"On Thursday, September 11, 2025, Google updated its search quality raters guidelines PDF document. The last time Google updated this document was on January 23, 2025, over seven months ago. This update gives minor clarification as it relates to rating YMYL content and adds a handful of additional examples for rating newer features like AI Overviews. Google also posted fixes for typos and other minor clarifications."
"Another section updated was the YMYL definitions, which were to clarify them. Google now writes: YMYL Government, Civics & Society: Topics that could negatively impact groups of people, issues of public interest, trust in public institutions, election and voting information, and any other informational topics about government, civics or society that impacts people's live. It used to say: YMYL Society: Topics that could negatively impact groups of people, issues of public interest, trust in public institutions, etc"
"Here are some examples of the AI Overviews being added to the document: The AI Overview examples seem to mirror examples that Google provided for featured snippets and knowledge panels. The document was expanded from 181 pages to 182 pages, so it is only a one-page addition. What Changed Google posted these items in the change log: Updated YMYL definitions Added additional examples for clarity Minor changes throughout (fixed typos, etc.)"
On September 11, 2025, Google updated the Search Quality Rater Guidelines PDF, the first revision since January 23, 2025. The update primarily provides minor clarifications for rating YMYL content, adds several AI Overview examples, and fixes typos and other wording issues. The document grew by one page, from 181 to 182 pages. Change-log entries list updated YMYL definitions, additional examples for clarity, and minor overall edits. The AI Overview examples appear to mirror previously supplied examples for featured snippets and knowledge panels. YMYL definitions were refined, including renaming and expanding the Government, Civics & Society category.
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