Page layout algorithm (Top Heavy)

Google rolled out the first page layout update on January 19, 2012, and refreshed it at least twice more (October 2012 and February 2014). Google said the change affected “less than 1% of searches globally” and did not touch sites that place ads above the fold to a normal degree. The target was narrow: pages where a user clicks a result and has to scroll past a wall of ads before reaching the content they came for.

Recovery and where it stands in 2026

Because it ran as a periodic signal rather than a live one, recovery was not instant. You cleaned up the layout, then waited for Google to recrawl and for the algorithm to run again, which could take weeks. Google has not confirmed a standalone Top Heavy refresh since February 2014.

The principle did not disappear, though. The same “content first, ads second” logic now lives inside Google’s broader page experience signals and core ranking systems, alongside Core Web Vitals and the intrusive interstitial rules. Practical read: heavy above-the-fold ad density, sticky ad units, and a hero section that shoves real content below the fold still cost you, just through page experience and user behavior signals rather than one named penalty. The fix is the same as it was in 2012. Put the answer people searched for where they can see it without scrolling.