On February 24, 2011, Google announced that it had implemented a major change to the search engine's algorithm. This change is currently only visible in the US, but will soon be implemented for the Dutch Google as well. There are two types of websites that Google targets; the so-called Scraper en Content farms.
What exactly are Scraper and Farmer websites?
Scraper website:
A so-called “scraper” website is a site that collects content from other websites with the goal of generating advertising revenue from, for example, Google AdSense.
Farmer website:
A so-called “farmer” website is a website that copies content from other websites to rank higher in search engines (SEO), without genuinely intending to help the visitor.
Google views both types of websites as spam and, with the new algorithm, aims to ensure that these websites drop in ranking and that high-quality websites appear higher in the search results.
Google wants to implement this change with the intention of the user:
1: to provide the most relevant information
2: the speed at which the information is displayed (the search engine user does not want to click 4 times to get the right information)
3: not to be lured by websites that are set up solely to generate targeted website traffic and then redirect it to the website where the correct information is located (the so-called Scraper and Farmer websites)
4 tips to quickly update your website before it's too late!
Below, I outline a number of tips to ensure that you, as an entrepreneur or website owner, can immediately respond to changes in Google's algorithm:
Tip 1: High-quality content
Ensure that your website offers high-quality information. Simply put, people should be able to fulfill their needs directly on your website and not leave because you do not offer this. Therefore, ensure that there is enough information on the website to immediately answer any questions an interested party may have.
Tip 2: Write new content (do not copy from other websites)
It is still common for websites to use text and images from other websites. Do not do this! It might be a short-term solution to fill the website with text and images, but Google will penalize you for it and rank you lower in the search engine.
Tip 3: Good navigation
How annoying is it when you walk through a store and can't find the product? Very annoying. After all, you want to be directed through the store to the right place where your product is located. Supermarkets already do this well in the physical world. This should be done the same way on the internet. Create an online “shopping path”.
Tip 4: Don't do this -> Quick fixes
I often hear this phrase in the world of football. It means that one team kicks the ball forward as quickly as possible to reach the other team's goal as fast as possible and score. This happens with many websites as well. They set up a website with the goal of generating as many visitors as possible, as quickly as possible. Their goal is therefore not to truly help the Google user, but merely to generate a large number of visitors as quickly as possible, whom they then redirect to other websites (often for a fee). This might be useful in the short term, but in the long term, a good structure and technical setup are the determining factors. Google implements this adjustment to allow websites with a good structure (and plenty of content) to rank faster, while placing the party trying to score quickly lower in the search engine. In short, go for quality and a good structure!
For further information about the adjustment to Google's algorithm, I refer you to the Google blog.