Is Google Search Getting Worse?

We all said it: Google is not as good as it once was. Back in the day, you felt like you could find anything in seconds. Now all you get are ads, false information, and everything in between. But is Google search getting worse, or is it something else entirely?

Is Google search really worse?

The first thing I want to say is “yes.” Obviously. But how do we know that Google is to blame? Do we know any other search engine that does a better job?

Recently Marissa Mayer, formerly of Google, appeared on a podcast where she raised several topics, including SERP quality. Like we, she noticed a drastic change, but in her opinion, it’s not Google’s fault.

If not Google, then who?

First, we have to think about what has changed. The golden age of Google for many was between the years 2005 and 2012, and in that time, millions of websites appeared. That what the time when the internet finally stopped being a novelty and became something we can’t imagine our lives without. From 30 million pages to a trillion — that was the journey. But not only the amount has changed — quality, too. 

In 2022, the internet is rife with fraudulent content. The web is massive, and the more there are URLs, the harder it is to index them. Google has obviously changed, but the web has, too.

According to Mayer, the web is deteriorating — fast. It’s being used for disinformation and manipulation, and the “purity” that it once had is long gone. The more pages there are, the worse the overall quality. Finding out what’s good quality and what’s not is a challenge. In fact, most of Google’s new features are connected with finding and rating quality links over the bad ones. There are Google’s own guidelines, too; bypass them, and your website is out. They are getting stricter all the time. Will it help? Only time will tell. One thing is certain: we are not in a good place right now.