Google’s Core Update Will Change the Way We Approach Website Content

Search engine optimization (SEO) existed long before the digital marketing world even knew what it was. When Google created its online search engine and released it in 1998, finding a website based on a search term was simply an organic experience. However, it didn’t take long for marketers to understand the correlation between Google search terms and website content.

Nearly a quarter century later, SEO has become the cornerstone of content marketing. However, SEO is not without its problems. Recently it has faced a significant backlash from marketing experts, web developers, content writers, consumers, and, in your case, motivated home sellers. What are the issues on the table?

• Search results rarely reflect the searchers true intent.
• Search results are too market-driven or paid-ad driven
• Content is too keyword-driven.
• Content is long, but contains little substance.
• Content is not reader-ccentric.

In a nutshell: Marketers care more about Google rankings than they do providing content that is valuable to the reader.

The Solution: Google’s Helpful Content Update

Google has long recognized this chronic issue with prioritizing SEO over reader-friendly content and has finally responded with its Helpful Content Update. The Google Core Update released last week establishes two umbrella guidelines:

1. Focus on People-First Content

Google will reward your real estate website content if you provide a positive user experience (UX). What does that mean tangibly?

• Your content directly answers the reader’s search query in the search engine.
• You answer the reader’s query in full, predicting any perceived questions the reader may have relating to the topic.
• You avoid adding ‘fluff’ or tangents to the content.
• Use the reverse triangle method - most important or relevant information first at the top of the page.
• Create content that is directly aimed at your target seller.
• Create your content with authority

Taking the people-first content approach applies to every page on your website, whether it’s a main menu page, problem page, or blog. Every page on your website must create a meaningful experience from the home seller’s viewpoint.

2. Avoid Creating Content for Search Engines First

For those of us in the world of SEO, this is a hard pill to swallow - not because of our personal preferences. Instead, we understand the importance of SEO in creating higher visibility for your website across the Internet.

However, there is no denying that SEO is no longer Google’s sole priority or focus. And, to be frank, it’s become annoying to Internet users due to abuses and extremes in SEO-driven marketing. So, you need to avoid prioritizing SEO when creating content. What does that mean tangibly?

• Avoid creating content for the sole purpose of ranking high in Google searches.
• Avoid keyword cannibalism - using the same keyword over and again on multiple pages for the purpose of dominating a Google search term. The same can be said for topic cannibalism.
• Do not automate your content. It needs to be written by humans for humans.
• Avoid plagiarism or duplicate content on your site or from other sources.
• Avoid word-count rules. Your web page should cover all relevant and valuable information whether it’s 500 words or 5,000 words.
• Stay within your area of expertise and relevance. Do not venture into a related field just because you think it will drive more traffic.