Google Top Heavy Update

The Google Top Heavy Update, also known as the Page Layout Algorithm, is a search algorithm update introduced in 2012 to penalize websites that display too many ads above the fold, the portion of a webpage visible before scrolling. The goal was to improve user experience by prioritizing sites with accessible content rather than ad-heavy layouts.
This update encouraged web designers and publishers to maintain a balance between advertising and valuable content, ensuring that users can find information immediately upon visiting a page.
Advanced
The Top Heavy Update evaluates page layout structure and the visual ratio between ads and content above the fold. Pages with excessive banner ads, pop-ups, or interstitials that obscure main content may experience ranking drops.
Advanced SEO optimization focuses on improving content visibility, page loading speed, and mobile-friendliness. The update is part of Google’s ongoing user experience efforts, aligning with Core Web Vitals and mobile-first indexing principles. Websites that use non-intrusive ad placements and responsive design typically perform better under these guidelines.
Relevance
Applications
Metrics
Issues
Example
A lifestyle blog experienced a ranking decline due to multiple banner ads placed above the fold. After repositioning ads below the main content and improving layout speed, the site recovered its search visibility and improved average session duration by 20 percent.