Google confirms: Content is king

minstrel Illustrious Member

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#1

Official Google statement: how to get high rankings
Axandra Search Engine Facts
October 21, 2008

This month, the Google Webmaster blog published an article in which Google's Maile Ohye officially explained what it takes to get a high ranking in Google's search result pages.

The blog article confirms that the methods that are used by IBP to get high rankings are correct. But read it for yourself:

Inbound links are important but content is even more important
Google's Maile Ohye writes the following about inbound links in his article:

"Inbound links are links from pages on external sites linking back to your site. Inbound links can bring new users to your site, and when the links are merit-based and freely-volunteered as an editorial choice, they're also one of the positive signals to Google about your site's importance."
Nothing new here. If many related websites link to your site, and if these links look natural, this will help you rankings on Google a lot.

However, links are not the most important ranking factor. Maile Ohye gives a concrete example:

"Let's say I have a site, example.com, that offers users a variety of unique website templates and design tips. One of the strongest ranking factors is my site's content. Additionally, perhaps my site is also linked from three sources -- however, one inbound link is from a spammy site.

As far as Google is concerned, we want only the two quality inbound links to contribute to the PageRank signal in our ranking. "

The website's content is mentioned as one of the strongest ranking factors. The inbound links are additional. That makes sense. The content of your website tells Google what your website is about.

If you want to get a high ranking for the keyword "used cars in dallas" but your web pages are about microwave ovens then you won't get high rankings for that keyword.

For that reason, it is very important that you optimize your web pages for the keywords for which you want to get high rankings before you try to get links from other sites.

Google analyzes over 200 ranking factors
According to the article in Google's blog, Google analyzes more than 200 signals (we call them 'ranking factors') to specify the position of a web page in the search results:

"Given the user's query, over 200 signals (including the analysis of the site's content and inbound links as mentioned above) are applied to return the most relevant results to the user."

...

It's a simple two-step process
Getting high rankings on Google is a simple two-step process:

You must optimize your web page contents so that Google can find out what your website is about. Optimize your web pages for your keywords so that Google knows that your website is relevant to these keywords and your topic.

Other websites must confirm that your website is about that topic. That's what inbound links are for.

It's as simple as that. If your website passes Google's analysis of all ranking factors, it will get a top 10 ranking.
Click to expand...

The original Google article has more:

Good times with inbound links
by Maile Ohye, Developer Programs Tech Lead
Thursday, October 09, 2008

Inbound links are links from pages on external sites linking back to your site. Inbound links can bring new users to your site, and when the links are merit-based and freely-volunteered as an editorial choice, they're also one of the positive signals to Google about your site's importance. Other signals include things like our analysis of your site's content, its relevance to a geographic location, etc. As many of you know, relevant, quality inbound links can affect your PageRank (one of many factors in our ranking algorithm). And quality links often come naturally to sites with compelling content or offering a unique service.

How do these signals factor into ranking?
Let's say I have a site, example.com, that offers users a variety of unique website templates and design tips. One of the strongest ranking factors is my site's content. Additionally, perhaps my site is also linked from three sources -- however, one inbound link is from a spammy site. As far as Google is concerned, we want only the two quality inbound links to contribute to the PageRank signal in our ranking.

Given the user's query, over 200 signals (including the analysis of the site's content and inbound links as mentioned above) are applied to return the most relevant results to the user.

So how can you engage more users and potentially increase merit-based inbound links?
Many webmasters have written about their success in growing their audience. We've compiled several ideas and resources that can improve the web for all users.

Create unique and compelling content on your site and the web in general

Start a blog: make videos, do original research, and post interesting stuff on a regular basis. If you're passionate about your site's topic, there are lots of great avenues to engage more users. If you're interested in blogging, see our Help Center for specific tips for bloggers.

Teach readers new things, uncover new news, be entertaining or insightful, show your expertise, interview different personalities in your industry and highlight their interesting side. Make your site worthwhile.

Participate thoughtfully in blogs and user reviews related to your topic of interest. Offer your knowledgeable perspective to the community.

Provide a useful product or service. If visitors to your site get value from what you provide, they're more likely to link to you.

For more actionable ideas, see one of my favorite interviews with Matt Cutts for no-cost tips to help increase your traffic. It's a great primer for webmasters.

Pursue business development opportunities

Use Webmaster Tools for "Links > Pages with external links" to learn about others interested in your site. Expand the web community by figuring out who links to you and how they're linking. You may have new audiences or demographics you didn't realize were interested in your niche. For instance, if the webmasters for example.com noticed external links coming from art schools, they may start to engage with the art community -- receiving new feedback and promoting their site and ideas.

Of course, be responsible when pursuing possible opportunities in this space. Don't engage in mass link-begging; no one likes form letters, and few webmasters of quality sites are likely to respond positively to such solicitations. In general, many of the business development techniques that are successful in human relationships can also be reflected online for your site.
Update -- Here's one more business development opportunity:
Investigate your "Diagnostics > Web/mobile crawl > Crawl error sources" to not only correct broken links, but also to cultivate relationships with external webmasters who share an interest in your site. (And while you're chatting, see if they'll correct the broken link.) This is a fantastic way to turn broken links into free links to important parts of your site.

In addition to contacting these webmasters, you may also wish to use 301 redirects to redirect incoming traffic from old pages to their new locations. This is good for users who may still have bookmarks with links to your old pages... and you'll be happy to know that Google appropriately flows PageRank and related signals through these redirects.
Click to expand...

minstrel, Oct 21, 2008 IP

Web Gazelle, allout, Professional Dude and 5 others like this.

MeetHere Prominent Member

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#2

Thanks for the update...

Definitely, regularly updated content rocks.

MeetHere, Oct 21, 2008 IP

dmi Well-Known Member

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#3

Nice read! Thanks.

dmi, Oct 21, 2008 IP

seomadboy Banned

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#4

Content has always dominated in the search. Actually, Google reveals its close attention to the text. That's right!

seomadboy, Oct 21, 2008 IP

yk0279 Well-Known Member

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#5

Thanks for this important information

yk0279, Oct 21, 2008 IP

aditne Banned

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#6

Yes, Content is the king, he explained every thing in good manner.

aditne, Oct 21, 2008 IP

dcristo Illustrious Member

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#7

Content relevancy is important. That's what the article is saying. The title is misleading.

dcristo, Oct 21, 2008 IP

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#8

hey thanks dear for this important info...

askyseo, Oct 21, 2008 IP

berryliciousme Peon

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#9

Fair enough

berryliciousme, Oct 21, 2008 IP

Jim4767 Prominent Member

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#10

I especially like the recommendation to "create unique and compelling content on your site and the web in general ... do original research..."

That is what drives me personally â€” that is, offering unique, original content. I have no interest whatsoever in essentially duplicating something a dozen (or a thousand) others have already posted on the web. My entire purpose is to offer original content. Otherwise, why bother? Someone else is probably already doing the often-published stuff better than I can do it.

Jim4767, Oct 21, 2008 IP

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Professional Dude Prominent Member

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#11

Looks good, Content is the main thing for sure..
Unique content can help you be original.

Professional Dude, Oct 21, 2008 IP

primeelite Peon

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#12

thanks for the info. I have noticed this more and more when seeing many pages rank better than websites I know have lower pr

primeelite, Oct 21, 2008 IP

weblover Peon

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#13

thanks for your useful information.

weblover, Oct 21, 2008 IP

IAMJos3 Guest

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#14

Thanks for the update Great post

IAMJos3, Oct 21, 2008 IP

whatevz Banned

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#15

Thanks.

You should try to update at your site daily. Although it can be hard, it's really worth it.

whatevz, Oct 21, 2008 IP

malcolm1 Prominent Member

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#16

Hello....

Thanks for sharing the article minstrel as that shows PROOF off what google likes and wants
but dont forget that those backlinks still count for something in the serps and always will

I guess it wont be long before cuil catch up to them ....

laterz
malcolm

malcolm1, Oct 21, 2008 IP

allout Prominent Member

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#17

Thanks for pointing that article out. I have been saying this for years and you still have those crappy sites that copy everything they can find or steal. Quality content should always be number one on any webmasters list

allout, Oct 21, 2008 IP

Lewi Peon

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#18

Thanks for posting the articles, they definitely reinforce the primary goal.

Lewi, Oct 21, 2008 IP

Web Gazelle Well-Known Member

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#19

Great reference Minstrel, thanks for posting the resource here.

Web Gazelle, Oct 21, 2008 IP

minstrel likes this.

dvirhazout Active Member

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#20

content is important but from my experience, you need alot of backinks to get high rank..

dvirhazout, Oct 21, 2008 IP

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