25 Aug, 2021

Is Your Recruitment Site Ready for Google’s Link Spam Algorithm Update?

ink Spam Algorithm Update
Recruitment agencies need to have a strong link building strategy. Building links allows them to improve their online authority and increase their search rankings, which, in return, enables them to generate more traffic and enquiries. However, as with any SEO strategy, it’s essential to follow the rules and avoid abusing the system, especially now that Google has recently released its link spam algorithm update. 

Google Intensifies Campaign against Spammy Links

If your recruitment site has a significant number of outgoing and incoming links from partner websites, watch out. Google said it has rolled out what it calls the “link spam update“. According to the search giant, the algorithm update is part of measures to rid the web of spammy links and ensure that users have access to better and more accurate search results. 

Released on July 26th, 2021, the link spam update would affect global search results in multiple languages. Compared to previous updates, it is more effective at identifying and nullifying link spam. Folks at Google expected that the update rollout would take at least two weeks. As such, they warned site owners to expect fluctuating search rankings until the update takes full effect. 

Google’s link spam update primarily targets links from sponsored, guest, and affiliate content. Therefore, the search giant is urging site owners to mark these links with the appropriate rel values. It also emphasised the importance of avoiding shady link acquisition strategies and following Google’s guidelines against link schemes.

How to Optimise Your Recruitment Site for the Link Spam Update

If you want to avoid a potential penalty from Google, here are several pointers you should consider following the link spam algorithm update

1. For affiliate links

Affiliate links offer site owners the opportunity to generate additional income by allowing them to monetise their blogs or websites. To avoid being penalised by Google for having spammy affiliate links, site owners should qualify both manually and dynamically created affiliate links with the rel=”sponsored” tag. 

Google warned that inaction could have dire consequences. If site owners fail to qualify affiliate links appropriately, they could receive manual actions from the search giant. In case you didn’t know, when your recruitment site receives a manual action, some or all parts of your site won’t appear in Google search result pages. 

If the situation calls for it, Google may also lodge algorithmic actions against websites. Algorithmic actions also produce a similar effect that of manual actions. Either way, it could significantly hurt one’s search rankings and online visibility. 

2. For sponsored and guest posts

It is also a common strategy for site owners to publish sponsored and/or guest posts from other relevant websites. However, if you are considering publishing or already have published guest posts from other sites or partners in the recruitment industry, make sure they are of good quality. Also, check if they indeed provide value for your web visitors and not just link generating machines. Otherwise, your recruitment site might receive a penalty from Google. 

To avoid a manual or algorithmic action, you should apply the rel=”nofollow” tag to links in all guest posts on your site. If you have sponsored posts, check each link and mark it with rel=”sponsored”. 

3. Stay away from link schemes

Besides applying the appropriate rel values, you should also avoid link schemes that could hurt your recruitment site. Google has gotten more adept at identifying and nullifying link schemes, especially with the recent link spam algorithm update. Therefore, to avoid a potential decrease in search rankings and online visibility, you should never: 

  • Buy or sell links.
  • Provide free services in exchange for reviews with links.
  • Engage in excessive “link to me and I’ll link to you” exchanges.
  • Use automated programmes or services to create links.
  • Run a massive guest posting campaign and create content with keyword-rich anchor text links.

Instead of resorting to any of these link schemes, you should follow the best link building practices to avoid spammy links. 

Always Observe Good Link Building

Link building has always been an invaluable strategy for many recruiters. It allows them to establish themselves as a recruitment authority and increase their search ranking. At the same time, it enables them to generate a significant amount of referral traffic and leads. 

However, as with all online marketing strategies, it’s always important to follow the rules and observe good link building strategies to avoid Google penalties. Therefore, to sum it up, make sure to: 

  • Tag links in affiliate or sponsored posts with rel=”sponsored”; and
  • Mark link in guest posts with rel=”nofollow”. 

If you have no time to check your links and optimise your recruitment site for Google’s latest algorithm update, we at Recruitment Traffic are happy to do this task on your behalf. While we’re at it, we can also provide you with the services you need to generate more traffic and leads for your site. Please speak with us today, and let’s discuss how we may help you. 

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