GOOGLE UPDATED ITS SITE REPUTATION POLICY.
Google's site reputation policy targets third-party content placed on a trusted site to borrow its rankings. On August 28, 2026 Google changed how the policy is enforced in Europe and spelled out, with examples, what it looks at. If you publish sponsored posts, partner pages or coupon sections, or pay to appear on someone else's site, here is what changed.
AT A GLANCE
By Conqueror Capital · Published
The change: Google announced the site reputation policy update on August 28, 2026, taking effect August 30, 2026.1
WHAT CHANGED
Google introduced its site reputation policy in 2024 to stop a practice where third-party content is published on a trusted website just to exploit that site's reputation to rank higher.1 In November 2024 Google said using third-party content to exploit a site's ranking signals violates the policy regardless of first-party involvement or oversight.3
On August 28, 2026, Google said that following discussion with the European Commission it is adjusting its enforcement approach within the European Economic Area (EEA) and clarifying the criteria it considers when applying the policy.1 Google's documentation changelog lists the policy update on the same date.4
Beginning August 30, 2026:1
- Outside the EEA, a manual action under the policy directly affects search results for the affected portion of the site. As before, the rest of the site isn't affected.
- Inside the EEA, the impact of the manual action won't apply. The affected section may be separated in Google's systems so that, over time, it ranks independently from the rest of the site.
Google says it will lift previous manual actions under this policy for pages in search results shown to users in the EEA.2
WHAT THE POLICY SAYS NOW
The policy applies where third-party content is published on a host site mainly because of that host's established ranking signals, earned primarily from its first-party content.2 Third-party content includes content from users, freelancers, white-label services and people not employed directly by the host site.2
Google says having third-party content alone isn't inconsistent with the policy; it only becomes a problem if the content is published mainly because of the host site's ranking signals.2 Examples Google says are not inconsistent include press release services, user-generated content such as forums and comment sections, and advertorial or native advertising pages whose purpose is to share content directly with readers rather than to manipulate rankings.2
THE FOUR FACTORS
When Google performs a human review, it says the goal is to decide whether the content has enough input, editorial oversight or contribution from the host to be fully integrated with the main site. The factors may include:2
- Presentation. Is the design, formatting and typography consistent with the host site?
- Quality. Are there quality issues that don't appear on the main site?
- Authorship. Is someone clearly acknowledged as responsible for the content?
- Duplication. Does the same or near-identical content appear on multiple other sites?
Google says no single factor is necessary or sufficient on its own.2 One of its worked examples is a publisher's coupons section run with a partner: clearly disclosed as commercial, curated, easy to navigate from the main site and with a way to report problems. Google says it is unlikely to take action there.2 By contrast, an unauthored affiliate article copied from a marketplace and not linked from the rest of the publication is likely to get action.2
WHO IT AFFECTS
- Businesses that host partner content, such as a supplier's "sponsored" article, a coupon or deals page run by a third party, or pages written by a white-label vendor.
- Businesses that pay to be featured on a local news site, chamber or directory. If the same article is syndicated to many sites, that matches Google's duplication factor.2
- Businesses whose SEO vendor sells "placements" on high-authority sites as a ranking tactic, which is the practice the policy targets.1
- Businesses with EEA audiences, where the effect of a manual action now differs from the rest of the world.1
WHAT TO DO NOW
- List every page on your site that someone else wrote or supplied. For each, ask the four questions above: does it look like your site, meet your quality bar, name who is responsible, and exist only here?
- Label commercial content. Google's examples reward clear disclosure and editorial responsibility.2
- Link it properly or remove it. A section nobody can reach from your main navigation is one of the warning signs in Google's examples.2
- Ask your vendors whether they place the same article on many sites. Our guide on choosing a local SEO agency lists more questions.
- Watch Search Console. Google says owners are still notified there and can request reconsideration; eligible sites can then take disputes to mediation.1
Original, useful pages about your own services are the safer route. See our local landing pages guide, or talk to us about local SEO.
SOURCES
- Google Search Central Blog, Update to the Site Reputation Policy, August 28, 2026.
- Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search, last updated August 28, 2026.
- Google Search Central Blog, Updating our site reputation abuse policy, November 19, 2024.
- Google Search Central, Latest Google Search documentation updates, entry dated August 28, 2026.
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