Google Discover has become an invaluable tool for content discovery, offering users a personalized feed of articles, videos, and images based on their interests, search history, and browsing activity. For content creators, bloggers, and marketers, getting featured on Google Discover can significantly boost traffic and visibility.
But how can you optimize your blog to increase the chances of being featured on Google Discover? In this blog, we’ll go over the best practices to ensure your content performs well on Google Discover and attracts more organic traffic.
Google Discover prioritizes content that is highly engaging and relevant to users. This means that if you want your blog to get noticed, you need to create content that resonates with your audience. Here’s how you can do that:
Focus on User Intent: Address the questions and interests of your target audience. Write about trending topics, evergreen content, or subjects that are highly relevant to your audience.
Provide Value: Ensure your blog offers value to the reader, whether it’s through information, entertainment, or actionable tips. Google favors content that users find helpful.
Update Your Content Regularly: Google Discover often favors fresh, timely content. By regularly updating older blog posts and creating new ones, you’ll keep your content relevant and current.
Google Discover is primarily accessed on mobile devices. So, it’s crucial that your blog is mobile-optimized. If your website is not mobile-friendly, users will quickly bounce, and Google will consider your content less valuable.
Responsive Design: Ensure your blog is responsive, meaning it adjusts to various screen sizes and loads quickly on mobile devices.
Fast Load Times: A slow-loading blog will hurt your chances of getting featured on Google Discover. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement.
Google Discover heavily relies on visual content, so high-quality images are essential. Images make your blog posts more engaging and appealing to users, increasing the chances of your content appearing on Discover feeds.
Include Large, Clear Images: Use high-resolution images that align with your content. Google Discover favors blog posts that have compelling visuals.
Add Alt Text: Use descriptive alt text for images. This improves SEO and helps Google understand what the image is about, potentially boosting your content's chances of ranking.
Use Structured Data: Mark up your images with structured data so that Google understands the context and content of the images, improving the chances of your blog post being featured.
SEO is just as important for Google Discover as it is for traditional search engine results. To increase your chances of getting featured on Discover, you need to ensure your blog is optimized for search.
Focus on Topic Relevance: Google Discover rewards content that is highly relevant to current trends and user interests. Use keyword research tools to find popular topics and keywords that are likely to resonate with your audience.
On-Page SEO: Use well-structured headers (H1, H2, etc.), optimize your meta descriptions, and include relevant keywords in the body of your blog post.
Internal and External Links: Linking to related blog posts and authoritative external sources can help improve your blog’s overall SEO and user experience, which can increase your chances of being discovered.
Since Google Discover is a feed of recommended content, your blog’s title plays a crucial role in attracting users' attention. Craft compelling, click-worthy headlines that spark curiosity and encourage users to click through.
Use Actionable Words: Headlines that promise value or actionable insights tend to perform better.
Be Specific: Avoid vague headlines. Specific titles are more likely to capture user interest and get clicks.
Avoid Clickbait: Google Discover values user satisfaction, so make sure your headline accurately reflects the content inside.
To be featured on Google Discover, your website and blog need to be properly indexed by Google. This means that Google should be able to crawl and understand your content.
Submit Your Sitemap: Make sure your website’s sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console. This will help Google crawl your website more effectively.
Check for Crawl Errors: Regularly monitor your site for crawl errors using Google Search Console and fix them to ensure that your content is discoverable.
Google Discover rewards websites that provide an excellent user experience. A poor user experience can result in higher bounce rates and lower engagement, which negatively affects your chances of getting featured.
Easy Navigation: Make sure your site is easy to navigate, with clear calls to action and a smooth user interface.
Minimal Ads: Too many ads or intrusive pop-ups can be frustrating for users and lead to high bounce rates. Keep ads minimal and ensure they don’t hinder the user experience.
Google Discover loves content that is relevant to what users are currently interested in. To increase your chances of appearing on Discover, create content around trending topics.
Use Google Trends: Google Trends can help you find trending topics and keywords related to your niche.
Stay Updated on Industry News: Keep an eye on industry trends and current events. Writing timely and relevant content that addresses current discussions can significantly boost your chances of being featured on Google Discover.
While structured data is primarily used for search engine optimization, it can also improve how your content appears on Google Discover. Implementing schema markup helps Google understand your content better, making it more likely to be included in personalized feeds.
Use Article Schema: For blog posts, using Article Schema can help Google categorize your content and present it more effectively.
Use Video Schema: If your blog includes videos, make sure to implement Video Schema to increase the chances of your content being featured in Discover’s video sections.
While Google Discover doesn’t rely on social signals directly, a strong social media presence can indirectly help your content be discovered. Content that performs well on social media often has a higher chance of appearing in Google Discover feeds.
Share Your Blog Posts: Actively share your blog content on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Engage with Your Audience: Engage with your followers and encourage them to share your content. The more people interact with your content, the higher the chances of it being recognized and recommended by Google.
Optimizing your blog for Google Discover traffic is all about creating high-quality, engaging content that resonates with users. By focusing on mobile optimization, using visuals, crafting compelling headlines, and following SEO best practices, you can increase your chances of being featured in Google Discover’s personalized feeds.
Remember, getting featured on Google Discover can lead to increased visibility, higher traffic, and more opportunities for user engagement. By following these best practices, you can put your blog in the best possible position to be discovered by new audiences.