New Research Explains Why Google Search Sucks Now

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Has Google Search gotten worse lately? Many regular users seem to think so. Just try Googling the phrase “Google Search Sucks” to see what I mean. But new research confirms it’s not just nostalgia for the good old days – Google’s search quality may actually suck now compared to just a few years ago.

TL;DR:

• Study by German researchers finds Google struggling with SEO spam in top search results
• Low-quality, affiliate link-loaded sites increasingly prevail, especially for product queries
• Critics argue Google now prioritizes profits over user experience and search quality
• Emergence of AI search products like ChatGPT threatens Google’s dominance
• Google claims 99% spam-free results, but researchers say more attention needed on search spam issue

Google Search Is So Bad That Researchers Wanted To Study Why It Sucked So Hard

A group of leading scholars from Germany decided to put Google’s search performance to the test. The study by Bevendorff et al. (2024) suggests that Google Search, once the undisputed king of online information, might be losing its throne.

The researchers examined over 7,000 product review queries on Google, Bing and DuckDuckGo over the course of a year. The results highlight a concerning trend: the increasing presence of low-quality content in search results. This low-quality content often comes in the form of:

• Review farms: Websites churning out superficial and generic reviews, often lacking valuable insights or personal experiences.
• Affiliate websites: Content designed primarily to drive sales for specific products, potentially containing biased or misleading information.
• Content farms: Websites mass-producing vast amounts of generic content, often irrelevant to the user’s specific query.

These websites exploit loopholes in search engine algorithms, prioritizing factors like keyword stuffing over genuine value and user experience. This phenomenon is particularly concerning in product searches, where users rely heavily on reviews and comparisons to make informed decisions.

Google struggled to keep sites with misleading product reviews out of its top search results. In other words, the researchers agree with everyone else: Google Search sucks now.

Why is Google search getting worse?

The researchers found that low-quality “SEO spam” sites are increasingly dominating the first page of Google results, especially for product-related searches. These sites are more focused on earning affiliate fees and driving e-commerce sales than providing quality information to users. It’s become very easy for them to use search engine optimization tactics to manipulate Google’s ranking algorithm.

But what’s causing this decline in Google Search quality? The answer is multifaceted:

• Algorithmic limitations: Google’s search algorithms, while sophisticated, might prioritize factors like keyword density over content quality and relevance. This can lead to irrelevant or low-quality content ranking higher in search results.
• Evolving search intent: The way people search for information is constantly changing. Google Search might struggle to keep pace with these shifts in user intent, leading to mismatched results that don’t truly address the user’s needs.
• The rise of voice search: The growing popularity of voice search presents unique challenges for search engines. Voice queries are often phrased differently compared to text-based searches, and algorithms might struggle to interpret the intent and context behind them.

While Google still outperformed rivals Bing and DuckDuckGo overall, its failures are magnified due to its over 90% market share. And this study suggests that despite Google’s assurances, it is losing the “cat-and-mouse game” against SEO spam.

Profits Take Priority Instead Of Improving The Google Search User Experience

Critics like technology writer Cory Doctorow argue this is a sign of “enshittification” at Google. As the search engine matures, he believes Google now prioritizes profits over quality user experience. It spends billions to remain the default search option, while allowing spammy sites to increasingly game its algorithm.

And Google’s search dominance may be under serious threat. AI-powered search tools like OpenAI‘s ChatGPT and Microsoft‘s revamped Bing search using OpenAI technology are emerging as potential challengers. Google has responded by previewing its own AI chatbots Bard and Gemini and adding AI features to search – but so far hasn’t made a dent in Bing’s tiny market share.

Google claims its algorithms still keep search “99% spam free” and says it’s constantly improving to address issues like SEO spam. But this study concluded that more attention needs to be paid to the rise of “dynamic adversarial spam” undermining search engine quality.

Google Search Sucks. So, what does this mean for you?

So has Google search gotten measurably worse based on the evidence? It certainly seems to be the case.

So, what does this mean for you? Google Search sucks now, but there are ways to navigate this new crappy reality:

• Be skeptical of the first page results: Don’t just settle for the top results. Dig deeper, explore different pages, and look for websites with established reputations and a history of producing high-quality content.
• Pay attention to the source: Before trusting any information you find online, check the website’s source and credibility. Look for author information, website reputation, and any potential biases the content might contain.
• Refine your search queries: Experiment with different keywords and phrases.
• Use an alternate search engine: If Google sucks now, then try Bing, DuckDuckGo or another search engine. Don’t just suffer through the suckiness.

Will Google Fix Search?

As AI transforms Internet search in coming years, Google will have to step-up its game to maintain its dominance. Users accustomed to the “good old days” of Google won’t settle for cluttered results full of ads and spam forever.

New study finds increase in low-quality #SEOspam and misleading content in @Google search results. Has @Google search quality really declined? #GoogleSearch Share on X