Google’s search engine metrics are ever-changing and trying to keep up with each update is difficult if not impossible, especially for smaller sportsbook and iGaming affiliates.
The Google algorithm changes multiple times a year, and it’s up to you as a website owner to ensure that your site maintains best practices so that it doesn’t fall behind the curve – or down the rankings.
One of the best ways of staying on top of updates is to listen to what those working for the company have to say and interpret what they say to align your strategy with what the search giant is looking for.
Recently, Google Search Advocate John Müller hosted an online session where he answered several questions about algorithms and page authoring.
Below, we take a closer look at what he had to say.
Author expertise is a tricky area to tackle
We all want to have the best content on our websites and to do that, we typically need to call on experts within our field. But does the author make a difference to whether your site and articles rank well on Google or not?
Müller pointed out that it’s a “fuzzy area” and it is also unclear whether so-called expertise refers to the actual author of the page or the quality of the content on it.
The best approach to take is to still work with experts in your field and have them as named as the page author. At the very least, you’ll ensure that the content you publish is accurate and of the highest standard.
Expertise likely plays a role regardless
While expertise is a grey area, it is still likely something the Google algorithm considers when ranking pages. In fact, Müller said it’s likely that authority plays an indirect role in how well you rank in all search engines.
Of course, so too does the quality of the content in terms of spelling, grammar, and readability.
Accuracy will always form a crucial part of Google’s algorithm. If you write content that has grammatical errors or isn’t authoritative, your site won’t achieve first-page results.
To tackle this issue, make sure you thoroughly edit all content before publishing – even if it has been written by an expert. And if you notice anything after that, correct it as soon as possible.
Google’s algorithms aren’t as straightforward as you think
E-A-T has been part of the Google buzzword ecosystem for a few years now. It’s something that many in the SEO space have harped on about, but how much of an impact does it have on your search rankings?
Perhaps not as much as you might think. Müller said that while E-A-T is a guideline, you don’t get scored because you meet all the criteria.
Of course, it’s probably a good idea to ensure that your content is in line with these guidelines. That way you can be sure that it’s authoritative enough and in line with what Google expects of you.
Knowing what Google expects of you will keep you ahead of the curve
Keeping up to date with Google’s changes takes a lot of effort. However, it’s important that you put in the time as doing so will solve a lot of potential problems later down the line.