Why is Google so popular, the leader of the pack so to speak? Google works on having their search algorithms in tune with the populace who are actively searching the internet. Google’s point of difference is to deliver the most relevant sites and content to the user in the fastest possible time. Without this, they are just like all the other search engines out there.
As web site developers and search engine optimisation specialists learn more of how the search algorithms work, there will always be those who take advantage and try to gain increased search engine rankings by the least amount of effort. This leads us to a plethora of fairly ordinary results with poor content showing higher in Google search engine result pages (SERPs).
The purpose of the algorithm change is to penalise sites with poor quality content. Matt Cutts from Google is quoted as saying that ‘enough low quality content on a site could reduce its rankings’. This may occur even if the site has some very high quality pages, the poor quality ones will bring it down overall. Sites with content copied from other sites, poorly written copy and duplicate content will notice their rankings decline.
The sites it appears to be targeting are those who employ freelance writers to, at best, rewrite, or worst, copy and paste other published material into more or less coherent articles to increase traffic to publishing sites and news aggregators, basically content farms. The articles are designed almost entirely to satisfy the algorithms, increase traffic and thus advertising revenue.
Therefore, it appears to be a beneficial time for Google to change the rules again. Not a moving goal post, but a rule book change to actually help users to keep finding the results they really are looking for. This latest change occurred in the US in February 2011 and is planned for international rollout in the coming weeks. Knowing that these algorithm changes continually occur is a good reason to gain an understanding of search engine optimisation to be able to review how your site can maintain or improve its rankings and remain visible to your potential clientele.
Exceptional content is the key to harmony with Google algorithms. If you aim your content to your clients and actually offer something valuable, your clients will be delighted. Increasingly, this will also ensure Google is delighted with you too. Developing your content with the idea of adding value, making the content unique, original and relevant gives your users and Google much to think about.
One recommendation from Google was to use <meta name=robots content=noindex> on pages that have duplicate information (such as product or business description information that appears duplicated). If a page lists products in multiples for consumer feedback, this may be seen as duplicate information until the consumers actually leave the feedback.
As the rest of the world still has a little time before this algorithm change is rolled out, we are the lucky ones – the solution for reasons other than duplication that your rankings are poor, is to just get with it and improve your content!
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