Google just announced some key updates to its Search algorithms which look to highlight more valuable results, created for humans, as opposed to web pages that have been designed purely with SERP ranking in mind. It seems that Google’s main target with these new updates is low-quality aggregator sites, which aim to match up with common search terms to funnel in more Search traffic.

Going Deeper

Now, Google says that it’s putting more emphasis on content quality and depth, which could spark a change in the broader SEO approach. As Google explains:

“Next week, we’ll launch the “helpful content update” to tackle content that seems to have been primarily created for ranking well in search engines rather than to help or inform people. This ranking update will help make sure that unoriginal, low-quality content doesn’t rank highly in Search, and our testing has found it will especially improve results related to online education, as well as arts and entertainment, shopping, and tech-related content.”

Based on what Google says, the update is aimed at low-quality sites that have been constructed purely to game the algorithm, by including specific keyword matches and data notes that align with key Google search trends. To put it differently, if you’re creating shallow content based solely on keyword matching to rank in Search, then don’t be surprised if you soon start seeing a dip in your SERP rankings.

As always, Google wants to ensure that users get the most relevant and helpful results, which are generally not provided by aggregator sites or those that focus solely on Search ranking. That could reduce the value of common SEO tactics, such as using exact search terms in your headers and using the same keyword multiple times. For those creating helpful and in-depth content about a specific topic, these changes won’t really cause much of a ruckus – the bottom line is that you should be creating content with your audience in mind, with Search rankings coming in a close 2nd.

Google has also announced a new update to its review ranking process that’s designed to pull up quality, helpful reviews in Search results. Google’s review focus highlights more product reviews that share in-depth research, rather than ‘thin content that simply summarizes a bunch of products’.

The Wrap 

Moving forward, if you’re ever looking to incorporate user-generated content and product reviews into your website, then are sure to also include in-depth information and descriptions to keep in line with Google’s updated Search mechanics. To repeat, Google’s main focus is to keep providing quality and informative results in Search that answer searchers’ questions. For now, since these updates are not yet full-blown, the better you’re able to sculpt the quality of your content, the better your search performance will be.

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Sources 

https://bit.ly/3wgqVO5