Google has been saying for the last year the importance of providing fresh content to your readers. Most have ignored the cry, focusing instead upon how a site looks and if it has the right image appeal. If any Google/SEO work is done (rare), it’s a one-off event to ensure you’ve the right keywords – A traditional ‘brochure website’ strategy.
But most people when doing a search are looking for content or information. The fact that the particular site arrived at may ‘look nice’ is a bonus, not a key requirement. Google itself doesn’t care about the site looks or branding, since it only sees text and site structure. The latest Google search algorithm update announced last week places more emphasis upon content, in particular FRESH, unque content.
Static Brochure Websites Can Be a Waste of time!
If you’re looking to attract those seeking out your products or services online, then company websites today need to be more like the daily newspaper and less like the corporate brochures. This isn’t about how good or bad the site looks, but how often it is updated for content. From a perspective of getting more traffic and new business, Google are effectively telling us that static brochure websites are a waste of time and money. The online world is a dynamic place. It’s what’s on your Blog, Facebook page and Youtube that get’s you noticed. And the more often it’s updated, the better… Weekly, or at least fortnightly updates is my recommendation.
From the latest ‘Smartmoney magazine in Auzzie, one of the early online publications to announce Google’s moves, “Businesses are once again being urged to start creating blogs and uploading videos to sites such as YouTube in order to get the most out of critical new Google algorithm changes that will affect more than a third of all searches.”
Businesses are once again being urged to start creating blogs
Entrepreneur Magazine ran a similar story this month entitled New Google Search Update Could Spell More Trouble for Business Websites
They also quoted Search Engine Land analysts “It seems to me that the biggest impact on small-business owners will be that, in some industries, it will be near impossible to get visibility with a small, rarely-updated website”
It’s not just about YOU – Leverage what’s in the news
The other important aspect of this Google ‘freshness’ update is that it’s important not just to talk about what’s happening with your business each week, but general news items that you feel worthy to comment on. Our Auzzie SEO guru, Jim Stewart spoke at length on this topic (right). A new term ‘NewsJacking’ has emerged, that sums up the trend and opportunity.
It just emphasise that Google is not only also looking for newsworthy topics on key sites, but more importantly, looking for informed commentaries on other websites about the said news items. If you run a blog, then it’s easy to make online commentaries on almost anything, within minutes.
WordPress CMS users will take the lead
This is good news for those currently running and daily updating their sites on a ‘Google-friendly’ CMS like WordPress. WordPress has highly advanced ‘blogging features’ built in – Something that most (more costly) CMS platforms do not.
It ‘talks’ to Google far more too. i.e. When WordPress sites are expertly setup, Google is aware of and indexes new article headings within 10 minutes – Something that doesn’t occur with standard html or other CMS websites that can wait a day or two before being indexed by Google. Sometimes a week. With the latest changes this small factor could make the difference between showing up on page one, or not at all.
Search marketing providers like Hubspot in the US have long pushed the need for business clients to run blogs. Their site grading technology factors in whether sites include a blog and has regularly updated content.
WordPress a Winner
Google clearly rewards active, ‘newsworthy’ websites with much higher search placements that can drive traffic to your site be it for a few days or long term. It’s encouraging everyone to become an online publisher and to be heard. So, now is the time to either overhaul your existing website, or simply add a WordPress blog to it. Call us for a quote. zn.oc.gnitekramlatigidnull@nivek
p.s. I’m not saying good looks and design aren’t important. They are. A good website design can dramatically improve sales conversions. However it’s not what gets most new people to the site in the first place. Typically, Google will provide over 50% of new site visitors. But Google doesn’t see ‘design’ (whether it cost you $1,000 or $50,000). It only sees content. This is why some low cost blogs or news-based magazine sites get ten or a hundred times more traffic than traditional, more costly brochure websites.
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Hi,
Some good points here Kevin, as always. I totally agree, content is the most important thing for any site – after all that’s why people come to it in the first place – not for its design.
Gordon Ramsay of Kitchen Nightmares fame illustrates this concept well in that he always concentrates on the food before anything else. As a restaurant’s success will invariably come down to the quality of its food, a website’s will come down to the quality of its content.
The Gordon Ramsey analogy is a good one. Thanks Allan.