The digital marketing news items that caught our attention during the week of April 4, 2022, were on a theme: Content Quality. Here are some highlights …
John Mueller of Google answered a question about algorithms that ended up on a content quality note. The questioner asked whether Google had different algorithms for different types, or niches, of websites. John’s answer pointed out that different parts of the ranking algorithm weigh factors based on individual content rather than the website’s overall theme. He wrapped up his answer by encouraging the questioner to look at the site’s content quality and determine whether it is useful to a visitor and if people might miss the site if it no longer existed.
Regarding another question posed to him, John also discussed whether pop-up banners or interstitials played a role in ranking. The short answer is yes; it absolutely does. This goes back to the “Page Layout” algorithm of 2012 that examines whether banner ads, pop-ups, or other intrusions make it difficult for a visitor to see the main content of a specific page. Sometimes pop-ups and interstitials are required to meet legal or other requirements. However, when using them, make sure they are not too “intrusive” and hide too much page content.
One factor that can affect content quality is duplication. Whether within a website or across several websites, content duplication can cause significant problems in search ranking. WrightIMC’s CEO, Tony Wright, discusses this topic at length, recommending that website owners be watchful for duplication and take steps to eliminate it as much as possible.
In a related article for the “Ask an SEO” series, Tony also tackles the question, “Why Do Aggregator Sites Outperform The Original Source On Google?” While there is no quick answer to the question, there are several things a website owner can do if an aggregator site outranks them. Tony shares some, but we also have a few other tricks up our sleeves if those tactics don’t work.
