Simply producing great content is not enough if you want to maximise your online visibility. One crucial aspect of increasing your reach is understanding how Google’s search algorithm ranks your content. In particular, understanding the “Helpful Content” ranking method can help you optimise your content for better visibility on the search engine results page (SERP).
Google’s search algorithm is ever-evolving and one of the fundamental elements it considers when ranking content is its value to users. This ranking method, known as “Helpful Content,” requires that your material must be seen by Google’s algorithm as being useful for readers in order to rank high on the SERP.
So, what makes content “helpful” in the eyes of Google’s algorithm? There are several key factors to consider:
- Relevance: Google wants to ensure that the content is relevant to the user’s search query. This means that you should always include relevant keywords in your content, and make sure that the content is a good match for the user’s intent.
- Quality: Google wants to ensure that the content is of high quality. This means that your content should be well-written, well-researched, and free of errors. Additionally, Google favours content that is in-depth and comprehensive.
- User Experience: Google wants to ensure that the user has a positive experience when visiting your website. This means that your website should be easy to navigate, load quickly, and be mobile-friendly.
- Engagement: Google wants to see that users are engaging with your content. This means that you should encourage users to leave comments, share your content on social media, and link to your content from other websites.
Regularly Posting Content
Publishing consistent and up-to-date content on your website is important for keeping your readers involved and ensuring that Google’s algorithm sees it as essential. By continuously creating and publishing new content, you demonstrate to search engines like Google that your page is active, authoritative, and relevant. This has the potential to enhance where you appear in SERP rankings, which increases visits to your website.
Indexing Your Blog Posts
Another useful tool for increasing your online visibility is indexing your blog posts. By indexing your blog posts, you are signalling to Google that your content is new and relevant, making it more likely to appear in search results. Google Search Console is a great tool that allows you to submit your blog post for indexing. You can also use tools like XML sitemaps to help Google discover and crawl your new content.
By understanding the Google “Helpful Content” ranking method, you can take steps to optimise your content for better visibility on the SERP. This can include incorporating relevant keywords, ensuring that your content is of high quality, paying attention to user experience, encouraging engagement and regularly posting new content. And, by indexing your blog posts and using tools like XML sitemaps, you can help Google discover and prioritise your content, increasing your online visibility. Remember, Google’s algorithm is constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay informed and make adjustments as needed to improve your online visibility.
