Uniqueness: Evade the SERP Fluffification

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Google announced a -40% reduction of low-quality, unoriginal content with the latest core update.

Based on our assessments, we anticipate that this new update along with our past initiatives will decrease low-quality, unoriginal content in search results by 40%.

Why not -100%? Well, there are limited possibilities: either the remaining 60% is quite unclear, making it difficult to distinguish between high and low quality, or there is just not adequate high-quality content to substitute the low-quality one.

It’s not a problem of knowing. If Google knows what 40% is, they know 100%. What if the open web simply doesn’t have enough good content anymore?

SERP Fluffyfication

The announcement mentions the need to decrease unoriginal content in search results. It's interesting to see Google using the term "original" in relation to "quality" for the first time. I find this word fitting as it accurately reflects the typical appearance of search engine results nowadays.

The majority of search content lacks originality. The issue lies not in content being tailored for search engines, but in the manner in which it is done lazily. Google is not a fan of quick fixes and shortcuts.

And many users have reached saturation as well.

When people say, “You can’t find anything on Google these days,” they don’t mean, “Google doesn’t show search results for my query.”

Google's long-tail results are often criticized for being subpar and filled with irrelevant content. Many users feel that they are bombarded with low-quality articles and listicles when they search on Google. This issue has persisted for some time and has had a negative impact on the overall user experience.

Unoriginal content = anything you can answer with common sense.

Original content = anything counter to common sense, exceeding expectations, or high complexity explained in an easy way.

Many of my clients are looking to increase organic traffic to their websites, but they are not interested in producing what is commonly known as "SEO content."

While Google's core algorithms are always changing, the basics of how blue links work have remained consistent enough for SEO experts to identify effective strategies.

Since Google search is a zero-sum game with a clear winning formula, the majority of content converges towards an optimum, which means it looks the same.

Example 1

When searching for "how to create a strategy" on Google, the top 10 results include a combination of company blogs, social media posts, and articles from universities like Harvard.

Upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that many of these articles cover similar information. This can be observed in the comparison of headings from the top 3 search results shown in the screenshot below.

Headings of the top 3 results for “how to create a strategy” indicate fluffyness

Headings of the top 3 results for “how to create a strategy” indicate fluffyness (Image Credit: Kevin Indig)

On top of that, they’re not helpful.

Vision and mission, for example, are not part of a strategy. Neither is forecasting.

Some articles recommend conducting a SWOT analysis, but they often overlook the importance of tailoring the SWOT towards a specific problem. Identifying the problem is crucial as it serves as the foundation for developing any strategy. Surprisingly, none of the top 5 articles even mention the word "problem" once. This lack of focus on the problem would not meet the standards of an MBA program.

On the other hand, even though content may be of high quality, it may not rank well in search results if it is not optimized for search engines.

Packy McCormick's "In defense of strategy" is a great example that illustrates how to create a strategy. The piece challenges common assumptions, is well-written, and draws from first-hand experience, making it original. However, despite its quality, Google does not rank it for any keywords. This could be due to the title not being optimized, weak internal linking, or possibly not hitting the right embeddings.

McCormick has followed Google's advice by prioritizing the creation of high-quality content for users. However, Google does not direct organic traffic to his website. Instead, traffic is directed to articles that have successfully utilized the winning formula, which poses a challenge.

Another example is the query “how to build a community.”

I want to show a few screenshots of the top results. Can you spot the fluff? Many words, little substance.

Result #1

Result #1

Image Credit: Kevin Indig

Result #2

Originality: Escape The SERP Fluffyfication

Image Credit: Kevin Indig

Result #3

Result #3

Image Credit: Kevin Indig

Result #4

Result #4

Image Credit: Kevin Indig

Result #5

Result #5

Image Credit: Kevin Indig

(I don’t want to pose. My writing skills are merely good enough to spot bad writing. But I aim to have a high density of insights per word.)

Once again, we can tell by the headings how little substance most articles in the top 3 positions have.

headings

Image Credit: Kevin Indig

One article in the top 10 results (No. 8) was written by someone who has built a community before – twice.

Where Is All The Good Content?

It's a shame that the article doesn't explore the significance of communities, what they entail, and other key areas that Google values. Consequently, it fails to secure a higher ranking.

I have a theory: Experts may have stopped creating content or are creating it on other platforms, if Google lacks quality content to replace low-quality results.

My guess is that content creation has shifted from written text to video and audio formats. Rather than focusing on blog posts, creators in the business and consumer sectors are now producing more YouTube videos and podcasts.

The focus is on podcasts, with a 45% increase in listeners from 2018 to 2023 and a doubling from 2013 to 2023. More than 30% of Americans tune in to podcasts every week.

Google might display more videos in search results because text results may not be as effective.

Youtube is exploding in size

YouTube is exploding in size (Image Credit: Kevin Indig)

Short video clips are preferred by 66% of people over text, not just in B2B settings. It's not surprising, right? But the appeal goes beyond visuals. Videos require more effort and money to produce, which is why they stand out.

Users are more engaged by short-form videos than text

Users are more engaged by short-form videos than text (link)

And you can’t blame users. The quality of content is much higher.

The top search results for "how to define a strategy" on YouTube are all over a year old, with one video being 14 years old. Video production requires more effort, so creators tend to invest time in making them engaging. Because YouTube success relies heavily on viewer engagement, low-quality videos often struggle to attract viewers.

Google has spent the last years getting better at understanding content to diversify away from relying on user signals (remember “we fake it”?).

From Elephant in the Room:

Our understanding of SEO has been off for a while. We used to think that content was the most important, followed by backlinks and user signals. But it turns out that user signals are actually the foundation, with backlinks and content understanding playing supporting roles.

Google is now improving its ability to assess content quality. In addition to analyzing word N-grams, embeddings, and vectors, it seems that Google also relies on user signals to determine what constitutes good content.

Maybe what Google needs is less content understanding and a stronger emphasis on user signals like YouTube.

Opportunity

So, what's the bottom line?

When it comes to creating written content, just focusing on what benefits the user isn't sufficient. It's important to strike a balance between catering to search engines and appealing to actual readers.

Identify the key sub-topics/entities to focus on. Take a close look at the top search results. Ensure it is appealing to Google. However, keep going further. Avoid being lazy.

After addressing the SEO aspects, prioritize being unique and original in your content.

Think about what could make this article truly unique. It could be conducting your own research, interviewing five individuals who have firsthand experience, or securing an interview with a highly sought-after author. The key is to come up with something that others would find challenging to replicate.

High correlation between searches for the same term on the web and Youtube

High correlation between searches for the same term on the web and YouTube (Image Credit: Kevin Indig)

Three more things:

I will be speaking at Recommerce in London on Friday, March 15th. Use the code SPEAKERVIP to enjoy a 10% discount on your ticket! If you're in the area, feel free to email me, and I will give you a complimentary ticket. It's first come, first served.

I will also be speaking at Friends of Search in Amsterdam on March 21st. Don't hesitate to drop by and say hello!

I will be speaking at SaaStock in Austin, TX on May 14th and I have two free tickets to give away. To be eligible, you just need to attend the conference and have a passion for SaaS! Tickets will be given on a first come, first served basis.

Check out the latest Google search update for March 2024 here: https://blog.google/products/search/google-search-update-march-2024/

2 https://www.notboring.co/p/in-defense-of-strategy

Featured Image: Lyna ™

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the ongoing challenge of low-quality content in search results, despite Google's efforts to reduce it. It suggests that the remaining unoriginal content may be due to limitations in Google's ability to distinguish high from low quality, or a lack of adequate high-quality content to replace it. The author argues that experts may have shifted their focus to creating content in other formats such as video and audio, where the quality is generally higher.

The article also discusses the importance of originality and uniqueness in content creation. It emphasizes that simply providing useful information is not enough; content creators need to go the extra mile to make their content stand out. This can involve conducting original research, interviewing experts, or finding unique perspectives. By balancing user-centricity with originality, content creators can increase their chances of ranking well in search results and attracting an engaged audience. counterintuitive ideas, or complex concepts in a comprehensible manner. This approach can differentiate content from the abundance of low-quality, unoriginal material and potentially improve its visibility in search results. Overall, the article underscores the need for a balanced approach to content creation, catering to both search engines and human users, while prioritizing originality and depth to stand out in an increasingly crowded digital landscape.