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Google’s December 2024 Spam Update: What It Means for You

By Bob Cates | Hero Marketing Agency
bob@marketlikeahero.com | 830-388-9749

What Is the December 2024 Spam Update?

Google has launched a major algorithm update aimed at cleaning up search results by penalizing websites that rely on manipulative tactics like mass-produced AI content, keyword-stuffed pages, and low-value location spam.

❌ This Update Specifically Targets

  • AI-Generated Spam – Automatically produced content that lacks human insight or genuine usefulness.
  • Scaled Content Abuse – Publishing large volumes of generic or duplicated articles to manipulate search rankings.
  • Thin Content – Pages with minimal substance, offering little unique information or value to the user.
  • Doorway Pages – Multiple near-identical pages created to funnel users to the same destination without adding new value.
  • Excessive Automation – Overuse of AI tools without editorial control, resulting in bland, unoriginal, or inaccurate content.

✅ Accepted Content Practices

  • Human oversight and editing, original AI-assisted content
  • Well-researched, expert-driven writing
  • Comprehensive, valuable information
  • Unique, helpful local pages
  • Balanced automation with human oversight

This update emphasizes “people-first content”—reliable, original, and helpful for users.

Google’s Updated Spam Policies Focus On

  • Advanced AI detection to flag low-quality AI-generated content.
  • Penalties for content farming, AI scaled content, and automation abuse.
  • Rewards for originality, depth, and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).

Local SEO: A Must for Modern Businesses

Nearly 50% of all Google searches are looking for local information. Want to show up? Follow these practices:

Smart Keyword Research

  • 🎯 Identify Keywords – Use tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner) to find what customers search.
  • 🧠 Understand Intent – Informational? Navigational? Transactional? Match content to user needs.
  • 🔍 Analyze Competition – What keywords do your competitors use? Look for opportunities that balance difficulty and traffic.
  • ✍️ Optimize Placement – Use keywords in titles, headings, content, URLs, and naturally in the copy.

Tip: Use variations and long-tail keywords naturally throughout your page!

Structuring Your Local Service Pages

A good page structure improves both SEO and user experience. Here’s a quick checklist:

SEO-Friendly Page Elements

  • Page Title – Clear, keyword-rich, under 60 characters
  • Meta Description – Summarize page + include keywords (150–160 characters)
  • URL Structure – Short, includes target keyword + location (e.g., /ac-repair/boston)
  • Headings (H1-H3) – Organized structure, including keywords naturally
  • Mobile-First Design – Ensure responsiveness and fast mobile load times
  • Internal Links – Use descriptive anchor text to connect relevant pages
  • Local Content – Include neighborhood names, unique service info, and local testimonials

User Experience (UX)

A solid page layout makes UX much better. When people can easily move around your site, they like to stay longer, and your bounce rates decrease.

Optimize URLs

Well-structured URLs should be short, easy to read, and include relevant keywords. This makes it easier for search engines to interpret the content of your page and can improve your click-through rates. For local service pages, incorporating the location in the URL can boost visibility in local search results.

Optimize On-Page SEO

Here’s what makes a local service page stand out:

Technical Optimization

  • Compress images and minimize scripts for faster load time.
  • Use descriptive alt text with relevant keywords for visuals.
  • Responsive design = higher engagement + better rankings.

Content Optimization

  • Add local testimonials and location-specific language.
  • Include unique service details and staff names if possible.
  • Use schema markup to boost your listing in local results.

Remember: Duplicate location pages won’t work—each must be unique!

Link Strategies: Internal + External

Internal Links

  • Help search engines understand site structure.
  • Spread link equity and reduce bounce rate.

External Links

  • Boost authority when linking to credible sources.
  • Use sparingly and only when it adds real value.

Anchor Text Tips:

  • Use relevant, descriptive keywords (e.g., “AC repair in Marlborough” instead of “click here”).

Scaled Content Abuse: What NOT to Do

❌ Don’t…

  • Publish 10+ AI articles/day
  • Use templates across city pages
  • Stuff keywords or spin content

✅ Do…

  • Curate well-researched, original articles
  • Customize with testimonials, local photos, and staff info
  • Focus on user intent and valuable insights

Final Takeaway for Hero Marketing Agency Clients

To rank better and stay compliant with Google’s latest updates:

  • ✔ Create unique, helpful, people-first content
  • ✔ Avoid shortcuts like duplicate location pages or AI content farms
  • ✔ Structure and optimize every service page for both humans and search engines
  • ✔ Use keywords smartly, link wisely, and always prioritize user experience

 

Google’s December 2024 Spam Update serves as a clear signal: content must be created with people, not just search engines, in mind. The days of scaled AI content, duplicate location pages, and keyword stuffing are behind us. Moving forward, success will come to those who invest in thoughtful, locally relevant, and trustworthy content grounded in real expertise.

At Hero Marketing Agency, we help businesses navigate these changes with strategies rooted in integrity, insight, and proven SEO performance. From optimizing your site structure to building topical authority and maintaining compliance with Google’s evolving standards, we’re here to make sure your digital presence doesn’t just survive, but thrives.

✅ Ready to build better content and future-proof your SEO? Let’s create content your customers—and Google—can trust.

 

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Meet the Author

Bob Cates

Bob Cates

Co-Founding Principal and Chief Financial Officer

Bob Cates is the Co-Founding Principal and Chief Financial Officer of Hero Marketing Agency, where he brings over four decades of entrepreneurial leadership and financial expertise. With a degree in Accounting from the University of North Texas and experience as a CPA and Audit Supervisor for the State of Texas, Bob has built and led successful businesses across industries, including oil and gas, healthcare, publishing, e-commerce, and digital marketing.

At Hero, Bob provides strategic oversight on financial planning, business development, and digital strategy, combining analytical precision with marketing insight to help clients grow with confidence. His deep background in auditing and operations enables him to make data-driven decisions that align with clients’ long-term goals.

In addition to his role at Hero, Bob serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission in Boerne, Texas, where he and his wife of 51 years live part-time. When he’s not advising clients or crunching data, Bob enjoys working on his small Texas Hill Country ranch, hunting, hiking, and exploring the outdoors – but his greatest joy comes from spending quality time with his two amazing granddaughters, who inspire him daily.

Kurt Cannarella

Director of Paid Media

As veteran of the NYC & Dallas Advertising Agencies, Kurt has managed paid media for many of the top brands within the country including DIRECTV, Charles Schwab, Ralph Lauren, and the NBA.

His focus involves designing a fully integrated paid media strategy tailored to each business’s goals and objectives. After moving on from the larger Ad Agencies, Kurt shifted his focus on aiding small and mid-sized brands craft their integrated paid media strategy. Outside of his paid media interests, Kurt spends his time rooting for his beloved NY Mets as well as traveling with his wife Lauren and two daughters Chloe & Camille.

Our clients at Hero Marketing Agency consistently praise Kurt for his high-touch communication style, thoroughness, integrated media knowledge, and his strategic approach.

Josh Cates

Chief Executive Officer & Founding Principal

Throughout my 25-year career as a multifaceted and data-driven entrepreneur and senior marketing executive, I have amassed a wealth of business knowledge by starting up five companies, three of which were successfully acquired. In addition, I have consulted in over 70 industries, giving me a unique and multidimensional perspective on business growth and development.

In my current role as Founder and CEO of Hero Marketing Agency, I understand the importance of strong relationships—our agency exists to help companies achieve transformational long-term success. I have a deep passion for working directly with organizations to realize real marketing returns and provide the best and most strategic services available.

I carry a DoD Top Secret Clearance, effective 17 April 2020, received a nomination for the Colorado Springs Advertising ICON award, recipient of multiple ADDY awards, and was honored to be nominated for Businessman of the Year by the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce.

Joanna Brown

Creative Director

Joanna is a creative director, an art director, and a designer with 20+ years of experience delivering world-class creative content. Her career has taken her from London (UK) to New York City, then down to the heart of Texas with her family.

She is a creative leader with proven strategic thinking, problem-solving, effective communication, and management knowledge who forges meaningful connections with internal and client teams. In her role with Hero Marketing Agency, Joanna collaborates with brands, content makers, and storytellers to formulate and bring to life the creative vision through compelling human-centered, results-driven user experiences.

Joanna has worked with various startups to global giants, including J.P. Morgan Chase, Google, Unilever, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Heather Short-Davis

Client Strategist

Imagine it’s 2001, and you have a new, yet heavy, phone in your hand with the latest technology— get ready to be in awe — it has a single-color display! Instead of black text on a gray background, you get to look at black text on a blue background.

Yes, it sounds underwhelming, but that’s what level of tech we were excited about. It’s the same year wireless phone providers began to connect networks for text messaging. And it’s the same year Heather entered the marketing workforce.

She has had the benefit of experiencing first-hand the evolution and digitization of marketing tactics. From oil & gas to technology transfer, no industry has been left untouched from the vast increase in data now available at our business fingertips. As a data-driven marketer, Heather has not only an appreciation for, but also a solid understanding of tracking and analyzing data to devise strategies and evaluate performance.

At Hero Marketing Agency Heather collaborates with clients to help them achieve a sound strategy for marketing. First to define and distill their goals. Then to develop strategies for goal achievement, articulating objectives, tactics, and success metrics. Great strategists are dynamic storytellers who have the ability to make the incredibly complex feel simple.

A native Texan, Heather has recently moved back to Texas after 14 years in Northern Indiana. She graduated with a double major in marketing and advertising from Indiana University South Bend with scholarship awards. Her collegiate career began at the University of Texas at Austin, but life and her husband took their adventure north.

She is happy to be back in central Texas where they are close to family and do not need a snow blower in the garage. She enjoys emerging technologies and new consumer electronics. An avid runner, some of her best creative ideas have happened mid-run.

Bob Cates

Chief Financial Officer & Co-Founding Principal

Bob has always been an entrepreneur. He will tell you he has lived the American dream, starting and running his own businesses, which have included oil and natural gas exploration, healthcare, publishing, consumer electronics, e-commerce, franchise operations and marketing agency.

Graduating from the University of North Texas with an accounting degree, Bob received his CPA while an Audit Supervisor for the State of Texas. In 1983 Bob started his first business, an independent oil and gas exploration company, which he operated until 2007.

As the Co-Founder of Hero Marketing Agency, Bob is an invaluable part of the brand, and his talents expand beyond his dynamic abilities with projections and figures. Bob sits on the board and counsels on all matters relating to the brand’s financial well-being, in addition to consulting and handling the business management side for clients of Hero Marketing Agency.

In 2018 Bob added the title Director of Digital Strategy to his name, where his background in auditing and time as a CPA migrate perfectly to crunching data and making clear sense of the ever-changing world of digital strategy for Hero Marketing Agency clients.

Splitting time between Colorado and the Texas Hill Country, Bob is married to his high-school sweetheart of 51 years and loves volunteering in his hometown, where he serves on Boerne’s Planning and Zoning Commission. He also loves exploring the outdoors, bow hunting, cycling, and hiking.

Bob Cates

CFO & Vision Behind Hero Marketing Agency

Bob has always been an entrepreneur. He will tell you he has lived the American dream, starting and running his own businesses, which have included oil and natural gas exploration, healthcare, publishing, consumer electronics, e-commerce, franchise operations and marketing agency.

Graduating from the University of North Texas with an accounting degree, Bob received his CPA while an Audit Supervisor for the State of Texas. In 1983 Bob started his first business, an independent oil and gas exploration company, which he operated until 2007.

As the Co-Founder of Hero Marketing Agency, Bob is an invaluable part of the brand, and his talents expand beyond his dynamic abilities with projections and figures. Bob sits on the board and counsels on all matters relating to the brand’s financial well-being, in addition to consulting and handling the business management side for clients of Hero Marketing Agency.

In 2018 Bob added the title Director of Digital Strategy to his name, where his background in auditing and time as a CPA migrate perfectly to crunching data and making clear sense of the ever-changing world of digital strategy for Hero Marketing Agency clients.

Splitting time between Colorado and the Texas Hill Country, Bob is married to his high-school sweetheart of 51 years and loves volunteering in his hometown, where he serves on Boerne’s Planning and Zoning Commission. He also loves exploring the outdoors, bow hunting, cycling, and hiking.