Google updates rules on product-review site rankings in search

The situation: A Google rule change caused traffic to product-review sites like CNN Underscored and Buy Side from the WSJ to drop over 25% year over year in January, per The Wall Street Journal.

The details: Google last year introduced a “site reputation abuse” policy that bars content “created by a separate entity” from appearing in search results.

• Google told The Journal that the policy aimed to ensure it delivers users higher-quality search results and that affiliate content and freelancers aren’t, on their own, violations of its policy.
• Despite this, sites like Forbes Vetted, which rely on freelancers for reviews, saw their search rankings plummet. In contrast, publishers like The New York Times’ Wirecutter and Vox Media’s The Strategist, which manage content in-house, were unaffected.

Why it matters: The policy change drove some product-review sites—including Time Magazine’s Time Stamped and the Associated Press’s AP Buyline, powered by Taboola Turnkey Commerce—to shut down. Others, like Forbes Vetted and Buy Side, have had to adjust their business models by relying on full-time staff.

Not only did the shift disrupt a once-lucrative business for news sites, it also hindered a key channel for retailers and brands to build awareness and drive sales through affiliate links.