As competition for search rankings continues to grow, Google changes the SEO landscape by focusing on user experience.
As competition for search rankings continues to grow, Google changes the SEO landscape by focusing on user experience. According to the search engine giant, users can expect to receive better results, as their latest algorithm analyses the context of each enquiry rather than the keywords used in the search.
To help website owners maintain their rankings, Google recommends focusing on authorship, quality backlinks and quality content.
Importance of Quality Backlinks
With the constant updates on Google’s search algorithm, many are speculating if links are still important in SEO. “I think backlinks still have many, many years left in them,” Matt Cutts, the head of the search engine’s spam team, said. According to him, links are still important, as they help the search engine determine the reputation of pages.
Benefits of Quality Content
While Cutts says Google will not be devaluing links, he mentions that Google is giving more importance to quality content. The search engine encourages website owners to create content for their target audience and not for search engine bots. It also advises businesses to focus on their audience’s needs than on keywords.
According to experts, quality content has three characteristics:
- It is unique
- It answers the needs of a target audience
- It offers up-to-date information
Experts say quality content entertains and informs users. Furthermore, it encourages visitors to share the post with their own networks.
Significance of Authorship
Another factor that could affect SEO rankings is Authorship, which helps Google distinguish and validate content written by experts. It also assists readers in finding content written by brands or authors they trust. For website owners, claiming Google authorship means better online visibility and audience loyalty.
SEO has evolved over the years. Gone are the days when website owners are only focusing on keywords. Today, Google encourages businesses to prioritise user experience by providing valuable content that is worth sharing.
