Google has recently updated its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, a document that provides a framework for human quality raters to assess websites and search results. The update includes new details and examples on how to identify untrustworthy websites and content, especially in the context of misinformation and fraudulent behavior. This is the first update to the guidelines since November 2023, and it reflects Google’s ongoing efforts to improve the quality and reliability of its search engine.
What are the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines?
The Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines are a comprehensive 170-page document that Google uses to train its quality raters, a group of contractors who evaluate websites and search results based on various criteria. The quality raters do not directly influence search rankings, but they provide feedback that helps Google refine its algorithms and improve its search quality.
The guidelines cover various aspects of website and content quality, such as expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness (E-A-T), page quality, needs met, and beneficial purpose. The guidelines also provide examples of high-quality, low-quality, and untrustworthy pages and websites, as well as instructions on how to rate them.
What are the new updates to the guidelines?
According to the changelog on page 170 of the document, Google has “updated characteristics of untrustworthy pages and added illustrative examples”. The new information is on page 35, Section 4.5, titled “Untrustworthy Webpages or Websites”.
Google has expanded the list of characteristics that quality raters should look for when assessing the trustworthiness of a webpage or website. The document now states that a page should be considered untrustworthy if it contains “multiple or significant factual inaccuracies on an informational page which would cause users to lose trust in the webpage as a reliable source of information”.
The document also provides illustrative examples of untrustworthy pages and websites, such as:
- A webpage that claims to provide medical advice, but contains false or misleading information that contradicts established medical consensus.
- A webpage that claims to offer financial services, but asks users to provide personal or sensitive information without proper security or verification.
- A webpage that claims to be a news source, but contains fabricated or distorted stories that are intended to deceive or manipulate users.
The document also explains how quality raters should rate untrustworthy pages and websites, depending on the query and the user’s intent. For example, if a user is looking for factual information, an untrustworthy page should be rated as “Fails to Meet” (FailsM), the lowest rating possible. However, if a user is looking for entertainment or satire, an untrustworthy page may be rated as “Slightly Meets” (SlightlyM) or higher, as long as the page clearly indicates its nature and purpose.
Why are these updates important?
The updates to the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines are important because they show how Google is trying to combat misinformation and untrustworthy websites, which are becoming more prevalent and sophisticated on the internet. By providing more detailed and specific guidance on how to identify and rate untrustworthy pages and websites, Google is aiming to improve the quality and reliability of its search results, and to provide users with more trustworthy and accurate information.
The updates also have implications for website owners and SEO professionals, who should be aware of these changes and strive to create high-quality, trustworthy content that meets Google’s standards. By following the best practices and principles outlined in the guidelines, website owners and SEO professionals can improve their chances of ranking well on Google and providing a positive user experience.
