Website owners hit hard by Google’s crackdown on sites in bad state just got tough love from the search giant. John Mueller, Google’s top Search Advocate, dropped a bombshell on Reddit: Sites in bad state after flooding pages with robotic content might fare better by scrapping everything and starting fresh. Forget tedious rewrites: Mueller says they rarely restore trust or rankings. This advice shakes up SEO strategies, urging creators to rethink their site’s soul before hitting publish.
As AI tools make churning out cheap content easier than ever, Mueller’s words remind us: Google prioritises real value over quick fixes. With millions of sites battling “Crawled, currently not indexed” errors, this could spark a wave of domain makeovers in 2026.
Mueller’s Blunt Take: Treat Recovery of Sites In Bad State Like a New Launch
Mueller responded to a desperate Reddit user who asked if swapping AI English pages for human-written Portuguese ones could revive their site. He flipped the script, focusing on purpose over authorship.
Here’s what Mueller stressed in his reply:
- Rewriting AI slop with human hands doesn’t magically add authenticity or web value
- View a full content purge as a blank-slate reboot – decide your site’s true mission first
- Sites in bad state face steeper climbs than fresh domains, often taking way longer to recover
- Always ask: Does this site truly help users, show expertise, and fill a real need?
He compared it bluntly: Launching on a clean domain beats nursing a tainted one back to health. Mueller echoed Google’s Helpful Content Update rules: prove originality, target audiences smartly, and ditch the spam vibes.
Also Read: Online Advertising Statistics: Key Data on Digital Landscape
Domains scarred by AI floods carry baggage that algorithms remember. A site pumping out thin, copied posts signals “low effort” forever. Mueller’s nudge? Audit your strategy now. If your site’s just a content mill, pivot to quality topics that shine.
SEO pros already buzz: This could kill off lazy AI farms and boost genuine creators. Facing indexing woes? Ditch the rewrite grind, brainstorm a killer purpose and relaunch smarter. Your rankings (and sanity) will thank you.
More News To Read: Google Rolls Out Thinking with 3 Pro For Smarter AI Search
