Google's algorithm changes lead to shut down of UK gaming publisher

Google's recent search algorithm updates have caused significant disruption in the online publishing industry, leading to the closure of GGRecon, a small but growing UK-based gaming and esports publisher. The shutdown, announced on October 18, 2024, comes just over a year after the company experienced record visitor numbers in August 2023.

Lloyd Coombes, the former editor-in-chief of GGRecon, revealed the news in a detailed Medium post, explaining how Google's Helpful Content Update (HCU) from September 2023 severely impacted the site's traffic and ultimately led to its demise.

The impact of Google's helpful content update

The HCU, introduced by Google in September 2023, was intended to prioritize content written for humans rather than search engines. However, according to Coombes, the update had unintended consequences for smaller publishers:

• GGRecon experienced a significant drop in traffic immediately following the HCU rollout
• The site's content became less visible in search results, often appearing beyond the first few pages
• AI-generated articles and content copied from GGRecon began ranking higher in search results

Efforts to adapt and recover

In response to the algorithm change, GGRecon took several steps to improve its content and align with Google's guidelines:

• Conducted a thorough content audit
• Updated or removed over 10,000 articles
• Made guides more personal and informative
• Maintained conversational tone in news articles while providing key information early
• Redesigned the website
• Removed advertisements

Despite these efforts, GGRecon did not see a recovery in its search rankings or traffic. The persistent impact of the HCU led to initial layoffs and eventually the complete shutdown of the company.

Broader industry impact

GGRecon's closure is not an isolated incident. According to Lars Lofgren, Chief Growth Officer and Co-Founder of Stone Press, numerous small publishers have faced shutdowns and bankruptcies in the wake of Google's algorithm changes.

The situation raises questions about the power of large tech companies to influence the fate of smaller businesses and the diversity of online content. It also highlights the challenges faced by publishers in adapting to rapidly changing search engine algorithms.

The Future of Online Publishing

The closure of GGRecon and similar publishers raises important questions about the future of online content creation and distribution:

• How can small publishers survive in an environment dominated by large tech platforms?
• What role should search engines play in curating and ranking content?
• How can the industry balance the need for quality content with the realities of search engine optimization?

As the digital publishing landscape continues to evolve, these questions will likely remain at the forefront of discussions among content creators, publishers, and tech companies.

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Google's recent algorithm changes have significantly impacted the online publishing industry, leading to the closure of GGRecon, a UK-based gaming and esports publisher.

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Key Facts

• GGRecon announced its closure on October 18, 2024
• The shutdown came 14 months after Google's Helpful Content Update in September 2023
• GGRecon had achieved record visitor numbers in August 2023
• The company updated or removed over 10,000 articles in an attempt to align with Google's guidelines
• Multiple small publishers have reported similar impacts from Google's algorithm changes