Google is now penalizing website content that is written primarily to rank high in search engines, but is not useful to users.
Google has just released its ‘useful content’ update, which as the name suggests was launched to ensure that people see more original and useful content in their search results.
Google says its systems will automatically identify content that appears to have little value, low added value, or is not particularly useful to searchers. Your search ranking will suffer, as will presumably the traffic to these sites.
“Google wants to weed out SEO-optimized websites, meaning those that are full of keywords but not useful to the user,” says Juan Vides, president of Oceanside-based TechACS, a design firm web and search engine optimization (SEO).
Juan Vides, president of Oceanside-based TechACS, a web design and search engine optimization (SEO) company. Credit: Techacs Corporation
While SEO is important, when writing content, you need to make sure you’re providing valuable content to the user first and foremost, he says. Google provides some guidance on this here:
According to Google, if you can answer yes to questions like these below, you’re on the right track with a “people-first approach”:
Does your content clearly demonstrate first-hand experience and deep knowledge (for example, the experience that comes from using a product or service or visiting a site)? Will someone who reads your content leave feeling like they had a satisfying experience?
Some warning signs that you need to reevaluate how you’re creating content, according to Google, include:
Do you use extensive automation to produce content on many topics? Are you mostly summarizing what others are saying without adding much value? Does your content make readers feel like they need to search again for better information from other sources?
“I see companies publishing a lot of auto-generated content,” says Loren Wildes, president of Bar Harbor Web Design, a digital marketing and web development agency in Port Jefferson. Basically, they use software that creates content for you, he says.
Repeat offenders
They also load the site with repetitive keywords that add little value just to rank higher in searches, he says.
That doesn’t mean you can’t optimize your site for relevant keywords, but you should write for your audience first and then make sure it’s optimized, Wildes says.
Among her tips: write quality content that you’re a subject matter expert on, make sure you’re writing content that’s easy for users to scan with headings and paragraphs, and don’t stuff blocks of text just repeating keywords you think they’ll get a high position in search
Loren Wildes, president of Bar Harbor Web Design, a web development and digital marketing agency based in Port Jefferson. Credit: Greg Wildes
Among the websites that will be penalized, adds Vides, there are those that create content in bulk; those who cover any random topic in which they are not an expert; and those that use copycat content or clickbait (deceptive links that trick visitors into clicking on them, but don’t give users the information they’re actually looking for).
He said that posting your latest projects, showcasing your work, and having up-to-date reviews all help with the user experience and add value.
Vides helped Giorgenti Custom Clothing in Garden City, which designs made-to-order clothing for men and women, do it for her.
If you scroll down the site, www.giorgenti.com, it has links for customers to leave a Google or Yelp review, and then those reviews also appear on the website, updating routinely, says CEO Janine Giorgenti, whose daughter Aneesah Saeed, also helped with the website’s usability and design. The company debuted its newly designed website in April.
Janine Giorgenti, CEO of Giorgenti Custom Clothing in Garden City. Credit: Giorgenti Custom Clothing
“We’ve done a lot of user testing with our customers,” Saeed said, noting that they asked them what kinds of questions they’d like answered on the site and updated it accordingly.
For example, people weren’t sure what to expect if they walked into his store, so he lays it out in three clear steps highlighted on his home page, Saeed says. They also added new visuals to appeal to their changing audience.
When the company started more than two decades ago, they primarily catered to men. Now, the store’s customer base has expanded to include women, people shopping for wedding wear, and Giorgenti caters to a more diverse audience, including ethnic and LGBT populations. The extended spread is reflected on the site.
Giorgenti said it’s these and other updates to her website that make her confident her rankings won’t be penalized by Google’s new update.
Update often
It’s good to show your voice and expertise to improve the user experience, says Anthony Savino, president of Benjamin Marc, a Lake Grove-based web design, logo design and marketing firm. He does this on his own website with a blog that he updates weekly with tips, industry news and company news.
“Refreshing content regularly will help rank visibility and usability,” he says.
It says that questions and queries can also be useful for the user.
“Your website should be easy to use,” says Savino.
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