Forbes Axes Freelance Writers Amid Googles War On Low-Quality Content

Forbes is discontinuing its freelance writer program for product review content, citing Google’s recent update to its site reputation abuse policy. The change has been attributed to Google’s efforts to crack down on “parasite SEO,” a practice where websites publish irrelevant or low-quality content in order to benefit from the main site’s search engine ranking.

This type of content is often produced by third-party marketing firms and can be difficult to distinguish from legitimate editorial content. Forbes had been relying heavily on freelance writers to produce high-quality product reviews for its Forbes Vetted section, which has been a lucrative venture for the publication.

However, with Google’s new policy in place, the company feels it no longer needs to rely on freelancers to produce content that may be at risk of being flagged as spam. The news has sent shockwaves through the writing community, with many freelance writers expressing concern about the impact of this decision on their livelihoods.

Cassandra Brooklyn, a writer who had previously worked with Forbes, described receiving an email from the publication stating that it would no longer be hiring freelancers for product review content. “This is devastating news,” Brooklyn said. “Forbes has always been a reputable publication, but it’s clear that they feel they need to take matters into their own hands in order to maintain their online presence.”

The decision by Forbes to discontinue its freelance writer program comes as no surprise, given Google’s growing efforts to combat spam and irrelevant content on the web. In November, Google tightened its rules around parasite SEO, specifically targeting third-party content that takes advantage of a website’s search engine ranking.

While some may view this move as a necessary step to protect Google’s reputation, others argue that it will have unintended consequences for writers and publications that rely on freelance contributors. The Forbes Vetted section has been a highly successful venture, generating significant revenue for the publication through affiliate marketing.

As the writing community grapples with this new reality, many are left wondering what this means for the future of online content creation. Will other publications follow suit, or will they find ways to work within Google’s new guidelines? The impact on freelance writers and publishers will be felt for a long time to come.

In a statement, an editor at Forbes cited the need to adapt to changing search engine policies as the reason for discontinuing its freelance writer program. “We’re committed to providing our readers with high-quality content, and we’re exploring new ways to achieve that goal,” the statement read.