In short. Google defines doorway abuse as sites or pages targeting similar queries that lead visitors through intermediate pages less useful than the final destination.

Definition: Doorway abuse is the creation of sites or pages to rank for specific, similar search queries and lead visitors through intermediate pages that are less useful than the final destination. Google lists it among its web search spam practices.

Key facts

As of October 2026, Google's spam policies identify region- or city-targeted pages that funnel users to one page as an example of doorway abuse.
Google's doorway pages announcement, published on 16 March 2015, describes campaigns operating through pages within a site, multiple domains, or a combination of both.
Google's AI features documentation says that the same foundational SEO practices apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode, including following Search policies.

What does a doorway pattern look like?

Google's doorway abuse examples include multiple websites with slight variations in their URLs and home pages, pages targeting particular cities that funnel visitors to one page, and substantially similar pages arranged like search results rather than a browseable hierarchy.

This schematic represents the city-targeted pattern in the policy:

City-targeted page A -> Shared destination page
City-targeted page B -> Shared destination page

The intermediate pages provide less usefulness than the destination. The same policy also covers pages created to funnel visitors into the usable or relevant portion of a site. A review therefore needs to examine both the landing page and the destination it sends visitors toward.

How can a website owner review suspect pages?

Google's March 2015 announcement provides diagnostic questions about purpose, content and navigation. These questions give a practical review framework alongside the current policy:

Check whether the page is an integral part of the site's user experience or primarily funnels search visitors elsewhere.
Compare it with existing location or product collections. The announcement asks whether pages duplicate useful collections already on the site to capture more search traffic.
Examine the relationship between the targeted query and the content. Google asks whether pages target generic terms while presenting very specific content.
Trace internal navigation. Google asks whether pages exist as an isolated group, are difficult to reach from elsewhere on the site, or receive links created just for search engines.

The announcement also asks whether affiliate pages send visitors onward without unique content or functionality. For a content review, these questions direct attention to what each page contributes and how visitors reach it through the website.

What are the consequences for Search and AI answers?

Google's spam policies describe detection through automated systems and, when needed, human review that can result in a manual action. Sites violating the policies may rank lower or disappear from search results.

Google's AI features guidance carries Search policies into AI Overviews and AI Mode. A supporting link in either feature must point to a page that is indexed and eligible to appear in Search with a snippet. Reviewing doorway patterns therefore forms part of checking a website's compliance with those shared requirements.

FAQ

Are city pages always doorway abuse?

Google's doorway policy describes city-targeted pages that funnel visitors to one page. You can assess a location page against that pattern and the announcement's questions about useful content and integration into the site.

Does doorway abuse require several domains?

Google's doorway pages announcement describes campaigns within a single site as well as campaigns across domains. You can therefore review a set of pages on one website for this pattern.

Does an automatic redirect have to be present?

Google's doorway examples describe funneling visitors and substantially similar intermediate pages without requiring an automatic redirect. You can assess the destination and usefulness of pages that send visitors onward through links as well.

Sources

Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer