Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines
In November 2015, Google released a lengthy 160-page document called the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines. For many SEO experts and content providers, this provided insight into Google’s ranking algorithm. It included information about what Google views as a quality website and their search ranking factors. If you have a quality website, you will rank before your competitors. Seems easy enough, but how? We went through the document and here are our top 5 takeaways from Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines:
Page Design
We all know a horrible website when we see one: outdated site design, information that is hard to find, or an overload of information. Google takes it one step further. They look at the focus of pages on your website. Is the purpose front and center? Or, do users have to scroll to get to the pertinent content on the page? One thing that is crucial to note, though, is that ugly does not mean bad. Websites might not have the prettiest faces, but if their user-experience meets their customer’s needs, Google rates them higher.
About Us / Contact Us
Many times these pages seem standard, but they are indeed important. Making sure there is necessary information letting users know what your website is about and how customers can contact you, is a crucial factor to Google. While it might seem obvious what you do to you, it isn’t always to the consumer. The About Us page is your platform to prove a concise and interesting summary of your history and services.
Updated Content
We have always emphasized to our clients that this is important, and now Google is clearly validating this. Having reoccurring dated information, like blog articles, and updated older content helps to boost your ranking. Accurate content provides new information for the user, which again, Google likes. Not only that, but they do notice if people are just updating the dates and not the content. They also know if the content is updated but the date isn’t. These are both big no-no’s, and will do more harm than good.
Your Money or Your Life Pages (YMYL)
These YMYL pages are held to a very high standard. What are they? Examples include eCommerce pages, financial information, pages about health conditions or nutrition and legal advice. Google believes these pages should be held to a higher standard because it could negatively impact a user’s life (financially, physically or emotionally). Because these pages offer advice or gather personal information, it is imperative that YMYL pages contain accurate, expertly produced content.
Expert Writers
That brings us to the most important takeaway from the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines – E.A.T. – which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. E.A.T. is probably the single most important factor in determining a high-quality page. So what makes an expert? While it depends greatly on the topic, overall, it has to do with details and factual information. Even a restaurant review can be considered expert if Google finds it helpful and detailed. Overall, it is about unique content that is truthful and useful to your customers.
Color Fire strives to develop websites with integrity by creating strong, reliable, helpful content. This serves to not only elevate your company’s reputation but increase your Google ranking as well. We have always been aware that Google loves quality content. Now they have provided the blueprints: expert writers, new content, and user experience are all vital for a website to earn quality rankings. To learn more about how Color Fire can help you read more about our copywriting and SEO services.
