Google asks SEOs to stop trying to show Google stuff

The Google Search Link responded to a series of posts on Twitter, prompting it to ask SEOs to stop trying to “show things to Google”, explaining that the process of doing things on your site to rank -get better at Google is the opposite of Google’s advice. giving Instead, show your users/visitors things that those people will like.

The whole series of posts and replies is kind of sad. I mean, Google has been saying this for a while, build what your users want and don’t build what you think Google wants. That’s what these helpful content updates/core updates are all about: looking at things SEOs are doing to try to rank better, without taking users into account.

For example, an SEO shows some data on how affiliate sites have been hit hard with the core update so far, but ecommerce sites are fine. So, as a joke, why not put an “add to cart” button on your affiliate site to fool Google. Google’s Danny Sullivan responded X saying, “I wouldn’t recommend that people start adding carts because they ‘show Google’ any more than I would recommend anyone doing anything they think ‘shows Google’ something.”

He later pleaded, saying, “I’m begging. Please, I’m asking you or anyone to stop focusing on specific content things. It’s not whether OCD or calling someone an ‘expert’ is d ‘somehow a specific signal. It’s that these things can indicate a pattern of doing too much of the ‘show Google’ thing that it’s not just a good site for people, which is what Google wants to reward.”

Danny Sullivan went on to say, “You want to do things that make sense to your visitors, because what ‘shows Google’ that you have a great site is to be…a great site so that your visitors don’t add things that you assume are . only for Google.” “Doing things that you think are just for Google is falling behind what our ranking systems are trying to reward instead of being ahead of them,” he added.

Then list some of the SEOs because they think that’s what Google wants you to do. He writes; “Stop trying to ‘show google stuff’. I’ve been through a lot of sites at this point (and appreciate the feedback) and the patterns tend to be:”

Something that said an “expert” reviewed the content because someone mistakenly believes that ranks them better. Weird table of contents stuff got pushed to the top because who knows, along the way, somehow that became something that I guess people assume ranks you better. The page was updated after a few days, or even fresh on the exact day, although the content doesn’t particularly need anything fresh and someone probably did a very light rewrite and a new date because they think “show google” has fresh content and will rank better. The page ends up with a series of “hey, here’s some FAQs” because someone used a tool or other method to add things they think people are looking for specifically because they heard if you add a bunch of popular searches to the page , that ranks you better, not because anyone coming to your page wants to barely be able to read the main content of the pages because I keep getting interrupted by stuff shoved in the middle. Which isn’t so much a “Google show,” think as much as it is just an unsatisfying experience

So why do these strategies or “things” seem to work for Google? Danny wrote: “You’ll find pages still ranking, from both big and small sites, that do these things. Because our ranking systems aren’t perfect, and after this current update, we’ll continue to work on them. .”

Sullivan then shared a draft of a new help document he wants to add to the Google Search documentation, which says:

The most important key to success with Google Search is to have content that is designed to appeal to people, rather than what you’ve heard “Google wants”. For example, sometimes people write longer content than is useful for their readers because they heard somewhere that “Google wants” long content.

What Google wants is content that people like, content that your own readers and visitors will find useful and satisfying. This is the foundation of your potential success with Google. Any questions you have about creating content for Google will lead back to this principle. “Is this content that my visitors would find satisfying?” If the answer is yes, go for it, because that’s what Google wants.

He ends this post by saying again, “But please. If you want to be successful, stop doing a lot of the things you’ve heard second, third, whatever that’s supposed to ‘show Google’ something and show your visitors a great satisfaction. experience. This is how you show Google’s ranking systems that you should do well.”

Here is the post, click to read it in full:

Also, I want to be very clear that I don’t mean this as a critic @lilyraynyc who has been a staunch defender of creators. He recently made a video that is worth watching. In it, he touches on some of the same “show Google” concerns I’m covering: https://t.co/QfnffusL2r…