{"id":617884,"date":"2024-04-22T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/"},"modified":"2024-04-22T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T13:00:00","slug":"structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"#Structure, consume, learn and retire: Google\u2019s pattern of learning"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a36c41416bdd\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a36c41416bdd\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/#Googles_cyclical_process_of_giving_us_capabilities_only_to_later_remove_them_seems_to_be_a_core_part_of_its_strategy\" >Google&#8217;s cyclical process of giving us capabilities only to later remove them, seems to be a core part of its strategy.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/#Googles_pattern_of_%E2%80%98give_and_take\" >Google\u2019s pattern of \u2018give and take\u2019<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/#Give_and_take_examples\" >Give and take examples<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/#1_Metadata\" >1. Metadata<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/#2_Schema_and_structured_data\" >2. Schema and structured data<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/#3_RelPrev_Next\" >3. Rel=Prev \/ Next<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/#4_Disavow_tool\" >4. Disavow tool<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/structure-consume-learn-and-retire-googles-pattern-of-learning\/#Unraveling_Googles_give-and-take_relationship_with_the_web\" >Unraveling Google\u2019s give-and-take relationship with the web<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Googles_cyclical_process_of_giving_us_capabilities_only_to_later_remove_them_seems_to_be_a_core_part_of_its_strategy\"><\/span>Google&#8217;s cyclical process of giving us capabilities only to later remove them, seems to be a core part of its strategy.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\nOver the years, Google has seemingly established a pattern in how it interacts with the web. The search engine provides structured data formats and tools that allow us to supply information to Google. Think: meta tags, schema markup, the disavow tool and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Google then consumes and learns from this structured data deployed across the web. Once sufficient learnings are extracted, Google then retires or de-emphasizes these structured data formats, making them less impactful or obsolete.<\/p>\n<p>This cyclical process of giving structured data capabilities, consuming the information, learning from it and then removing or diminishing those capabilities seems to be a core part of Google\u2019s strategy. <\/p>\n<p><!-- \/1038259\/SEL_Post-text --><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1693000027709-0\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-break\"><\/div>\n<p>It allows the search engine to temporarily empower SEOs and brands as a means to an end \u2013 extracting data to improve its algorithms and continually improve its understanding of the web. <\/p>\n<p>This article explores this \u201cgive and take\u201d pattern through several examples.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-google-s-pattern-of-give-and-take\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Googles_pattern_of_%E2%80%98give_and_take\"><\/span>Google\u2019s pattern of \u2018give and take\u2019<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The pattern can be divided into four stages:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Structure<\/strong>: Google provides structural ways to interact with search snippets or its ranking algorithms. For example, in the past, meta keywords could tell Google which keywords were relevant to a given webpage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consume<\/strong>: Google collects data from the web by crawling websites. This step is important. Without consuming data from the web, Google has nothing to learn from.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Learn<\/strong>: Google then leverages fresh crawl data, after its recommended structures are implemented. What were the reactions to Google\u2019s proposed tools or snippets of code? Were these useful changes, or were they abused? Google can now confidently make changes to its ranking algorithms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Retire<\/strong>: Once Google has learned what they can, there\u2019s no reason to rely on us to feed them structured information. Leaving such inbound data pipes intact will invariably lead to abuse over time, so the search engine must learn to survive without them. The suggested structure from Google is retired in many (though not all) instances.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The race is for the search engine to learn from webmasters\u2019 interactions with Google\u2019s suggested structure before they can learn to manipulate it. Google usually wins this race.<\/p>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t mean no one can leverage new structural items before Google discards them. It simply means that Google usually discards such items before illegitimate manipulations become widespread.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-give-and-take-examples\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Give_and_take_examples\"><\/span>Give and take examples<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-metadata\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Metadata\"><\/span>1. Metadata<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In the past, meta keywords and meta de<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">script<\/a>ions played crucial roles within Google\u2019s ranking algorithms. The initial support for meta keywords within search engines actually predates Google\u2019s founding in 1998.<\/p>\n<p>Deploying meta keywords was a way for a webpage to tell a search engine the terms for which the page should be findable. However, such a direct and useful bit of code was quickly abused.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Many webmasters injected thousands of keywords per page in the interest of getting more search traffic than was fair. It quickly led to the rise of low-quality websites filled with ads that unfairly converted acquired traffic into advertising income.<\/p>\n<p>In 2009, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2009\/09\/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag\">Google confirmed<\/a> what many had suspected for years. Google stated:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201c<em>At least for Google\u2019s web search results currently (September 2009), the answer is no. Google doesn\u2019t use the keywords meta tag in our web search ranking.<\/em>\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"568\" alt=\"Google does not use the keywords meta tag in web ranking\" class=\"wp-image-439755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking.png.webp 924w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking-550x338.png.webp 550w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking-800x492.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking-184x113.png.webp 184w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking-768x472.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking.png.webp\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"568\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking.png.webp\" alt=\"Google does not use the keywords meta tag in web ranking\" class=\"wp-image-439755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking.png.webp 924w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking-550x338.png.webp 550w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking-800x492.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking-184x113.png.webp 184w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Google-does-not-use-the-keywords-meta-tag-in-web-ranking-768x472.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Another example is the meta description, a snippet of code that Google supported since its early days. Meta descriptions were used as the snippet text under a link in Google search results.<\/p>\n<p>As Google improved, it started ignoring meta descriptions in certain situations. This is because users might discover a webpage through various Google keywords. <\/p>\n<p>If a webpage discusses multiple topics and a user searches for a term related to topic 3, showing a snippet with a description of topics 1 or 2 would not be helpful.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, Google began rewriting search snippets based on user search intent, sometimes ignoring a page\u2019s static meta description.<\/p>\n<p>In recent times, Google has shortened search snippets and even confirmed that they mostly examine a page\u2019s primary content when generating descriptive snippets.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-schema-and-structured-data\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Schema_and_structured_data\"><\/span>2. Schema and structured data<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Google introduced support schema (a form of structured data) in 2009.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Initially, it pushed the \u201cmicroformats\u201d style of schema, where individual elements had to be marked up within the HTML to feed structured or contextual information to Google.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"504\" height=\"470\" alt=\"Early structured data in Google SERPs\" class=\"wp-image-439756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Early-structured-data-in-Google-SERPs.png.webp 504w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Early-structured-data-in-Google-SERPs-362x338.png.webp 362w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Early-structured-data-in-Google-SERPs-121x113.png.webp 121w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 504px) 100vw, 504px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Early-structured-data-in-Google-SERPs.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"504\" height=\"470\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Early-structured-data-in-Google-SERPs.png.webp\" alt=\"Early structured data in Google SERPs\" class=\"wp-image-439756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Early-structured-data-in-Google-SERPs.png.webp 504w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Early-structured-data-in-Google-SERPs-362x338.png.webp 362w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Early-structured-data-in-Google-SERPs-121x113.png.webp 121w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 504px) 100vw, 504px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In terms of concept, this actually isn\u2019t too far removed from the thinking behind HTML meta tags. Surprisingly, a new coding syntax was adopted instead of just using meta tags more extensively.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the idea of schema markup was initially (and largely remains) to supply additional contextual information concerning data or code that is already deployed \u2013\u00a0which is similar to the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com\/definition\/american_english\/metadata\">definition of metadata<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201c<em>Information that describes other information in order to help you understand or use it<\/em>.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Both schema and metadata attempt to achieve this same goal. Information that describes other existing information to help the user leverage such information. However, the detail and structural hierarchy of schema (in the end) made it far more scalable and effective.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Google still uses schema for contextual awareness and detail concerning various web entities (e.g., webpages, organizations, reviews, videos, products \u2013 the list goes on).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That said, Google initially allowed schema to alter the visuals of a page\u2019s search listings with a great degree of control. You could easily add star ratings to your pages for Google\u2019s search results, making them stand out (visually) against competing web results.<\/p>\n<p>As usual, some began abusing these powers to outperform less SEO-aware competitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In February 2014, Google started talking about penalties for rich snippet spam. This was when people misused schema to make their search results look better than others, even though the information behind them was wrong. For example, a site without reviews purports a 5-star aggregate review rating (clearly false).<\/p>\n<p>Fast-forward to 2024, and while still situationally useful, schema is not as powerful as it once was. Delivery is easier, thanks to Google\u2019s JSON-LD preference. However, schema no longer has the absolute power to control the visuals of a search listing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-rel-prev-next\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_RelPrev_Next\"><\/span>3. Rel=Prev \/ Next<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Rel=\u201dprev\u201d and rel=\u201dnext\u201d were two HTML attributes Google <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2011\/09\/pagination-with-relnext-and-relprev\">suggested in 2011<\/a>. The idea was to help Google develop more contextual awareness of how certain types of paginated addresses were interrelated:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"899\" height=\"550\" alt=\"Rel=\" prev and rel=\"next\" per google class=\"wp-image-439757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google.png.webp 899w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google-552x338.png.webp 552w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google-800x489.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google-185x113.png.webp 185w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google-768x470.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 899px) 100vw, 899px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"899\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google.png.webp\" alt=\"Rel=\" prev and rel=\"next\" per google class=\"wp-image-439757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google.png.webp 899w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google-552x338.png.webp 552w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google-800x489.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google-185x113.png.webp 185w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Rel22prev22-and-rel22next22-per-Google-768x470.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 899px) 100vw, 899px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Eight years later, Google announced they no longer supported it. They also said they hadn\u2019t supported this kind of coding for a while, suggesting support ended around 2016, just five years after the suggestions were first made.<\/p>\n<p>Many were understandably annoyed because the tags were fiddly to implement, often requiring actual web developers to re-code aspects of website themes. <\/p>\n<p>Increasingly, it seemed as if Google would suggest complex code changes in one moment only to ditch them the next. In reality, it is likely that Google had simply learned all it needed from the rel=prev \/ next experiment.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-disavow-tool\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Disavow_tool\"><\/span>4. Disavow tool<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In October 2012, the web buzzed with <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> of Google\u2019s new <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2012\/10\/a-new-tool-to-disavow-links\">Disavow links<\/a> tool.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"881\" height=\"583\" alt=\"Link disavow tool - Google\" class=\"wp-image-439758\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google.png.webp 881w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google-511x338.png.webp 511w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google-800x529.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google-171x113.png.webp 171w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google-768x508.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 881px) 100vw, 881px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"881\" height=\"583\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google.png.webp\" alt=\"Link disavow tool - Google\" class=\"wp-image-439758\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google.png.webp 881w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google-511x338.png.webp 511w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google-800x529.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google-171x113.png.webp 171w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Link-disavow-tool-Google-768x508.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 881px) 100vw, 881px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In April 2012, Google released the Penguin update, which caused the web to be in turmoil. The update targeted spammy off-site activity (link building) heavily, and many websites saw manual action notices appear within the Search Console (then named Webmaster Tools).<\/p>\n<p>Using the Disavow tool, you could upload lists of linking pages or domains they would like to exclude from Google\u2019s ranking algorithms. If these uploaded links largely agreed with Google\u2019s own internal assessment of the backlink profile, the active manual penalty may then have been lifted.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This would give back a \u201cfair\u201d amount of Google traffic to their site, though obviously, with part of their backlink profile now \u201cdisavowed\u201d \u2013 post-penalty traffic was usually lower than pre-penalty traffic.<\/p>\n<p>As such, the SEO community had a relatively low opinion of the tool. Usually, a complete backlink removal or disavow project was necessary. Having less traffic after the penalty was better than having no traffic at all.<\/p>\n<p>Disavow projects haven\u2019t been necessary for years. Google now says that anyone still offering this service is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.seroundtable.com\/google-double-downs-on-not-using-link-disavow-files-35031.html\">using outdated practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In recent years, Google\u2019s John Mueller has been extremely critical of those selling \u201cdisavow\u201d or \u201ctoxic links\u201d work. It seems as if Google no longer wants us to use this tool; certainly, they do not advise us on its usage (and haven\u2019t in many years).<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper. Toxic links and disavows: A comprehensive SEO guide<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-unraveling-google-s-give-and-take-relationship-with-the-web\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Unraveling_Googles_give-and-take_relationship_with_the_web\"><\/span>Unraveling Google\u2019s give-and-take relationship with the web<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google provides tools or code snippets for SEOs to manipulate its search results in minor ways. Once Google gains insights from these deployments, such features are frequently phased out. Google grants us a limited amount of temporary control to facilitate its long-term learning and adaptation.<\/p>\n<p>Does this make these small, temporary releases from Google useless? There are two ways of looking at this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Some people will say, \u201c<em>Don\u2019t jump on the bandwagon! These temporary deployments\u00a0 aren\u2019t worth the effort they require.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Others will say, \u201c<em>Google gives us temporary opportunities for control, so you need to take advantage before they vanish.<\/em>\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In truth, there is no right or wrong answer. It depends on your ability to adapt to web changes efficiently. <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re comfortable with quick changes, implement what you can and react fast. If your organization lacks the expertise or resources for quick changes, it\u2019s not worth following trends blindly.<\/p>\n<p>I think this ebb and flow of give and take doesn\u2019t necessarily make Google evil or bad. Any business will leverage its unique assets to drive further learning and commercial activity. <\/p>\n<p>In this instance, we are one of Google\u2019s assets. Whether you wish for this relationship (between yourself and Google) to continue is up to you.<\/p>\n<p>You could choose not to cooperate with Google\u2019s temporary power, long-term learning trade deals. However, this may leave you at a competitive disadvantage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"about-author\">\n    About the author<\/p>\n<div class=\"information\">\n<div class=\"author-module\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 text-center\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" alt=\"James Allen\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2023\/09\/James-Allen.jpeg.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2023\/09\/James-Allen.jpeg.webp\" alt=\"James Allen\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\">\n                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-9\">\n<div class=\"about\">\n<div class=\"name\">\n                            <strong>James Allen<\/strong>\n                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"row g-2 pt-2\">\n<div class=\"col-auto\">\n                                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/scriptedinsight\/\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\"><\/i><\/a>\n                                <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        Hailing from the Midlands of the United Kingdom; James Allen has been working in search since 2009. Specialising in technical SEO early in his career, he is an auditor who is capable of ascertaining his own data. With a solid knowledge of XPath and some working knowledge of Python, James also dabbles in AI scripting (for example, combining the functions of BLIP with Open-AI&#8217;s GPT suite of technologies). James decided to split his career between then technical SEO, light API scripting and Analytics support disciplines. Due to this, he also has high familiarity with Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager and managing custom events within the data layer. James specialises in page-speed analysis, and utilising AI for SEO purposes.                  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/structure-consume-learn-retire-google-pattern-learning-439753\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Google&#8217;s cyclical process of giving us capabilities only to later remove them, seems to be a core part of its strategy. Over the years, Google has seemingly established a pattern in how it interacts with the web. The search engine provides structured data formats and tools that allow us to supply information to Google. Think:&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":617885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/04\/Structure-consume-learn-and-retire-Googles-pattern-of-learning.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[26293,78070],"class_list":["post-617884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-google","tag-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/617884","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=617884"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/617884\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/617885"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=617884"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=617884"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=617884"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}