Did you hear the news?
On March 5th, 2024 Google updated its algorithm in a fairly significant way. Unsurprisingly, this has caused quite the stir in the content creation community.
Why wouldn’t it? Google accounts for more than 91% of search engine market share worldwide. Any time the company does anything related to its algorithm, it’s a big deal.
The latest algorithm update aims to reduce low quality content in search. Crafty people have found ways to game the system over the years and rank higher in search engines. But these tactics don’t serve end users. So, Google does its best to minimize their effectiveness.
In this article, I’ll explain how these new algorithm changes could affect your content creation process, best practices for website owners moving forward, and more.
But before we get to that, can we take a moment to realize that I predicted all this in my first blog post for this website? I said, “SEO experts and business owners must realize that content quality is incredibly important, perhaps the single most crucial factor in SEO.”
Okay, now that I’ve sufficiently tooted my own horn, let’s dive into Google’s latest algorithm update…
(Note: I’ve been planning to create low-quality AI content at scale for www.ArtificialSEO.com, while continuing to post content here on my personal website. Then, after a few months, I’ll compare the results for each site. I’m still planning to do this experiment. Stay tuned!)
Why Google Updated Its Algorithm
Let’s dig deeper into why Google made its most recent changes.
It all comes down to the user experience. Google wants people to enjoy using its search engine. How does it make this happen? By helping users get the answers, they seek as fast as possible.
Because of this goal, Google wants to rank high-quality, engaging content in its results pages.
That way people have a favorable experience when they use Google’s search platform. (The other search engines want this too, by the way. So relevant content will always benefit you.)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know about ChatGPT and the other AI content creation tools. These apps allow people to create content quickly, which is why they’re so popular. Unfortunately, said content is often subpar. (Ever read a completely AI-generated blog post? Not awesome…)
Google’s latest algorithm update aims to deprioritize low-quality content, which will help top-level articles, videos, etc. rank better in search results. When users have easy access to the best content, they’ll keep using the platform that gives it to them, i.e., Google.
3 Ways This Algorithm Update Will Impact Google Search Results
I know what you’re thinking, “That’s all great, Marko. But how will this algorithm update impact me?“
Great question! The answer depends on your current content creation process. If you work hard to create valuable resources that your audience wants to consume, you’ll be fine. But…
If you’ve ever written a low-quality blog post, or used AI to generate subpar articles at scale, or purchased an expired domain so you can redirect it to your current site, you’ll have problems.
Let’s talk specifics:
1. This Algorithm Update Will Reduce Low Quality Results
Google wants to cut low-quality results from its search rankings.
This begs the question, what does Google consider low quality content? Anything that’s unhelpful, unoriginal, produces a poor user experience, or feels like it was created for search engines, not people.
When you create content ask yourself, “Will this blog post, video, etc. help my target audience? And is it presented in an appealing way? Or am I just trying to drive traffic at any cost?“
Want to elevate your content creation process? Keep your audience in mind when you create resources for them. Then only craft engaging content pieces that you know they’ll like. This will improve your performance in search results and help you connect with your target market.
2. This Algorithm Update Will Combat Expired Domain Abuse
If you create content for a living, you might have heard the term, “expired domain abuse”.
This is when companies buy expired domains with strong domain authority; then redirect them to their current sites so they can capitalize on the extra SEO juice.
Google doesn’t like this tactic, and its latest algorithm update aims to minimize it amongst the content creation community. It makes sense. Using expired domains—especially those in unrelated niches—can mislead users. To prevent this, Google now considers sites that use this tactic to be spam.
3. This Algorithm Update Will Address Scaled Content Abuse
What is scaled content abuse? It’s the act of creating low-quality content at scale to manipulate search results. It’s become a serious problem since ChatGPT and similar AI tools hit the market.
Let’s be honest, most content creators have used AI tools to create a blog post. Or a couple of landing pages. Or a week’s worth of social media posts. This isn’t an issue. The problem is when companies create tons of content that isn’t unhelpful or unoriginal, like we talked about above.
Best Practices for Website Owners Moving Forward
How should you approach content creation in light of Google’s new algorithm update? Here are five tips to make sure your content marketing efforts drive more traffic:
1. Know Your Audience
Before you write another blog post or publish another video on YouTube, ask yourself, “Do I understand my audience?” If the answer is no, you have a problem.
You can’t create unique, must-read content if you don’t know the people you want to reach.
So, get to know your market. What do they like? What do they dislike? And how can you give them content that will increase engagement and build your organic traffic numbers?
You can answer these questions by talking with your readers/viewers/customers. Or by running surveys. Or by studying your closest competitors to see how they engage their own audiences.
2. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
Next, work hard to craft amazing content—even if it leads to fewer published pieces.
With Google’s latest algorithm update, quality wins. Embrace this fact and you’ll drive more organic traffic to your site—I guarantee it. The question is, how do you make better content?
First, get to know your audience like we talked about above. That way you craft relevant materials they want to consume. Second, make sure every piece of content you produce has a specific purpose. And third, invest in your content to make it elite.
You might have to adjust your content creation process to achieve this, but it will be worth it.
(Pro Tip: One way to prioritize quality over quantity and produce a ton of content is to repurpose content you’ve already created. A podcast episode can become a blog post, an email, an infographic, multiple social media posts, etc.)
3. Commit to Proper Content Optimization
Your content needs to be helpful and original.
It also needs to be optimized for SEO, so that Google understands what you’re trying to communicate to your audience and can rank your resources appropriately. This is so important!
Start by generating ideas. What does your audience want from you? Then conduct thorough keyword research to find the right keywords for each topic. Finally, create the best content you can while incorporating these keywords (and related keywords!).
4. Analyze Data; Then Adjust Your Approach
Once your content creation process is rolling, take time to gather data and study the results.
Is your audience more engaged? Are your rankings in search results improving? What else can you do to please the humans who consume your stuff and the Google overlords who rank it?
Then adjust the way you create content to match the data you’ve collected.
5. Experiment With AI and Machine Learning Apps
Last but not least, try to incorporate AI tools into your content creation workflow. As long as you use the right automation tools in the right way, you won’t be penalized by Google.
Here are a few tips:
- Generate Ideas: AI can help you come up with content ideas for your audience.
- Discover Keywords: More than that, AI can help pick keywords for each of these ideas.
- Produce Blog Outlines: Let your automation tool help you structure your article.
- Craft Short Copy: AI can usually write short paragraphs well. So try it for your next Instagram caption, Facebook Ad, etc. But make sure you edit the text before it goes live.
- Edit Your Written Text: Did you know that grammar and spell checkers use AI tech? You should definitely use these tools before you publish new content.
As you can see, AI can benefit your content creation process. Just don’t use it to write a whole article unless you edit it first. Such content will send you straight to the bottom of Google search.
Important FAQs
I wanted to take a minute to answer a few frequently asked questions about this new algorithm update. Here’s what you need to know to ensure the success of your content creation process:
What are the potential consequences of ignoring Google’s algorithm updates?
It’s pretty simple: if you ignore Google’s algorithm updates you won’t understand how it ranks content in search results. Without this knowledge, you might write a blog post or shoot a video that gets penalized by Google. When this happens, your content won’t rank well.
How can website owners recover from penalties due to low-quality content?
First, understand why Google is penalizing your content. Is it poorly written? Does it contain spammy links? Whatever the problem is, fix it as fast as possible. Then work hard to generate content that meets Google’s standards and engages your target audience.
Is there a way to report sites engaging in expired domain abuse to Google?
As far as I know, there isn’t a great way to report domain abuse to Google. That said, you can contact them through this support channel to see if they’ll address the problem.
What role does user feedback play in Google’s assessment of content quality?
Nobody knows exactly how the Google algorithm works. That said, most experts believe that Google considers user feedback when it ranks content. With this in mind, develop your content creation skills so your website receives positive ratings and reviews.
How often should website owners monitor their content for scaled content issues?
As long as you approach content marketing the right way, you shouldn’t have to monitor your site for scaled content issues. What do I mean by the “right way“? All your content should be helpful and original. This will keep your audience happy and your site well-ranked.
Now, if you think “effective content creation” means “crafting poorly written, mass produced materials that only exist to game search rankings” you should check your site on the regular.
Update Your Approach to Content Creation
Google’s latest algorithm update aims to limit low quality content, while combating domain and scaled content abuse. As such, Google will penalize websites that engage in these things.
Fortunately, a strong content creation process will keep you and your site in the clear.
Do your best to learn about your market, conduct thorough keyword research, and craft high quality content that your audience wants. This will lead to worthwhile results for your business.
Need help crafting must-read content? As an experienced SEO professional, I have the skills to get your website to the top of Google search. Let’s work together!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.