Google's spam update and site reputation rules

E916: I break down one of the most extreme search visibility collapses I've ever seen.

Cointelegraph - one of the largest and most established crypto news sites in the world - went from over 4 million monthly Google clicks to roughly 75,000 in a matter of weeks. Even branded searches stopped returning their website.

This episode explains what actually happened, why this was not a crypto-wide issue, and what publishers should learn from it.

What we cover in this episode: - The exact timeline of Cointelegraph's traffic collapse - Why this was likely more than an algorithmic update - How Google's site reputation abuse policy played a central role - The quiet launch of casino, betting, and iGaming directories - Why low-quality third-party content is especially risky for trusted brands - Signs that this was a manual penalty, not normal volatility - Why Cointelegraph disappeared even for branded searches - How similar situations have affected major publishers in the past - What this means for crypto media, news sites, and content publishers - How revenue diversification can backfire when it's misaligned with editorial focus

Key takeaway:

This was not Google "shadow banning crypto." This was a case study in what happens when a trusted publisher extends its authority into unrelated, high-risk commercial content - especially when third parties are involved.

Even the biggest brands are vulnerable when transparency, alignment, and editorial integrity break down.

This episode also explains: - Why some penalties are recoverable and others are not - How publishers can diversify revenue without risking search visibility - Why building in-house products is safer than affiliate-heavy strategies - The role transparency plays in long-term trust and E-E-A-T

If you're a publisher, SEO, founder, or operator who depends on organic search traffic, this episode is required listening.

⭐️ Pere Monguió Montells's deep dive - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pere-monguio_a-deep-dive-into-cointelegraphs-google-ban-activity-7393924228103938049--XEf/

⭐️ Cointelegraph Traffic Drop and iGaming Section Removal Suggest a Possible Manual Google Penalty - https://theholycoins.com/news/cointelegraph-traffic-drop-and-igaming-section-removal-suggest-a-possible-manual-google-penalty

⭐️ Google hit Forbes Advisor with a manual action over the site reputation abuse policy - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1ft47sn/google_hit_forbes_advisor_with_a_manual_action/

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 Introduction: Cointelegraph's Google Ban 00:18 Cointelegraph's Traffic Plunge 01:22 Google's Site Reputation Abuse Policy 02:17 Investigating the Ban: June to September 04:20 October: The Collapse and Aftermath 10:39 Lessons and Takeaways for Publishers 14:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #sitereputationabuse #googlepenality #DigitalPublishing