Over time, there has been a shift online. The almighty algorithm has become king, influencing the way developers build, creatives design, and copywriters write. Google, the world’s most popular search engine and manipulator of “the algorithm”, can be frustratingly vague on what the algorithm likes and dislikes. Marketing and SEO experts are forever trying to cater to the whims of the algorithm in order to keep their websites in good standing and visible online.
While pleasing the algorithm is a necessary part of the game, at the end of the day, humans are who will ultimately be buying from you so your content should speak to them, not just algorithms.
Google itself recently announced the importance of this with its latest algorithm update that favors human-first content over low-quality content that’s written purely for search engines. While there is something ironic about writing for humans by writing for the algorithm that is telling you to write for humans, we think this is a great move.
Google said the change is a part of their “ongoing effort to reduce low-quality content and make it easier to find content that feels authentic and useful in Search.” Calling it one of the most significant changes in over a decade, Google says the move will have “a meaningful impact” on search results.
So, what does this mean for your website? It’s more important than ever to make sure your website contains content that is high-quality and written with a people-first mindset. You can do so by asking yourself these questions:
Who is your ideal customer? Knowing whom you’re writing to is a key part of writing useful content that actually meets a need, answers a question, or results in a conversion.
What is your primary purpose? Knowing what you want a website visitor to do (e.g., make a phone call, fill out a form, or add to a cart) will help you structure your content and include a strong call-to-action.
Do you have first-hand expertise? Clearly demonstrating your industry knowledge will help your content resonate with consumers and legitimize your brand.
What’s the experience like for your consumers? Think like a customer. If you were a customer visiting that website, would you leave feeling like you learned something, received something of value, and ultimately had a satisfying experience?
Making sure your content is fulfilling a need and providing value will ultimately go a long ways towards improving the performance of your website and keeping it in good favor with Google.
