Google Search Central

In 2024, we introduced our site reputation policy to stop a practice where third-party content is published on a trusted website just to exploit that site’s good reputation to rank higher in Search. This practice hurts search quality, and creates a bad experience for users.

Earlier this month, we announced platform properties for Search Console, allowing you to track how your social and video posts on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube perform on Google Search, Discover, and Google News. Today, platform properties are globally available to everyone.

Content creators and publishers use many channels beyond their own websites to reach their audiences. As people gravitate toward firsthand perspectives and different content formats, we want to make it easier for site owners and creators—even those without their own website—to get a consolidated view of how all of their content is getting discovered on Search.

We’re excited to officially announce the next stop for Search Central Live Deep Dive Europe 2026! Mark your calendars: based directly on your feedback, we’re headed to Barcelona, Spain, from September 30 to October 2, 2026.

As we mentioned a few months ago, we are bringing the Search Central Live Deep Dive format to the EMEA region. This SCL format requires finding the absolute best home for the event—a place where all of you can truly connect, learn, and enjoy.

Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of new Search Generative AI performance reports in Search Console, including dedicated reports for Search and Discover, to help you understand your site’s visibility within generative AI features on Search.

As people increasingly gravitate to generative AI experiences and find information in new ways, we’re publishing a new resource to help website owners, SEOs, and developers understand how to optimize their content for appearance in generative AI features in Search, and in turn Google Search overall.

Today, we are expanding our spam policies to address a deceptive practice known as “back button hijacking”, which will become an explicit violation of the “malicious practices” of spam policies, leading to potential spam actions.

We are hosting Search Central Live Shanghai 2026 on May 15. This event is structured for the local community, with a specific focus on optimizing sites that target users outside of China.

Just a short note this time!