Analyzing the Shift: Indian Websites Ranking High in US and European Google Search Results Post-2020
In recent years, there has been a notable shift in the landscape of search engine results, particularly after 2020. Observations indicate that Indian websites such as Hindustan Times, Times of India, Sportskeeda, and EssentiallySports are increasingly appearing among the top stories and news features in Google search results for users in the USA and Europe. This trend marks a significant change from previous years when these sites rarely ranked highly in Western markets.
Understanding the Drivers Behind This Phenomenon
One plausible explanation for this shift centers around the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, many major tech companies, including Google, expanded their outsourcing and hiring efforts to India. This strategic move may have inadvertently influenced content curation and search result algorithms, potentially leading to increased visibility for Indian-origin websites in Western search results.
Additionally, the increasing dominance of Indian news portals like Hindustan Times and Sportskeeda in news carousel snippets aligns with reports from various digital marketers and SEO analysts. These platforms often feature a high volume of content, sometimes filled with advertisements and spun or repurposed articles that may violate conventional Google policy guidelines. Despite this, they continue to rank prominently, raising questions about how they navigate algorithm updates and penalties.
Challenges in Understanding Ranking Strategies
Many industry observers have expressed curiosity about how these sites manage to outpace established Western news outlets and avoid penalties during algorithm updates. Some speculate that these websites might be leveraging authoritative signals, such as geo-targeted SEO tactics, hreflang tags, or other strategic SEO methods, to ensure their content surfaces prominently in specific regions.
Contrary to expectations, some Indian sites seem relatively unaffected by core updates or manual penalties like the Helpful Content Update (HCU), maintaining their high rankings even when their content appears to be thin, spun, or solely focuses on trending topics. For example, during recent searches for NFL-related content, Sportskeeda consistently appeared in the top stories carousel, occupying multiple positions for figures such as Tom Brady, Justin Herbert, and Aaron Rodgers.
Implications and Considerations
This situation raises important questions about the fairness and transparency of search algorithms and regional ranking dynamics. Is there a form of favoritism or bias at play? Are these sites benefiting from specific signals that enable them to outrank more traditionally authoritative Western sites? Or could this be a reflection of evolving SEO practices that capitalize on global content strategies and regional targeting?