Does Google penalize content with buttons at the bottom of the article?

[jyciap11]

I've been in a mobile gaming niche for many years, but I'm having a lot of problems since late 2024 with new sites. According to chatgpt the problem could be the download button at the bottom of the articles or, even worse, a button style png image with the download link. I always did this, but probably now it is a problem. I have other older sites that are still alive, so the content is not an issue. Do you recommend that I remove all the CTA buttons at the bottom of the articles and add them after 15-20 days?
Can download buttons cause penalties on new sites?

 

[ovento]

Google cares about (ad) revenue, and not about buttons on some sites. If they are affiliate links and you mark them as sponsored, then you should be good.

In case you want to run an experiment, then choose a group of pages and dont change all articles at once. This way you can compare the results of both groups.

 

[hwaback]

I'm curious too. Among my site pages, pages with internal link buttons are not ranked well.

 

[jyciap11]

I'm curious too. Among my site pages, pages with internal link buttons are not ranked well.

What do you mean?

 

[natsuko]

Try cloaking the button or trigger it with scroll, way safer

 

[Fallon Desi1]

I've been in a mobile gaming niche for many years, but I'm having a lot of problems since late 2024 with new sites. According to chatgpt the problem could be the download button at the bottom of the articles or, even worse, a button style png image with the download link. I always did this, but probably now it is a problem. I have other older sites that are still alive, so the content is not an issue. Do you recommend that I remove all the CTA buttons at the bottom of the articles and add them after 15-20 days?
Can download buttons cause penalties on new sites?

If the download button is placed at the bottom of articles and feels out of context or like a forced interaction, it can create a poor user experience.

Google’s Core Web Vitals and other ranking factors now prioritize good UX. If a visitor feels they are being pushed to download something too soon, it could hurt your site's engagement metrics, leading to ranking penalties.

Spammy Appearance:

Search engines can flag repetitive download buttons as spammy or clickbait, especially if they are disguised in a manner that resembles clickbait ads or intrusive pop-ups.

If your download button is styled in an overly aggressive way or is located in the wrong place on the page (e.g., right after the first paragraph or at the end of the article in a way that disrupts content flow), it could trigger concerns from search engines that your site is using manipulative tactics.

Misleading Behavior:

In some cases, if the download buttons link to low-quality content or are not directly related to the article's subject, it could lead to penalties from Google for promoting irrelevant or low-quality content.

Confusing SEO Signals:

If these download buttons are linked to affiliate programs or external sites that Google doesn’t trust, they could pass on a negative SEO signal to your website. This is especially true for newer websites that haven’t established credibility.

 

[jyciap11]

Try cloaking the button or trigger it with scroll, way safer

Already tried, I tried to redirect to internal page with another button. I think this scheme seems “doorway page” for Google, or something spammy.
I have to remove all buttons definitely!

 

[paulbodnar18]

I think Google might be more sensitive to buttons on new sites now, especially if they’re strong call-to-actions like “download” and styled in a way that looks like ads. I had a similar issue things improved after I removed the buttons or added them later on, even after the publish date. So for brand-new sites, it’s probably a good idea to play it safe and go more low-key at first.

 

[beverlie]

yes google can penalize content with buttons on newer sites

 

[jyciap11]

I think Google might be more sensitive to buttons on new sites now, especially if they’re strong call-to-actions like “download” and styled in a way that looks like ads. I had a similar issue things improved after I removed the buttons or added them later on, even after the publish date. So for brand-new sites, it’s probably a good idea to play it safe and go more low-key at first.

So you improved without button?

 

[jyciap11]

Other experience?

 

[jyciap11]

Bump Thread!

 

[nikasedo96]

Google does not explicitly penalize content with buttons at the bottom of an article, such as Read More, Related Articles, or Share buttons, as they are common design elements for enhancing user experience (UX).

 

[jyciap11]

Tried new websites without button, but got hitted again.
Any tips?