As a long-time digital marketing authority, businesses routinely seek my advice on any number of search-related topics.
Chief among them is ‘How should we respond to Google’s latest algorithm update?’ That said, Google has done it again—albeit on a larger scale. They’ve integrated Google Panda into their core search ranking algorithm. This, has led to a great deal of concern. Here are a few points to keep in mind, regarding the change.
Now that Google has incorporated Google Panda into their core search engine ranking algorithm, content quality has become a major factor in determining US website rankings. Although there has been speculation that the update may have taken place in late December or early January, as significant as the update was, it was implemented with little fanfare—so outside of Google no one is certain as to when the update occurred.
What is clear, however, is that Google applied this algorithm update to US based websites and plans to expand it to websites across the globe. Offering no explanation for the changes, Google has left the SEO and online marketing community with so many unanswered questions.
How Will Google’s Core Algorithm Update Affect Your Website?
Quality of content is a key tool that you can use to improve your website’s search engine friendliness. However, there are still some website owners who have attempted to take advantage of Google’s preference for content by flooding their websites with ‘spammy’ content. The unfortunate result is that this reduces the overall quality of the search engine results.
This latest core algorithm update will impact websites that are identified as having ‘low quality’ content. So any webmasters who place ‘low-quality content’ on their US based websites risk seeing drops in their search engine rankings.
The bottom line is that Google doesn’t like directing surfers to low quality websites, as they can hamper the user’s’ experience and ultimately reflect poorly upon the search engine giant. So in an effort to minimize incidents of poor user experience, their latest algorithm update makes it much harder for websites with low quality content to appear near the top of the search engine results.
What Will Happen to Your Site’s Rankings?
If your website meets the new quality standards for content, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. In fact, this recent Google core algorithm update may possibly help your website, assuming that you follow the search company’s quality standards. At the very least this means developing content that is unique, relevant, and that aims to solve the reader’s problems.
Developing Content that Improves SEO Rankings
If you’re worried that your website may be at risk of dropping in the search engine results, as a result of the new algorithm – don’t fret. The good news is that you should be able to offset the effects of poor content by identifying any low quality content on your site and replacing it with better web copy. Here are a few pointers to consider, as you begin creating new text for your site.
- Unique Content – Provide information that is unique and shareable. Google users want search results that offer usable information. Does your content answer the questions of your website visitors? Does your unique content succeed in setting your website apart from competing sites? Make sure that your website content is not overtly similar to another site’s content.
- High Word Count – Avoid short, fluff pieces. Create thoughtfully written, in-depth copy. Very high-quality content includes well-researched, structured information that is between 500 to 700 words.
- Give Your Readers Value – Google’s search engine algorithm has the capacity to identify repetitive content and ranks it as low-quality. Don’t rob your website’s visitors of value by providing a slew of non-informative text that they won’t be able to appreciate.
- Write for Humans, Not Search Engines – Keywords have the potential to drive visitors to your website. However, there is a point at which adding more keywords to your content will only make the content less readable, thereby alienating your readers. The new algorithm is able to detect keyword padding and may subsequently reduce your search rankings.
- Observe Good Grammar and Punctuation – Don’t forget that the standard rules of grammar and punctuation still apply to web content. Not only that but sites with excessive spelling or grammar issues may see a reduction in search engine visibility. So if grammar isn’t your forte, you may want to consider getting help from a professional content specialist.
Can You Proactively Benefit from the Algo Update?
While spammy US sites have already seen massive drops in search engine traffic; websites with high quality copy stand to reap substantial rewards. In this respect, you can consider the improvements in Google’s core algorithm an opportunity to refine your content development process.
There is no secret sauce to beating SEO ranking algorithms. However, there does appear to be a fast track to Google banishment, and it’s a road paved with low-quality content and shortcuts.
In summary, if you want to be on the right side of the Panda update – core algorithm update, keep an eye out for new SEO trends. Moreover, make an effort to add well-written content to your website on a regular basis. If you could use a hand, ROI4my.com can help you develop engaging content that adds value to your readers while adhering to SEO best practices. Contact us today to learn more.
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