What to Do:
Move content to new domains that do not have a good reputation.
Use “noindex” tags and make proper reconsideration requests.
Apply “nofollow” attributes for any necessary cross-linking.
Affiliate Content Gets Green Light
Good news for publishers: Google confirmed that affiliate content is not affected by this policy.
The documentation clarifies:
“The policy is not about targeting affiliate content… Affiliate links marked appropriately aren’t considered site reputation abuse.”
To comply, publishers must properly mark their affiliate links. This means you can continue to earn money through legitimate strategies while following the new rules.
Technical Implementation Guidelines
For websites under manual action, Google has outlined important technical requirements:
Using a noindex tag alone will not remove the penalty automatically.
You must submit reconsideration requests through Search Console.
You need to document all steps taken to fix the issues.
The documentation reads:
“You still need to reply to the manual action in Search Console and explain that the content has been noindexed. We recommend doing this rather than letting the manual action remain against your site.”
The guidance also addresses linking practices:
“If you link from the old site to the new site, make use of the nofollow attribute for those links on the old site.”
Forward-Looking Implications
This FAQ release shows that Google is improving how it communicates policy changes.
The clarifications arrive at a crucial time as publishers work to align their strategies with Google’s evolving standards while maintaining sustainable businesses.
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