Google Fred is an unofficial name given to one of the search engine giant’s ranking algorithm updates that was first noted in March 2017. The update was seen to have significantly impacted the rankings of some websites on Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). It was initially observed by the SEO community, with many affected websites seeing a drop in traffic by between 50-90 percent. After an intense buzz in the digital marketing community, Google’s own Gary Illyes confirmed the update on Twitter, tongue-in-cheek naming it ‘Fred’ – hence the unofficial name that stuck even though Google itself has not provided any official acknowledgment or a detailed explanation of the update.
The most notable impact of the Fred update was felt by websites that provided low-value content aimed primarily at generating revenue rather than providing value to users. More specifically, it impacted sites that are overloaded with ads, have low-quality backlinks, and thin, low-quality content. Basically, the sites that didn’t adhere to Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
Webmasters World Forum and Barry Schwartz from Search Engine Land first highlighted Fred’s impact. Members and readers noticed sudden traffic drops, especially on content sites oriented towards revenue generation over user value. A study conducted by Sistrix, analyzing 300 domains, concluded that an “overwhelmingly majority” of affected sites had two things in common – they were content sites (blogs with articles and videos) and they existed to generate ad and affiliate revenue.
Fred’s existence emphasizes Google’s ongoing push to prioritize quality content that offers users genuine value over pages made purely for revenue generation. For example, a finance blog published thin content wrapped around affiliate links would be hit by Fred. Instead, Google would favor a site that posted well-researched, comprehensive articles about financial matters, truly aiming at educating readers.
SEO practitioners recommend sticking to Google’s Quality Guidelines to avoid being penalized by updates like Fred. Strategies include creating high-quality, unique, and relevant content, ensuring a good user experience (without excessive ads), having a secure (HTTPS) and mobile-friendly site, among others.
Sources:
1. Search Engine Land – “New, unconfirmed Google ranking update ‘Fred’ shakes the SEO world”.
2. Sistrix – “Google Update ‘Fred’ – Analysis and Findings of websites which lost visibility”.
3. Google Webmaster Central Blog – “More guidance on building high-quality sites”.
An important thing to remember is that Google is continually updating its algorithms to improve the search experience for users, and Fred is a part of this process. Even if Google does not definitively outline each algorithmic adjustment, the overall message remains the same: aim to provide the best possible experience for users with quality, useful, original content and a clean, user-friendly website.
