Google have outwardly confirmed that an algorithm update did occur earlier in March which substantiates many claims within the SEO industry . The aforementioned “Fred” update seems to have affected low-value content and, more specifically, sites that prioritise ads, paid or affiliated content.
After much research and speculation, the confirmation eventually came from Gary Illyes who seemingly shrugged off the update as “obvious” via Twitter. Nevertheless, this confirmation does little to help those affected by the update as no details have been shared as to what the update was targeting. The only guidance provided by Google was that the updated was focused on techniques that have been documented in the Google Webmaster Guidelines.
If you have any questions related to the Fred update, or any previous algorithm updates, then please get in touch with our team.