Google Search is getting a new update that will elevate original content and push back clickbait, according to a blog post Thursday.

In the coming weeks, updates to search will target content created by spam websites or bots meant to manipulate SEO, or search engine optimization. Instead, Google will aim to bring forward original content and reporting "made by and for people." Google said this Search update will be similar to the reviews update it did earlier this year that prioritized product reviews from experts rather than sites that summarized multiple products. Google will aim to improve results for educational, entertainment, shopping and tech-related content.

The update to search comes as people have shown themselves to be increasingly frustrated over the lack of quality search results. Threads on Reddit point to a degradation of valuable results and an increase in ads or sponsored content. Bloggers and publications such as The Atlantic say inferior results are a symptom of sites constantly trying to optimize for Google. Bing, DuckDuckGo and other search engines continue to compete against Google's dominance in search, but the company still holds a 91% market share.

In 2020, the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google over its dominance in search and its alleged efforts to suppress competition. Later that year, 38 attorneys general from states and territories filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google alleging it holds a search monopoly. Google countered by saying its popularity is because it has the best search product. The lawsuits are currently working their way through the legal system.

Source: CNET

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