This item analyse the accusations brought against Google regarding the decline in SEO naturalness of directories and niche sites in its results research.
Introduction
Google became the engine of research dominant in the world, but its control over the internet raises questions. Websites accusing Google bias in its results research multiply and Google is regularly subject to antitrust investigations. In this article, we will look in more detail at the issue of censorship in the results of research Google, in particular regarding the sites of SEO.
The drop in directory traffic in the results
Directories and other sites SEO as Yellow Pages or Ooreka traditionally occupied important places in the results of research Google thanks to the strong local and sectoral anchoring of their content. However, for several years, their traffic from Google dropped drastically, for the benefit of giants like Amazon, TripAdvisor or Expedia.
According to the testimonies of numerous reference site editors, their pages find themselves relegated far in the results, sometimes even absent, while they should logically appear at the top for certain local or niche keywords. Google ensures that these changes meet the evolving expectations of Internet users, but the question of an algorithmic bias in favor of large advertisers arises.
Complaints for anticompetitive practices
Several associations and authorities of the concurrence have launched investigations into the practices of Google vis-à-vis third-party sites. In France, the authority of the concurrence inflicted in 2019 a fine of 150 million euros engine of research for abuse of dominant position, believing that it favored its own comparator services in its results.
Also in the United States, groups of sites like the IAL have filed a complaint against Google for anti-competitive practices. According to them, by modifying its algorithms over the years to give priority to large platforms, Google deprives them of a substantial part of their organic traffic, forcing them to spend colossal sums on paid advertising.
Towards more transparency on results
To restore public confidence and concurrence loyal, it seems necessary that Google demonstrate more transparency on the actual functioning of its engine of research. The European Union has already imposed fines on Google for lack of algorithmic transparency.
Several experts believe that independent verification of algorithms classification is necessary to ensure the absence of bias. The implementation of tools allowing sites to better audit their own SEO would also be likely to ease tensions.
