A new guide from Google goes over the acceptable ways to incorporate user generated content (UGC) on your website to ensure you’re following the company’s guidelines.
To assist websites with the correct use of UGC, Google has created an infographic with a yes/no flowchart and an interactive troubleshooter.
Knowing how to utilize this type of content the right way is important because Google treats it the same as a webpage’s main content.
That means low quality content created by users can drag down the overall quality of the webpage.
Even worse, spammy UGC could potentially lead to a Google penalty if it’s not being moderated.
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You also need to pay close attention to content users are submitting if you run ads on your website, as Google explains:
“But if a publisher wants to run ads on pages where user comments appear, all of the content on those pages — including comments — must follow our Publisher Policies.