Many people think that you don’t have to have high-quality content if you want to be successful on Google. While that can be true for one-off top-page search results, it is not the case. Google has its own way of recognizing and rewarding high-quality content. Today, we are going to check what Google considers to be high-quality content, and how it rewards it.
Why is quality content so important?
In the old days, it wasn’t necessarily that hard to get traffic and to get on top of Google searches by using spam-like strategies. SEO algorithms and bots were not that complicated. You could just type multiple keywords in succession, so-called keyword stuffing, and Google could’ve put your page on top of search results.
Thankfully (or unfortunately for some), Google today has a rigorous system for checking for quality content. This means that websites with high-quality content can be on top of search results. Of course, this still doesn’t have to necessarily be the case, but things are looking better than they were before. So, how can quality content help websites be on top of search results, and how does Google “reward” high-quality content?
Quality content increases your organic website traffic
The equation is simple: quality content means increased search rankings, and increased search rankings mean increased organic website traffic. All of our content on linkdepartment.com follows that formula.
It is almost astonishing how little traffic websites on the second page of Google search results get. The first result gets the most clicks, while the second one gets a lot less. Just imagine how little traffic websites on a second and third page get.
By creating quality content on your website, you’ll be competing with other websites for a place on top of search results. If you are selling a product, it is quite important to get as close to the top as you can. Even being on a second page can make you lose money. And it is not so rare to see companies and businesses lose customers just because they weren’t able to get on top of search results.
By having original and high-quality content, you’ll have a good chance to scoop up traffic regularly. This can make your website worth more, and your businesses attract more customers if your business has a website. And today, it is not wise not to have a website for a business.
By creating quality content you’ll improve your brand image
Brand image is very important. Your logo, actions, products, and content have to be better than your competitors’. Also, web searchers believe that pages that rank higher are simply better. They believe that top pages have more relevant and authoritative content. And they’re right!
There is a common joke that you have to be very desperate to go to the second page of Google search results. And there is a grain of truth to it. Most relevant content will usually “organically” float to the top. Of course, this process was carefully crafted by Google, as it finds and rewards pages with the most relevant content.
Moreover, Google loves quality. If that wasn’t the case, they wouldn’t be the most popular search engine. Google has an unwritten deal with its users – “If you use my services, I’ll provide you with the best content possible that relates to your search”.
If you constantly create high-quality content, Google will recognize that and will try to put your page on top. This can really help your brand. Searchers will have more trust in your website, and you will get more customers or users.
So, what exactly is quality content, and does Google E-A-T?
Defining high-quality content isn’t easy for several reasons. Firstly, no one is exactly sure how Google exactly recognizes what deserves to be on top of search results, and what doesn’t. We can only see the manifestations of a code. But, Google does define what a Google-friendly site is. Secondly, high-quality content is such a broad term, so it can be pretty hard to put several sentences, and call it a day. But, let’s try anyway.
E-A-T?
E-A-T simply stands for Expertise-Authority-Trustworthiness. This is how Google differentiates good and valuable posts from unreliable ones. But what does that exactly mean?
Expertise means that you have to be seen as an expert in your field. For some websites, and for some posts, being an expert is not so important. But it is very important in medical, financial, legal, and other fields of great importance. You need to demonstrate your expertise online, and Google checks your biography across the web to determine if you really are the authority in your field. There are other indicators used by Google, such as shares, bounce rates, and simply the time spent on the page.
The authoritativeness of your website is measured by indicators that point back to your website. This simply means the more backlinks from reputable sources point back to you, the higher your authoritativeness is going to be in the eyes of Google. A good backlink strategy means good authoritativeness.
Google checks if users trust you. In a sense, the trustworthiness of your website is an extension of authority. This is measured by your website’s security, recent reviews, and footprints on the web. Also, people don’t like to browse websites that seem untrustworthy, so if your website looks and feels shady, you’ll naturally get less traffic. But, if the opposite is true, you’ll be on the road to making high-quality content.