Why Reputation Management Matters To Google And How That Affects You
In early August of 18', Google had another core update to it's algorithm. Google likes to keep the specifics and intricacies to it's algorithm, one if it's key intellectual properties, shrouded in mystery. That never stops articles from folks in the SEO industry from trying to reverse engineer or deduce from the downstream effects just what the algorithm update affected.
The consensus position has been quite peculiar. It appears to be that the recent update affected Health Industry sites, from blogs to newsletters and the like, the most. Lots of deduction going on, so I thought I'd go over my thoughts here.
It appears to me that the update re-enforced what some call Authorship, the reputation of an author of any piece of information. The idea here is that Google wants to also track and record WHO writes what, and whether the author's opinion is RELEVANT. To back that statement up, have a look at the recent explanation updated in the Google's Search Quality Guidelines titled “reputation of the creator of the content”
The key point to see from the Search Quality Guidelines excerpt is that going forward for the foreseeable future, we know that Google will prioritize validating the online sources that tell them who you are and what you are all about. It shouldn't be overlooked that this falls right in line with current news stories about Google's problem with expectations that they also be a fact checking source. We will see how that ball of wax goes, but for small to medium businesses, there's a much more bottom line consideration here...
The recommendation in the screenshot is directed at employees of Google with the task of manually auditing a page, so we know it's about as close as Google will get to telling US how to meet their standards. (Yes, this is the world of SEO, and it's why we spend SO many hours with our faces glued to video screens) coincides with what many SEO pundits claim is important in building trust with Google, and that is proving to Google your entity's relevance and trustworthiness. In other words, validating that some one or some thing exists in the real world. It's a real challenge Google has always had to handle. They've made great strides in this endeavor, and for our purposes, there is no greater way for a small to medium sized business to tell Google directly who you are, where your business is located and other real world facts than claiming and filling out your Google My Business listing.
Clearly, Google is recommending here that we take great interest in our own Reputation Management. It can't be said enough, but your Online business' (or even your personal) reputation IS your reputation. Think of what people searching for your business name will see when they search for you in Google. Ask yourself... what links are there from position 1 thru 20. Are they all links directing the surfer to a page that speaks well of you? Are reviews of your business visible on the links displayed there? Are those reviews complimentary, or telling the surfer to look elsewhere? Or do you even see links to competitors, who by having their link there, have a good chance to take that potential customer away from you?
MOST businesses and individuals of course, are not thinking about the possibility that one can affect what we see in these important searches. The ones that do are...
The key point to see from the Search Quality Guidelines excerpt is that going forward for the foreseeable future, we know that Google will prioritize validating the online sources that tell them who you are and what you are all about. It shouldn't be overlooked that this falls right in line with current news stories about Google's problem with expectations that they also be a fact checking source. We will see how that ball of wax goes, but for small to medium businesses, there's a much more bottom line consideration here...
The recommendation in the screenshot is directed at employees of Google with the task of manually auditing a page, so we know it's about as close as Google will get to telling US how to meet their standards. (Yes, this is the world of SEO, and it's why we spend SO many hours with our faces glued to video screens) coincides with what many SEO pundits claim is important in building trust with Google, and that is proving to Google your entity's relevance and trustworthiness. In other words, validating that some one or some thing exists in the real world. It's a real challenge Google has always had to handle. They've made great strides in this endeavor, and for our purposes, there is no greater way for a small to medium sized business to tell Google directly who you are, where your business is located and other real world facts than claiming and filling out your Google My Business listing.
Clearly, Google is recommending here that we take great interest in our own Reputation Management. It can't be said enough, but your Online business' (or even your personal) reputation IS your reputation. Think of what people searching for your business name will see when they search for you in Google. Ask yourself... what links are there from position 1 thru 20. Are they all links directing the surfer to a page that speaks well of you? Are reviews of your business visible on the links displayed there? Are those reviews complimentary, or telling the surfer to look elsewhere? Or do you even see links to competitors, who by having their link there, have a good chance to take that potential customer away from you?
MOST businesses and individuals of course, are not thinking about the possibility that one can affect what we see in these important searches. The ones that do are...
found in Google by prospects who want and need products and services they offer, every day.
Call Rainmaker Reputation Local Search and Digital Marketing Agency for a free audit (usually $200.00) that will show you how you compare to competitors, how they could be taking customers that should be yours, if you have a blind spot leaking potential customers to competitors that could be ringing your phone today. We can be reached at our contact pageFEATURES
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