Thin affiliate pages carry affiliate links but offer little original content, for example product descriptions copied unchanged from the merchant. Google’s spam policies call this practice thin affiliation.
What does Google say?
The policy describes it as publishing content with product affiliate links where descriptions and reviews are copied directly from the merchant, without original content or added value. It also covers sites from affiliate programs that distribute cookie-cutter sites or templates with the same or similar content replicated across many domains or in many languages.
Affiliate programs themselves are not a violation. Google’s guidance on reviews recommends evidence of your own experience, quantitative measurements, and the benefits and drawbacks of a product, and it asks for quality and originality over length.
Example
| Thin page | Page with added value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer text, merchant photos, a “Buy now” button | Own measurements and photos, price history, pros and cons |
The left column matches the pattern Google lists as spam.
Sources
- Spam policies: thin affiliation – Google Search Centraldevelopers.google.com
- Write high quality reviews – Google Search Centraldevelopers.google.com
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