Creating Google-Friendly Content

Keyword research is an essential aspect of staying visible in Google searches. With new technology and updates to the Google ranking algorithm, the standard for keywords and content on websites is elevated to be as helpful to users as possible. Luckily, there are simple steps you can take in your content marketing plan and keyword research methods that may help you avoid a low ranking for your website.

Cater to Localized Searches

Keywords and content go hand-in-hand; it is important to target local keywords with consideration to the content you will provide. With Google search updates such as Possum prioritizing local searches, being as geographically specific as you can be with your keyword research may help your business retain visibility.

Exposure aside, the content must do the work that is promised in the keyword. Google identifies the quality of webpages based on their helpfulness to users. It is one thing to attract customers with search results and another to provide useful information and content at the end of those searches. One way to keep up with relevant keywords is to use rank tracking software like SEMrush to help produce location and content-specific keywords.

Anticipate Updated Algorithms

To avoid a low-quality ranking from Google, consideration to areas of your website such as keywords and content should play a part in your content marketing plan. However, the best content marketing strategies include being aware of and literate in the various Google-ranking updates and tailoring your content to the specifications they look for. Pay attention to algorithm changes and how they affect traffic. For example:

• Phantom 2: The Phantom update is suspected to target “thin” content on websites, which in turn decreases search traffic. Sites that contained little content quality received 10% deficits in search traffic with this update.
• Fred Update: Google’s confirmed algorithm update cost some sites up to 90% of their organic traffic. Like Phantom, this update monitors the quality of website content and ranks those sites accordingly.

Understanding the structure that these Google updates use to rank the quality of websites is a good way to strategize the kind of content you can provide in order to stay ahead.

Craft Quality Content With Google in Mind

You must provide useful content and keywords that meet Google’s current standards in order for your website to gain a high-quality classification. The following content marketing strategies will help you take advantage of Google’s updated algorithms:

• Intuitive Internal Structural Links: Your internal links should act as a tour guide, helping you navigate the architecture of your website page by page and displaying the hierarchy of relevant information. Google flags excessive use of internal links as low quality. Links should be given rhyme and reason, and always act as effective tools for website navigation.
• Useful Content: In keeping with the Fred Update, it is important to prioritize the quality of your content. Google wags its finger at over-monetized content that is designed to deceive users and search engines with distractingly placed ads, auto-play videos, and download buttons. The content your website provides should be thorough, well written, and useful to your audience in order to maintain a higher quality ranking.
• Compromise with Ads and Affiliate Links: Many websites are not without their fair share of ads. Though ridding your site of all ads and affiliate links is unreasonable, cutting back and putting content at the center is a great way to boost quality classification. Ads should linger in the margins of your website, a presence that does not sully the user experience. Deceptive ads and affiliate links that are disguised as part of the main website content are noticed by Google and penalized accordingly.
• E-commerce Hygiene: Building e-commerce trust is a big checkmark in the high-quality box. Financial transactions take place on a daily basis. It is shown that as many as 95% of Americans use online shopping yearly. Google requires that websites comply with proper e-commerce hygiene by providing pages for refunds and returns, delivery information, and terms and conditions within the financial transaction page. These matters should be handled with extreme attention, as many websites simply use duplicates or automatically generated It is imperative for websites to handle all financial-related pages with thoroughness and provide quality content that goes beyond replicating pre-existing information.

Conclusion

Google’s ever-updating algorithms for monitoring web quality set a new standard for websites. Keeping up with the specifications of content marketing and keyword research is a big part of maintaining organic traffic and appealing to users. By strategizing with Google’s updates and effectively catering your content to the user experience, your website should stay out of the low-quality danger zone.