A significant update to Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines (QRG) provides clearer definitions and broader coverage of various deceptive practices that raters are expected to identify. This revision aligns with Google’s ongoing effort to fine-tune the guidelines, enabling raters to detect increasingly nuanced indicators of content quality.
TL/DR
Authenticity is a fundamental pillar of sustainable SEO and content development.
Quality Guidelines Section 4.5.3
Section 4.5.3 of the Quality Rater Guidelines has been substantially revised for improved clarity and comprehensiveness, with a particular focus on identifying a broader range of deceptive practices. This expansion suggests that previous versions may not have sufficiently guided raters in recognizing certain types of manipulation. It also implies that Google is preparing its algorithms to better detect these behaviors in the future.
The updated heading of Section 4.5.3 reflects this shift, signaling a more detailed and expansive approach compared to the original version.
The section title changed from this:
4.5.3 Deceptive Page Purpose and Deceptive MC Design
To this:
4.5.3 Deceptive Page Purpose, Deceptive Information about the Website, Deceptive Design
The entire section has been subtly revised and restructured to enhance clarity. While it does not introduce an entirely new policy, it represents a more detailed and nuanced articulation of existing guidelines, supplemented by a few newly added elements.
Deceptive Purpose
The following newly added paragraph in the guidelines addresses deceptive intent:
Deceptive purpose:
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A webpage with deliberately inaccurate information to promote products in order to make money from clicks on monetized links. Examples include a product recommendation page on a website falsely impersonating a celebrity blog, or a product recommendation based on a false claim of personal, independent testing when no such testing was conducted.
It is highly likely that Google employs algorithmic signals and review processes to identify and demote or remove websites exhibiting such deceptive behavior. While minor misrepresentations may not always lead to an immediate drop in rankings, relying on misleading content introduces unnecessary risk.
Importantly, this guideline isn’t solely about the presence of false information—it targets the intent behind the content. A deceptive purpose involves the deliberate use of misinformation to manipulate user behavior for personal or financial gain. In contrast, content with an authentic purpose is grounded in transparency, trustworthiness, and genuine value for the user.
Deceptive EEAT Content
Google’s updated Quality Rater Guidelines now include a newly added section addressing deceptive representations of EEAT. While many SEO professionals refer to “adding EEAT” to their web pages, it’s important to understand that EEAT is not a set of elements that can simply be inserted. Rather, it reflects the holistic quality and credibility of a website, assessed through user interaction, content evaluation, and the broader signals a site naturally generates.
Guidance about fake EEAT content:
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A website falsely claiming to operate a physical “brick-and-mortar” store, when in reality it only exists online. While being an online-only business is entirely legitimate, fabricating a physical presence using fake photos or addresses is considered deceptive.
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Content that features made-up or AI-generated profiles, including fictitious authors or creators, intended to give the false impression that content was written by real individuals with credible identities.
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Author or creator profiles that inaccurately present credentials or professional backgrounds. For example, falsely claiming medical or academic qualifications to make the content appear more authoritative than it truly is.
Deceptive Content, Buttons, And Links
The updated Quality Rater Guidelines also address manipulative design patterns—tactics that intentionally mislead users into performing unintended actions. These practices represent a more severe form of deception and are unlikely to be relevant to legitimate, well-maintained websites.
The following additions expand the section on deceptive design elements:
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Pages that include buttons or links—particularly within pop-ups, interstitials, or page content—that appear to serve one purpose (e.g., closing a pop-up) but instead perform a different, unexpected action, such as initiating a download or redirecting to another site.
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Pages with titles that misrepresent the actual content—such as using a headline unrelated to the body of the page—can leave users feeling misled, as the content does not align with their expectations based on the title.
Essential Conclusions
Google’s January 2025 update to its Search Quality Rater Guidelines introduces several important clarifications and expansions in how deceptive content is defined and identified. These changes are designed to help raters better recognize manipulation that may mislead users or artificially influence search rankings. The most notable updates include:
1. Broader Definition of Deceptive Purpose
- Section 4.5.3 now includes more explicit examples of deceptive intent, such as fabricated endorsements or false claims of product testing.
- This update emphasizes that deception is not limited to misinformation—it also includes the underlying intent to mislead users for commercial or manipulative gain.
2. Targeting Deceptive EEAT Content
A newly added subsection addresses attempts to falsely convey expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (EEAT), including:
- Fake business information (e.g., claiming to operate a physical storefront that doesn’t exist).
- Fictitious author profiles or AI-generated personas intended to simulate credibility.
- Fabricated claims of expertise or professional credentials.
3. Deceptive Design and User Interface (UI) Practices
The update also draws attention to misleading or manipulative UI elements, such as:
- Buttons that appear to close pop-ups but instead trigger unintended actions (e.g., initiating downloads).
- Page titles that do not reflect the actual content, creating a misleading user experience.
These enhancements reflect Google’s continued focus on promoting authenticity, transparency, and user trust by equipping quality raters with clearer standards to identify low-quality or deceptive content.
