Google algorithm change 2011: low quality content takes a significant hit, with Google rewarding “original content.” What will happen to your site?

On February 24, Google blogged about what they called “a pretty big algorithmic improvement to our ranking,” one that affected a whopping 11.8% of search queries. According to the blog post by Google, the goal of this update was to “reduce rankings for low-quality sites – sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful.”

On the upside, Google promises that this will result in “better rankings for high-quality sites – sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis.” Note that, so far, this update has only been put into play in the United States.

This Google algorithm change is part two of a one-two punch by the search engine giant to downgrade sites with low quality content to let good content shine.

On January 21, Google revealed that it was about to take action on two different kinds of sites: scraper sites (although that term was not used in this particular post) and content farms (a term that was used in this post). The goal of the upcoming updates, Google explained, was to reduce webspam, which is the “junk you see in search results when websites try to cheat their way into higher positions in search results or otherwise violate search engine quality guidelines.”

About one week later, the first of two updates took place, where Google took action against scraper sites, which are spammy websites that copy content from other sites; the goal of web scrapers is typically to try to earn advertising revenue quickly and easily.

If you haven’t already read our analysis on web content writing posted in response to that first Google algorithm change, consider doing so, now.

What should your response be to these algorithmic changes? How should it alter your web content writing strategy?

If you’ve been reading blog posts and/or e-newsletters from The Search Guru, you already know that we’re a huge advocate of writing fresh, original, relevant content for your site. Now, it’s more important than ever.

Inspiration for great article ideas is all around you. Here are some tips:

1) What questions do your customers or clients ask you? Craft a thoughtful useful response to these questions and use each question/response as a blog post and/or an article on your site.

2) Do you have access to customer surveys? What jumps out at you as a customer concern? What content can you create to address those concerns?

3) What stories in the news affect your business and, by extension, your customers? Write a thoughtful analysis of the impact on your customers and, again, turn it into a blog post or article.

4) Interview people who work at your business and turn their responses into an article. This will help you put a human face on your business, the first step towards building deeper relationships.

5) Interview customers and feature them in articles. What problem led them to seek out your business? What solutions did you provide them? What next steps exist for this customer? What advice would this customer have for other people in the same type of situation?

6) In these articles and/or blog posts, avoid being overly promotional. Instead, use them as opportunities to educate potential clients; the goal is that, when the time comes for them to make a purchase, they will remember the quality info that you have provided and come to your site when it’s time to buy. Put any promotional blurb at the end of the article.

Do you need support in your web content writing? Take advantage of a FREE 30-minute consultation with The Search Guru.

You’ll love having our expert team assist you in generating great article ideas that will provide useful info your customers love and will help you to have the fresh, original, relevant content that Google rewards.

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