browsers such as Chrome automatically block some ads. As a rater, you are required to turn off any ad blocker capabilities of the browser you use to view webpages for rating tasks.”
This suggests that Google is paying closer attention to how ads influence user experience.
What This Means for Content Creators & SEO Pros
- AI Content Strategy: AI-generated content is allowed but must provide unique insights rather than being mass-produced.
- Quality Over Quantity: The update underscores Google’s focus on rewarding original, high-value content.
- Technical Considerations: The new ad blocker policy indicates Google’s emphasis on real user experience, including ads.
Actionable Steps to Align with Google’s Guidelines
- Prioritize original, valuable content that genuinely serves user needs.
- Avoid using AI to bulk-generate content without human oversight.
- Ensure content demonstrates expertise and authenticity, especially for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics.
- Consider how your content appears with and without ad blockers.
By following these updated guidelines, you can ensure your content aligns with Google’s evolving standards and maintains its visibility in search results.
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, explore our monthly SEO packages and let our experts handle it for you!