Google Algorithm And What it Means for SEO

Unless like us you’re involved in Search Engine Optimisation, you may think that Google’s secret formula, otherwise known as “the Google Algorithm“, isn’t anything of great concern to you and your website. But actually, the algorithm can have a big impact on your business – both positively and negatively.

In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at why the Google Algorithm is important for your website, and how SEO can help you to benefit from it.

What is ‘the Google Algorithm?’

The Google algorithm is a complex library of computer code that’s applied to all web content that Google has found as it crawls around the internet. Firstly, as they retrieve your web pages and analyse their meaning and content, Google adds structure and intelligence and stores it away in their humongous databases.

Later, as people make content requests through the Google search engine, the algorithm pores through the reams of content that they have indexed to find just the bits that are likely to be most relevant for you.

The algorithm is constantly changing and evolving, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how well your website is optimised. If you’re doing things right, then you should see your website rise up the rankings as the algorithm evolves. But if you’re not paying attention to your SEO, then you could see your website drop down the rankings just as easily.

So what does this have to do with SEO?

Everything! The algorithm is designed to show users the most relevant and useful results for their search query. That means that if your website is optimised for the algorithm, then you’re more likely to appear in those top results.

SEO work ensures that your website is constantly updated and optimised to be in-line with the Google algorithm.

How do I make the Algorithm work for me?

The algorithm is designed to be as fair as possible, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a competitive advantage to be had. There are over 200 ranking factors that determine if you rank in the Google search results.

SEO specialists work hard to utilise these factors and hoodwink Google into thinking that their content is better and more relevant than any competitor’s website.

That is what SEO companies do. Or what they should do at least. Too many break the rules and cause untold damage to their client accounts. The art of SEO is to stay within Google’s guidelines but get the absolute maximum advantage from everything that is available to you.

At the centre of all SEO work is the belief that ‘Content is KING’. With content being one of the biggest factors behind a website’s search ranking. Therefore, when writing new content you must…

Aim the content at a search phrase for which you would like to appear

If you have a furniture shop in Merseyside you must consider the search results for your shop. “Furniture Merseyside” may attract 20 searches per week – whereas “The best furniture shops in Merseyside” may attract 200. Tailoring your content to the right keywords are key in attracting traffic.

Utilise the metadata accordingly

A simple example of metadata for a document might include a collection of information like the author, file size, the date the document was created, and keywords to describe the document. Metadata helps to indicate to google what your content is about and how relevant it is. You’ll need to find out how to add this to your content within your website. By writing an appropriate and compelling page title and meta-description you can make a big difference to a piece of content’s search result success.

After that make sure that you have a way to ensure that Google finds the article. Sitemaps are a valuable tool. We can advise further if you’re in the dark on that one.

Keep Google happy, understand that the algorithm is there to make sense of your content to allow Google to serve it into the search result pages correctly, and write yourself dizzy. Google’s algorithm is your friend. Embrace it.