Google Search is a valuable tool that your target audience is using daily to scan for relevant, insightful, and helpful online content. Google’s many tools and rules are in place to help those same users avoid spammers who may be manipulating these search results. By continually updating their strategies, Google hopes to help ensure that your audience receives search results that are useful and packed with the quality content that they deserve.
As a small business owner who relies on a strong digital presence, the impending May 2024 Google Core Update will directly impact how you manage your website and its content. Understanding the online practices you should avoid to prevent your site from being penalized or flagged by Google is crucial.
The Importance Of Elevating Content Quality
E-A-T, a cornerstone of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines, recently gained an additional “E.” The original acronym stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. The new “E” in E-E-A-T now adds Experience to the list. This update is not just about avoiding penalties. It’s about embracing a new evolution in content creation. It’s an opportunity to analyze, update, and elevate your sites’ current and future content. By fully embracing this change, you can bring new and beneficial possibilities to your site with informative, engaging, and unique material and potentially significantly boost your site’s visibility and ranking.
Eliminating Spam and Low Quality Content
Google’s improved spam policies require websites and content creators to rethink and review their material and creation strategies. Past practices that you might have slipped by with in the past are simply not going to cut it anymore. For example, duplicating content or keyword stuffing will no longer suffice. These types of spammy and outdated practices will be heavily and swiftly dealt with. Additionally, as spam referral links represent a significant issue for Google, you must regularly review the origins of your web users. By regularly reviewing and auditing your content and site, you can better ensure that your site maintains a healthy ranking and is in Google’s good graces.
Improving Website Reputation
The Google Core update focuses on content that abuses a website’s reputation. So, whether your site offers guest posts or third-party content, it’s critical to maintain strong editorial standards. To prevent being marked as spam, ensure that any external content is in line with your site’s quality and topic relevancy. Google’s new stance on expired domains requires repurposed sites to provide genuine, high-quality content relevant to the original domain’s audience. This will help to ensure businesses don’t negatively impact their reputation while redirecting traffic or enhancing SEO.
Enhancing Content Creation
If your content creation strategy has involved the use of automated content creation tools, it’s time to make a change. Mass-producing low-quality content for the sake and hope of ranking will no longer be a viable strategy. Google is becoming more adept at spotting these types of content and practices. Their penalties for such content are also becoming stricter and swifter. So, rather than focusing all of your efforts on quantity, this is the time to begin investing more time in creating quality material. This will help ensure that your site doesn’t suffer regarding online visibility and ranking.
No Site Will Be Immune
Previously untouched by algorithm updates, older websites are now facing severe consequences. Some argue it’s time for low-quality sites to be removed from SERPs after years of floating just below the radar. This is where E-E-A-T plays a crucial role in how well you rank and whether or not you and your website will sink. Whether new or old, websites and their ability to adapt to the ever-evolving digital world will determine their survival. For your own sake and the survival of your site, just remember quality, experience, and regular site audits. If you can follow those basics, your site should be in the clear.
Google has long placed a high value on originality, depth, user experience, and value. To improve E-E-A-T principles, cite reputable sources and showcase your expertise. This will help ensure that Google and your site’s visitors regard you as a reliable and trustworthy source. By making these adjustments, you’re improving your online presence and creating a more enjoyable experience for all visitors. R5 Website Management supports you in maintaining a strong online presence. For reliable website support and online marketing strategies, contact R5 Website Management today.
