User‑generated content (UGC) used to feel like a growth hack. Below, we’ll dig into how unvetted user content hurts rankings, the new policies every publisher needs to know, and—most importantly—practical ways to convert UGC from risk back to asset. Once Google flags a pattern—say, identical product reviews across dozens of pages—it may demote more than just those URLs. – The helpful content system evaluates overall usefulness; enough thin pages lower the average, dragging strong articles down with them. Treat UGC pages like any other asset: audit quarterly, prune aggressively, and add editorial value wherever possible.