Google demotes 'low-quality' sites in search engine rankings

Google has updated its search ranking algorithms to reduce rankings for "low-quality" web sites – sites that copy content from other web sites or are just not deemed very useful.

At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high-quality sites, with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports and thoughtful analysis.

"Our goal is simple: to give people the most relevant answers to their queries as quickly as possible. This requires constant tuning of our algorithms, as new content, both good and bad, comes online all the time," Amit Singhal, Google fellow, and Matt Cutts, principal engineer, wrote in the Official Google Blog.

The update has already been made in the US, and Google plans to roll it out internationally over time. The firm said that the changes noticeably impact 12 per cent of the search engine provider's queries.