Content Is Still King (And It’s Reign Is Only Expanding)
Do you remember how hard it was to retain information online? Once upon a time (before 2011), performing a simple internet search was a frustrating experience due to the excessive amount of ‘thin content’. Thin content, a term coined by Google, refers to content pages with minimal or zero value.
Previously, the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) would provide a list of websites that addressed a user’s question, but wouldn’t list sites with a specific answer. These webpages merely provided copy and spun answers that everyone was posting, followed by ads.
In 2011, Google grabbed the bull by the horns with the first update called ‘Google Panda’, as a means to correct this issue. The update focused on penalising sites with thin content, thereby causing several sites’ page ranking to steeply decline. At this point, it was safe to assume this issue was resolved though the present states otherwise. So, why is thin content still a prevalent issue?
Here, we reveal the reign of premium-quality content writing and Google Panda’s grand war on thin content.
How Thin Content Harms Your SEO
It’s because unscrupulous webmasters and SEO practitioners chose to try and work around the rule rather than address the problem that caused the rule to be implemented in the first place. In other words, they chose to address the symptoms and not the disease.
They tried reducing the number of ads. They tried no-indexing obviously thin content. They tried revising the title and meta descriptions to be more relevant and contain the proper keywords. They spent a lot of time and effort trying to hide thin content rather than change it to meaningful and informative content.
Why? Because it was cheaper and quicker to put a bandage on the problem, than to seek out and hire the writers who could address the issue properly.
Google Rewards Premium Content
Image by @hongkongtatler
We’re now in the age of Panda 4.0 and Google shows no sign of letting up in their war against thin content. And everyone should be glad of that. Having organic, informative and relevant content is what makes hundreds of millions of people choose the internet over the library. And that benefits the internet as a whole. It drives more people to use the internet and more people means unique and fresh information on a universe of topics.
Unique and regularly updated content is what makes the internet so unique and valuable. But it takes the efforts of skilled and knowledgeable writers to produce quality content on a daily basis. Most progressive SEO companies fully understand the value that organic, quality content brings to the table. They have invited skilled writers to work alongside them as part of the SEO process.
The Content Battle Continues
As Panda has evolved, so have SEO companies who value the stance that Google is taking regarding content. Google has an effective weapon against thin content and they’re certainly not shy about using it. They are effectively driving the unscrupulous webmasters and SEO practitioners of yesterday into early retirement.
Clients also have recognised the benefits of treating the disease instead of the symptoms. Clients who have embraced the quality content mantra are enjoying increased conversion rates and an increasing number of links to articles and information on their websites. And this is good news for everyone in the war on thin content.
Let the writing begin! Before you compose your next webpage, here’s what you need to know about Index Bloat: Why SEO Suffers and How to Improve It. Or if you’ve got content covered, discover how to amplify your brand with these Next Level: 6 Practical Instagram Trends to Follow in 2018 and drive phenomenal traffic to your profile today.
