Key Updates in Digital Marketing
December brought significant news for digital marketing professionals, with Google releasing two major updates. The first update, known as the December main update, began on December 12 and was completed in just six days. The second update focused on improving Google’s spam algorithm.
Understanding the December Main Update
This update generated excitement among SEO experts, as it arrived just a month after the main update in November. Google explained that this update is part of its continuous effort to improve different fundamental systems of its search engine.
Unlike other updates, this one was implemented quickly and caused notable volatility in third-party tracking tools. However, for websites that had already been penalized in the November update, expectations of recovery with this new update are low.
The Impact of the December Main Update
The update was rolled out in just six days, which is a relatively short period. This quick implementation may have contributed to the significant increase in results seen in third-party tracking tools.
Spam Update: What You Need to Know
A day after completing the major update, Google rolled out an update focused on improving its spam algorithm. The December 2024 Anti-Spam Update applies globally and to all languages, and its implementation may take up to a week to complete.
This update targets sites that violate Google’s spam policies and is not expected to affect most sites. Google uses a system called SpamBrain, an artificial intelligence-based spam prevention system, to control spam websites.
Previous Spam Updates
The last spam update was made on June 20, 2024, and took seven days to complete. Google periodically improves its spam prevention system to better detect spam and ensure that it detects new types of spam.