Be a Better Writer Blog

So, Just What is Google Looking For?

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Google's almighty algorithm- a mystery wrapped in an enigma.  Or something like that.  I will not pretend to have any inside information or new insights into the complex world of trying to organize the world's information.  However, I think it's only fair to let you know that even as I speak, the search giant is coming up with over 500 improvements to its algorithm, all of which will undoubtedly improve the quality of your life.

Or your writing.  Even better.  You see, according to Steven Levy from Wired Magazine, these improvements will affect the results people get when they type in their search terms.  If you're an SEO writer, the more you know about how Google finds your content, the better.

Ultimately, Google wants people to find what they're looking for.  They have refined their process to the point that anyone typing in "hot dog" will find the edible delight that is the hot dog, instead of, say, sweaty canines.  This is partly because they learned a long time ago to look for related terms.  When they find the words "buns" and "mustard" nearby, they know how to index the term.

Of course, indexing is one thing- ranking is quite another.  Google uses contextual signals to rank Web pages.  These signals include: 

• Page Rank (importance of the page relative to similar pages)
• Anchor text (hyperlinks connecting one page to another)
• Freshness (new vs. old content)
• Location (local results generally rank higher than general ones)

There are hundreds more.  Some distinguish between commercial and non-commercial pages and others can tell which pages are attached to known authorities, thus giving them more weight.

What does this all mean to you?  As an SEO writer, your job is to create content that cooperates with the search algorithms and signals that have made Google the best at what they do.  Ranking for the right terms is a matter of knowing how to choose the keywords that make sense, including related terms (this usually occurs naturally in the content) and tagging your pages properly.  Check Google AdWords to see which terms people are likely to use to find you.  Your titles should include search terms, at least sometimes.

And above all, write interesting stuff that people will want to read.  Google may know how to help people find you, but it's your popularity with the people finding you that gets you to the first page.