Google is getting tougher on Discover and imposing manual penalties for lack of transparency. Here are some best practices to avoid penalties.
Google Discover occupies a strategic position in the online media ecosystem. This personalized content feed, integrated into the Google app and on the search engine’s mobile homepage, has become the primary source of traffic for many French publishers, far ahead of organic search.
With Google recently formalizing the rollout of Discover on desktop, a tightening of distribution rules appears to be on the horizon. Indeed, several publishers have recently received manual penalties specifically targeting their content on Discover. This rare move raises questions about practices to avoid and the criteria to meet to maintain online visibility.
Discover Targeted by Manual Penalties, a Strategic Shift by Google?
Until now, Discover has largely remained outside the scope of Google’s manual penalties, which primarily affected Search. This is no longer the case. Some publishers report receiving official notifications in their Search Console, informing them that their “site” is violating Google’s “transparency policy,” and primarily targeting Discover or Google News content, reports Abondance.
Your site violates our transparency guidelines because it does not clearly display certain information, including a date, the author’s name, information about the author, the publication, the publisher, the company or network that provided the source, and contact information, the Search Console notification states.
This issue, which “affects all pages” of the site, can result in “reduced display capabilities in Google search results and lower rankings,” or even the removal of the results pages altogether. However, as with other manual penalties, a reconsideration request is possible from Search Console, provided the problematic practices have been corrected.
Why these manual interventions from Google?
It’s unclear whether Google has changed its criteria or is more strictly applying an existing policy. What is certain is that these penalties come after a series of controversies surrounding AI-generated content. In late March, a France Télévisions investigation revealed the presence of numerous fake media sites in Discover, powered by automated texts and fictitious authors. A few weeks later, a site accused of massive plagiarism was blocked in France, with several thousand articles being reprinted daily.
Our anti-spam systems combat the mass production of low-quality content, ensuring that the majority of this content is excluded from Discover, Google explains.
Google, directly cited in these cases, reiterated that its filters aim to exclude misleading or low-quality content, and that it prohibits the monetization of what it considers “spam” through its services. The company also claims that its systems are better at detecting abuse than before, particularly those related to automated production. These public statements, combined with a context of increasing media and regulatory pressure, could explain the recent increase in actions and sanctions against Discover.
How to get compliant to stay visible on Discover
The latest penalties observed on Google Discover send a clear message to publishers and SEO professionals. Google appears to be paying particular attention to editorial responsibility, transparency, and clarity of information provided about authors and publishing organizations. Several adjustments can be considered to meet these requirements and limit the risk of penalties.
Here are the main recommendations to follow:
- Clearly identify authors: Each piece of content must include a clearly identified author, with a full biography. This should no longer be just a name, but an authentic profile that includes expertise, team role, and a link to other publications.
- Strengthen the “About” page: This page should provide concrete information about the site’s publisher or editorial team. Presenting key team members, the editorial project, and the media’s values helps strengthen credibility in the eyes of Google.
- Update legal notices and contact information: Clear legal notices and a functional contact method are among the expected signals of trust. These elements must be easily accessible from all pages of the site.
- Specify the use of AI: If content is produced or co-produced using artificial intelligence tools, this information must be explicitly stated. The goal is to ensure transparency for both readers and Google’s algorithms.
- Ensure essential metadata is present: Public pages must include standardized markup, such as structured data, author information, publication date, and indexing information. Missing or inconsistent metadata may affect the page’s distribution in Discover.
Of course, these elements alone are not enough to perform well on Discover. For this, you will find our recommendations on content quality in our article “Google Discover: 10 tips to generate more audience”.
