GOOGLE ALGORITHMS · SEO GLOSSARY
Fred Update
An unofficial name (after Google\'s Gary Illyes jokingly suggested naming all unconfirmed updates "Fred") for a March 2017 algorithm update that appeared to target low-value content sites built primarily for advertising revenue, with thin or low-quality content as a secondary purpose.
Definition
Fred is the informal name for a Google algorithm update that rolled out in March 2017. The name came from a joke by Google\'s Gary Illyes who suggested the SEO community should name all unconfirmed updates "Fred." Google confirmed an update occurred but did not confirm details about its targeting. SEO analysis of the sites most affected by Fred suggested the update targeted: sites with aggressive advertising placements (heavy ad density, ads positioned prominently above content); sites where content appeared to be created primarily to drive ad revenue rather than help users (thin affiliate content, low-value how-to content with no original insight); sites with poor content quality relative to high ad density; and sites that published large volumes of low-quality content as a link-building or traffic strategy. Fred appeared to strengthen the signals from earlier quality and page layout updates — combining content quality evaluation with above-the-fold advertising density. Sites that recovered from Fred typically did so by: reducing ad density (particularly above-the-fold), improving content quality significantly, and removing or consolidating thin pages.
Why it matters for SEO
Fred reinforced the pattern from Panda, Page Layout, and Helpful Content updates: sites that exist primarily for advertising revenue (with content as a thin vehicle for ads) are at risk of algorithmic demotion. The sustainable model is content that exists primarily for users (with advertising as a supporting revenue model), not advertising pages with content as an afterthought. Sites with high ad-to-content ratios should audit their above-the-fold layout and content-to-ad ratio.
How DeepSEOAnalysis checks this
DeepSEOAnalysis checks above-the-fold content composition (advertising vs content ratio), structured data quality signals, and content depth indicators. Pages with high advertising density and thin content are flagged as Fred-risk patterns. The page-layout-algorithm check directly tests for the above-fold ad dominance pattern that Fred reinforced.
GLOSSARY
Related terms
technical seo
Page Layout Algorithm
A Google ranking signal that penalises pages where above-the-fold content is dominated by advertising, interstitials, or non-content elements — requiring users to scroll significantly before reaching the actual content of the page.
Read definition →algorithm updates
Helpful Content System
A Google ranking system (launched 2022) that classifies and downgrades content created primarily to rank in search rather than to genuinely help people — with site-wide effects.
Read definition →onpage
Thin Content
Pages with little or no unique value — low word count, duplicated from other sources, or auto-generated — that Google may ignore or penalize.
Read definition →onpage
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Google\'s quality framework for evaluating content — especially important for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics like health, finance, and legal.
Read definition →onpage
Affiliate SEO
The practice of optimising affiliate marketing content — product reviews, comparison pages, "best of" lists, and buyer guides — to rank in organic search and generate commission revenue from referral clicks to merchant sites.
Read definition →See how your site scores on Fred Update.
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