With so many ranking factors and algorithm changes, it can be hard to answer ‘What does Google want?’. In today’s blog, we will break it down for you so there is no confusion about what Google is expecting from you. We’ll even give some insights into SEO magic…
What Does Google Want? Their Approach To Search…
Before we can say what Google wants, we must understand what it is exactly that Google wants. This is all from the horse’s mouth (the horse being Google)…
Relevant And Reliable Information
Google have come out and said that every day 15% of searches are queries that they have never seen before. What does that mean? Well, either more of us don’t know how to string a sentence together (likely), or our fascination is broadening.
Searchers are becoming less predictable and so the systems Google uses to bring forth relevant and reliable information must evolve. Google has integrated automated technology into its systems, which considers the terms and language in a query, content from webpages, the expertise of its source, and relevant geography.
To establish what is relevant and reliable, Google conducts rigorous testing on content, weighing up various quality factors to determine ranking positions.
Access To Information
It is Google’s mission to improve the world’s accessibility to information. They want people to always have an answer at the tip of their fingers, no matter what the question may be (well, within reason, let’s keep it lawful shall we).
From helping searchers with mathematical equations, translating language, and determining distance, to more complex queries that require exploring multiple sources to form an independent understanding. Google is intent on maximising access to information for all.
Presenting Information In The Best Way
Information comes to us now in various forms. How we search and share is ever-evolving. Images, videos, podcasts, sports scores, blogs, case studies, articles… How we consume information is complex.
Google is constantly adapting to bring information to servers in the most suitable and useful way. How they present search results, the language and style is based on what they know about you. Regardless of their rankings, if you continually visit a site, they’ll bring that site up to you!
If you’re asking for directions, they’ll bring you a map. If you’re asking who’s on top of the premier league, they give you the full table.
Protecting Privacy
Without using intrusive methods to gather information, Google knows enough about you to guess what is on your mind. For example, they will use search history to predetermine your queries.
They ardently protect their users, by tackling spammy content and keeping data private, safe and secure. Their security infrastructure is impenetrable, and they pledge to never sell personal information.
So, What Does Google Want From Us?
We know Google values quality, reliability, accessibility, presentation, and safety. To translate this for SEO experts, Google’s E-E-A-T acronym is the pillar of what we do and the key to a successful strategy.
What Is E-E-A-T?
To align with Google’s Seach Quality Raters Guidelines, E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
While E-E-A-T itself is not listed as a direct ranking factor, you could say it informs the basis of everything we do. Instead of influencing an algorithm, it is a guideline used by human raters who evaluate the quality of search result pages.
Experience
Perhaps a dig at AI, but Google wants to see that content has been created by *people* with first-hand, relevant industry experience. This is so they can be confident that content creators are producing relevant, high-quality content.
Those with experience are more likely to give helpful answers to real-world scenarios presented in search queries.
There are many ways you can demonstrate ‘experience’ to Google-
- Author bios
- Online portfolios
- Case studies
- Multi-media content
- Community engagement
- Practical guides
Expertise
Demonstration of a comprehensive understanding of your topic, showing depth and breadth of knowledge. Google values expertise as it assures them your content is accurate and reliable.
Information that is insightful and beneficial to users contributes to an enhanced user experience. Not only will this mean better engagement with your website, but also with Google itself. Just think, they’re putting themselves first at the end of the day.
Showcasing your expertise to Google can be done in many ways:
- Creating high-quality, well-researched content
- Cited content with backlinks
- Certifications, accreditations, achievements and awards
- Authoritative link network
- Avoiding ‘thin content’
Authority
In the world of SEO, authority is thrown around a lot. The regular content we publish and the sites we link out reflect our reputation and respect in the SEO community.
In a lot of ways, authority is like the tilt of a hat from fellow businesses in your field, that says, ‘Yeh, they’re legit’. This proves to Google your website’s credibility, as well as validating its existence and the information provided in a particular field.
Authority can be proven and elevated in a lot of ways, such as:
- High-quality backlinks (to sites with a strong domain authority)
- Authoritative content creators
- Content with consistent authors
- Relevant social media accounts
- Featured on reputable directories
- Inbound links
Trustworthiness
Trust applies to you, your content, your business, your site, the experience you provide, and just about everything. As we know, Google takes a lot of pride in its security and wants its high-ranking websites to do the same.
Trust signals for both users and search engines build confidence. This fosters better experiences and loyalty, much like a committed relationship. God, we are in a committed relationship with… Google. Great.
For the needs of SEO, you can showcase trustworthiness by:
- Https in URL
- Accessible and clear contact details
- Privacy policy, T&Cs and Terms of Service displayed
- About us, core values, meet the team page(s)
- Testimonials and reviews from customers, either on the site or elsewhere
- Ad transparency
- Authors attached to articles
What Does Google Want? GrowTraffic Knows…
We hope you now know the answer to ‘What does Google want?’, and even feel that you know how to give it to them.
When it comes to delivering what Google is looking for, here at GrowTraffic, we have all the answers. By combining well-researched, link-worthy content with technical on-site improvements and offsite SEO, we build comprehensive and successful strategies for our clients. Pair that with our decades of experience, both our clients and Google are never dissatisfied.
If you are looking to build your online presence and don’t know where to start, or are still unsure about ‘What does Google want?’, don’t worry! Contact us today and we’d be happy to talk it through together.