Since different search engines weigh different parts of their algorithms differently, they can all have similar relevancy while having significantly different search results. Some people are quick to ask how their sites are being penalized in one search engine because they rank well in others.
While many sites do get penalized for aggressive spamming techniques, most sites that do not rank well usually just fail to satisfy the specific ranking algorithm for that specific engine in question.
Why is high-quality content so crucial for SEO?
That’s because Google (like any other search engine) has a purpose. That is to offer users the best websites that exist online. They measure a website’s worth to users by several criteria, one of them being content quality.
A web page’s position in SERPs depends on how well its content meets Google’s requirements. Those requirements aren’t arbitrary. They are based on what appeals to the majority of users, or what sort of content they deem high-quality. Of course, it’s entirely up to you what to create on your site. You have total control there, as long as it’s legal.
But when SEO is involved, there are recommendations that will increase your chances of ranking high. Your content should be:
Helpful
Users Google things because they want something specific. Create content that will fulfil their wants and needs in the best way possible.
Factual
Incorrect information isn’t helpful, and in some cases it can be harmful.
Visually appealing
90% of information goes to our brains through the eyes. If you want to get your users hooked on your content and keep them coming, make it enjoyable.
Well-formatted
Is the goal of the page to impart knowledge to your visitors? Then keep it professional, readable and without grammatical mistakes.
Optimization for semantic search
When writing content, it’s highly recommended to go into detail about your topic. Not only will it improve your content’s quality, it will also make Google’s job of digging through websites easier. Why does it matter?
Because search can be complicated by those pesky things called homonyms. For example, let’s say there’s a web page optimized for the word “china”. Without knowing the details, can you tell if it talks about the stuff they use to make teapots, or the country China?
Context is desperately required there, especially since search queries aren’t case sensitive. Without it, Google risks giving users something they don’t need. You can help Google by writing text optimized for semantic search.
It means including words that are often used together with your keywords of choice, thus providing the much necessary context both for users and search engines.
