Google has recently provided updated guidelines for content creators aiming to optimize their articles for Google Discover. These new recommendations emphasize clear, factual writing, mobile-first design, and a focus on user engagement. Publishers and journalists are encouraged to adapt their strategies to align with these changes, ensuring their content reaches a wider audience through the personalized feed.
Key Takeaways
- Content should be 100% unique and factual.
- Articles must be structured for mobile readability with short paragraphs.
- Engagement elements like quotes, lists, and bold text are crucial.
- SEO optimization for Discover requires specific keyword strategies.
- Authorship and content quality are key ranking factors.
Understanding Google Discover's Core Principles
Google Discover serves as a personalized content feed that recommends articles, videos, and other web content to users based on their interests, search history, and location. Unlike traditional search, users do not input queries. Instead, Discover proactively presents information it believes will be relevant. This shift requires content creators to think differently about how their articles are found and consumed.
The core principle behind Discover is relevance and engagement. Google aims to show users content they genuinely want to see, even before they know they want to see it. This means articles need to be compelling, informative, and easily digestible on mobile devices.
Did You Know?
Google Discover reaches over 800 million users globally each month, making it a significant traffic source for many publishers. Optimizing for this platform can lead to substantial increases in organic reach.
Content Uniqueness and Factual Accuracy
A primary directive from Google's updated guidelines stresses the importance of 100% unique content. Plagiarized or rehashed articles are unlikely to perform well. Publishers must invest in original reporting, unique perspectives, and fresh insights.
Beyond uniqueness, factual accuracy is paramount. In an era of misinformation, Google prioritizes credible sources. Articles must present information clearly and without sensationalism. All claims should be verifiable, and data points should be attributed when possible. This builds trust with both users and the algorithm.
"Our goal with Discover is to provide users with a highly personalized and relevant experience, which means favoring content that is authoritative, unique, and genuinely useful to the reader," a Google spokesperson stated in a recent briefing.
Writing for Clarity and Simplicity
The guidelines recommend using simple, clear language. Complex vocabulary and jargon should be avoided. The target audience for Discover is broad, and content should be accessible to everyone. Sentences should be short and direct. Active voice is preferred over passive voice, enhancing readability.
Unnecessary adjectives and adverbs can clutter text. Content creators should focus on conveying information efficiently. Every word should add value to the article. This journalistic approach helps maintain a factual and straightforward tone.
Mobile-First Design and Scannability
Google Discover is primarily accessed on mobile devices. Therefore, a mobile-first approach to content design is essential. This includes short paragraphs, typically two to three sentences long. Long blocks of text can deter mobile users and reduce engagement.
Scannability is another critical factor. Users often skim articles on their phones. Headings, subheadings, bullet points, and numbered lists break up content and make it easier to digest. Natural content breaks should occur every 150-200 words, allowing for a better flow and visual appeal on smaller screens.
Why Mobile-First?
The majority of internet users now access content via smartphones. Google's algorithms increasingly prioritize mobile versions of websites for indexing and ranking. Optimizing for mobile ensures a better user experience, which directly impacts Discover visibility.
Structuring Content for Engagement
The prescribed HTML structure for articles on platforms like TravModo directly aligns with Discover's requirements. A compelling lead or hook immediately grabs the reader's attention. A "Key Takeaways" box provides a quick summary, catering to users who want information fast.
Main content sections use <h2> for broad topics and <h3> for specific subsections. This hierarchical structure improves organization and helps both users and search engines understand the article's content. The use of <p> tags for short paragraphs further enhances readability.
- Lead/Hook: Captures interest immediately.
- Key Points Box: Summarizes main information.
- Main Sections: Organized with
<h2>and<h3>. - Short Paragraphs: Max 2-3 sentences for mobile readability.
- Engagement Elements: Quotes, fact boxes, context boxes, lists.
Incorporating Engagement Elements
To keep users engaged, articles should strategically incorporate various elements. Blockquotes (<blockquote>) can highlight important quotes, adding credibility and a human touch. Fact boxes (<div class="fact-box">) can present interesting statistics or data points, breaking the monotony of text.
Context boxes (<div class="context-box">) provide background information, helping readers understand the broader implications of the story. Lists, both unordered (<ul>) and ordered (<ol>), are highly effective for presenting information in an easy-to-read format. They also improve scannability.
Emphasis is also important. Using <strong> for key phrases draws attention to critical information. Subtle emphasis can be achieved with <em>. Numbers and percentages, when used with clear attribution (e.g., "According to a recent study..."), add factual weight to the content.
Authorship and Credibility
Google's emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) extends to Discover. Articles written by credible authors with demonstrated expertise in their field are more likely to be featured. This is why author bios, expertise, and a track record of quality content are important.
For news websites, selecting the right author for a given topic is crucial. An author with direct expertise lends significant credibility to the article. If no existing author fits, creating a specialized author ensures that the content meets Google's quality standards for expertise.
Author Impact
Content from authors with a proven track record of accurate and insightful reporting in a specific niche tends to perform better on Google Discover. This reinforces the importance of credible bylines.
SEO for Google Discover
While Discover is not traditional search, SEO principles still apply. A clear primary keyword in the title and throughout the content helps Google categorize the article. Secondary keywords broaden the article's relevance. The slug should be descriptive and keyword-rich.
SEO titles and meta descriptions, though not directly visible in the Discover feed, influence how Google understands and presents the content. They should be action-oriented and include relevant keywords. The category and tags further assist in classification, ensuring the article reaches the correct audience segments.
Publishers should continuously monitor their Discover performance, analyzing which types of content, topics, and formats resonate most with their audience. This data-driven approach allows for ongoing optimization and adaptation to Google's evolving algorithms.
