How Does Google Evaluate Your Content?

The ever-evolving landscape of SEO, or search engine optimization, is anything but formula driven. There is no golden rule that will catapult your site to page-one organic search supremacy. 

“Modern search algorithms are capable of differentiating content relevant photos from advertising or content irrelevant photos.”

Who is to say what makes content "good" or "valuable"? Though the concept seems extremely subjective, Google has built a multi-billion dollar empire doing exactly that. Which begs the question, "How is it that this company has managed to quantify precisely how articulate or well-versed your website is in its niche market?"

4 must haves for better organic search placement

1. Address Topics not keywords. Higher rankings are achieved when a page addresses a complete concept rather than being optimized for individual keywords. Basically, Google has gotten a lot better at identifying depth of meaning in content clusters as opposed to repetitious keyword stuffing. 
2. Target the sweet spot for substance. Length of content is another factor to consider when looking to increase your search ranking. Both short and long content can be negative factors within Google’s search algorithms. Like any initial business meeting – Say too little and be perceived as non-authoritative; Say too much and be considered long-winded and irrelevant. A good target is between 500 to 1000 words. 
3. People like pictures - and so does Google. Photo and multi-media content will promote higher search rankings. Interestingly, search engines like Google are getting better and better at extracting meta-information such as content and context from visual imagery. Modern search algorithms are capable of differentiating content relevant photos from advertising or content irrelevant photos. Simply put, Google can tell if the pictures are adding value to the words. 
4. Embrace device agnostic design. Hand crafted semantic code is a necessity as is responsive web design. Google promotes websites that adhere to modern web standards. Aside from the inherent SEO benefits, modern web design is a direct reflection of how our consumption of  information has changed. Mobile and tablet access has sky rocketed in the last few years and Google is undeniably helping drive the restructuring of internet content though organic search rankings.   

If you are interested in learning about the value Novocent can bring to modernizing your web presence, give us a call or drop us a line.