Maximize The Value Of Your Website

If you'd like to maximize the value of your website, generate more leads and convert more prospects into buyers, the recently published Google Search Quality Evaluator Guide provides plenty of suggestions. This 160 page report details how your site is judged and defines numerous improvement steps. For the abridged version, and four specific modifications you can make that will improve your position, read on!

You'll learn new phrases like Your Money Or Your Life and E-A-T. It will further reinforce the importance of mobile in web development. Most importantly, it outlines key elements that both improve and detract from your site ranking.

Improve audience interaction. Boost search rankings.

Maximize the value of your website, here's how.

The Importance Of Mobile

Is mobile a major portion of your website traffic? I'll bet it's more than you think. But, even if consider mobile traffic unimportant, a mobile friendly, responsive designed site is crucial. Providing mobile users with an inferior experience, even if your mobile user base is small, means your site will be rated at the lowest level.

What Can You Do?

If you don't have a responsive site then revisions are essential. WordPress, Joomla and Drupal are all low cost, effective options that have built in responsive design. If your site is responsive, additional adjustments will improve your rating. User experience is a major factor in the grading process. Improve the UX by adjusting the type size, minimizing the use of bullet points and installing bigger buttons for easy click throughs.

Your Money Or Your Life

As the name suggests, this category relates to pages that impact a person's life. Because of the impact this information can have on the people who consume it, Google holds these pages to their highest standards

Healthcare and financial information top the YMYL list right along with online stores. If you have any type of shopping component, this applies to you.

What Can You Do?

If you have information about medical conditions or financial information, perhaps in a product or service description, then the accuracy and authority of the content you develop is paramount. Referencing an authoritative site that supports any claims will also help.

If you have a online storefront, ensuring a secure sales process, one that customers feel confident in using, will result in a positive rating for this category.

Even If You Aren't Hungry, You Need To E-A-T

With every new Google algorithm release, there are debates on the specific attributes that go into the measure. Although we'll never know those details, what we do know is that Google uses E-A-T to evaluate your site. E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness.

Expertise relates to content. The greater the expertise, the greater the value search engines and users place on your website. How is expertise defined?  It's the knowledge that you, your company and your contributors provide.

To get credit for the expertise, you need to show people why you have it. Maybe it's your years of experience, your education or credentials, even examples of work that demonstrate the proficiency. But, whatever it is, define and publish it.

Authoritativeness relates to your website. As your expertise increases so does the authority of your website. And much like the YMYL discussion, Trustworthiness comes from the security and comfort level users have when interacting with a site.

The more you can increase your E-A-T value, the better your search rankings.

What Can You Do?

Add valuable content that appeals to your audience that shows off you, your company and your contributors expertise. Update contact and about us pages that detail your experience, education, credentials and more.  Ensure that the page content is consistent with the primary message you are trying to deliver. Feature it, make it front and center. If possible, place it above the fold.

Improve your website user experience. Although it's obvious, it's not always practiced. Poor design and navigation options and generic content will turn users and search engines away.

It's Still About The Content

To get users to your site, you need quality content and that means:

Think about the websites you visit. Old, generic, shallow information lacks value. In a time when prospects look online first, poor stale content deflects users away leading to a poor site ranking.

Low quality content takes many forms but if it's poorly written, many months (years) old, too brief to convey the purpose, contains flash or other user distracting features then changes are necessary.

What Can You Do?

Prioritize new, meaningful content and make it relevant to your target audience. Develop an editorial calendar with the topics, due dates and channels of distribution. Ask experts in your industry to write guest articles or contribute to a valuable white paper.

If you have product pages, update descriptions, making them thorough and complete. If a search query using your product name goes to your site, your rating is maximized.

Maximize The Value Of Your Website

The journey to maximize the value of your website includes, trial and error, A/B testing and evaluating what works best for your company. However, by implementing these steps, you'll elevate your position magnifying the benefits of future enhancements.