Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility
Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?
THE INTERNET
Google aims to prioritise websites with quality content and reviews
By our News Team | 2022
Search engine’s latest updates will hit ‘clickbait’ sites, but favour websites of higher quality, especially when it comes to product reviews.
In a move aimed at reducing the power of ‘clickbait’ websites, and prioritising sites with quality content and credible reviews, Google has announced a series of changes to its Search function.
The two updates are being rolled out over the coming weeks, according to a blog post published late last week by Danny Sullivan, Google’s Public Liaison for Search.
Illustration courtesy of Google
“We know people don’t find content helpful if it seems like it was designed to attract clicks rather than inform readers,” Sullivan says. “So … we’re rolling out a series of improvements to Search to make it easier for people to find helpful content made by, and for, people.
“This ranking work joins a similar effort related to ranking better quality product review content over the past year, which will also receive an update. Together, these launches are part of a broader, ongoing effort to reduce low-quality content and make it easier to find content that feels authentic and useful in Search.”
Shopping, tech and education among the beneficiaries
Google says its Helpful Content Update will help ensure that unoriginal, low-quality content doesn’t rank highly in Search. It adds that its testing has found it will especially improve results related to online education, arts and entertainment, shopping and tech-related content.
Enabling users to find more helpful product reviews written by experts is a key element of this new approach.
“We know product reviews can play an important role in helping you make a decision on something to buy,” Sullivan emphasises. “We’ve continued to refine these systems and, in the coming weeks, we’ll roll out another update to make it even easier to find high-quality, original reviews.
“This ranking work joins a similar effort related to ranking better quality product review content over the past year, which will also receive an update. Together, these launches are part of a broader, ongoing effort to reduce low-quality content and make it easier to find content that feels authentic and useful in Search.”
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