Digital marketers and search engine optimization specialists would love to see Google’s search engine algorithm. The formula that ranks websites is secret, even though SEO experts contend they understand how it works. Google has published what might be the next best thing: Search Quality Rating Guidelines.
Google recently released the guidelines it created to help humans evaluate the quality of websites. The evaluators themselves do not rank websites; rather, their ratings help Google understand its search engine experiments. Still, Google has stated the guidelines reflect its thinking. The guidelines reveal important – and sometimes surprising – insights.
Here’s what digital marketing professionals who have scrutinized the 157-page document say it reveals.
Meet the user’s goals. Content is not king. The real king is the website visitor. Google rates websites by how well they meet visitor’s goals and expectations. That could be to download files, purchase merchandise, be entertained or interact. “If you’re going to put a crown on anyone then put it on the site visitor. Google’s Guidelines puts the user on the throne and so should you because by doing so you will unlock the right kind of content,” writes says Roger Montti, an independent web publisher and SEO expert, in a Search Engine Journal article.
Keywords are over-rated. Focusing on keywords is passé. The guidelines only refer to keywords when referring to keyword stuffing. The search engine does not rank websites based on keywords on the page. It ranks them on how well they satisfy a specific kind of search query. Many sites in the top ten don’t even feature the search keywords.
Online reputation. Google instructs evaluators to conduct reputation research to find what users, including experts, think about a website. Reviews, references, recommendations and news articles are all factors. That guidance shows the importance proactively seeking online reviews, Montti says. Business must cultivate favorable reviews or face extinction; offering the best products and relying on word of mouth is no longer adequate.
User experience. Websites rank higher if visitors can find what they seek quickly and easily. Factors include download speed, proper font size, logical navigation and mobile friendliness.
Your Money or Your Life
The document reveals that Google holds pages covering financial and medical issues, termed “your money or your life” pages, to a higher standard. Financial and medical information, and legal information and, importantly, websites with a shopping component fall into that category, points out Jennifer Slegg, founder and editor of The SEM Post. References, expert opinions and supplementary content are especially important for such YMYL pages.
Trust and authority. For higher search rankings, Slegg advises to pursue expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (EAT). Recruiting contributors, updating author bios and About Us pages, and publicizing credentials can improve a page’s authority. In addition to formal education, detailed reviews, experiences shared on forums or blogs, and life experiences are among the factors that increase EAT.
Page design. Page design is a ratings factor. Ideally, the main content of the page should be “front and center” on the page, Slegg notes. Websites can damage their rankings by using loads of ads above the fold that force viewers to scroll down to view content, ads masquerading as editorial content, and lack of a clear separation between advertising and content. It’s important to note that ugly websites can still rank well if they are user friendly.
Ranking E-Commerce Sites
The best e-commerce pages help consumers research, browse and reach purchase decisions. Google judges an e-commerce site by the consumer’s research and buying experience. Evaluators seek manufacturer’s product specs, original product information, user reviews, and information on shipping and returns. Ideal e-commerce pages:
- help consumers compare products,
- contain thorough descriptions,
- make it easy to browse alternate products,
- offer reviews,
- have a secure purchasing process.
Bottom Line: Google’s Search Quality Rating Guidelines offer valuable insights into how the search engine giant ranks websites. Even though SEO gurus say they understand how Google produces search results, the document contains some revelations. Perhaps most surprising, content is not as important as many believe and on-page keywords may be obsolete.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
