Google on Content – Merchant Center Automated Promotions

Google is laying it out for us this week. We have Google’s Danny Sullivan, John Mueller, and Martin Splitt headlining conversations around content and technical SEO. Plus, social media follower numbers are being pulled into search results. Does it affect ranking? Let’s chat.

Google’s Danny Sullivan Offers Latest Insights

Google’s go-to guy, Danny Sullivan, just dropped some insights that are turning heads in the SEO community, but is it really new information? He challenges content writers and SEO professionals to rethink everything we know about Google’s search rankings, especially when it comes to those little details we often obsess over, like author pages and bylines.

But, here’s the thing that’s being called ‘new insights,’ and it’s really not. Sullivan is saying that while Google loves content that builds trust, that is not the secret answer to ranking. Again, it’s another wake-up call for anyone who’s been taking Google’s guidelines at face value. Sullivan is urging everyone to look beyond the obvious SEO tactics and really focus on what matters—creating content that’s all about the people reading it.

This is an echo of what we already know and maybe a response to the chaos that ensued after the September Helpful Content update. That’s speculation, but with E-E-A-T and all the emphasis on content for the user, not for ranking, why is this still being repeated?

Sullivan is nudging people to look deeper into Google’s advice, to understand the ‘why’ behind it. It’s not just about following rules but understanding the spirit of those rules in the context of Google’s smarter, AI-driven algorithms. For anyone looking to make their mark in the SERPs, taking Sullivan’s insights to heart could be the key to creating content that not only ranks well but truly connects with your audience.

If you didn’t pay attention to the updates over the last couple of years, and are still wondering why your content isn’t ranking, maybe hearing it from Danny Sullivan will help.

Tools Don’t Know Your Readers

With all of the AI writing tools coming out, there’s been some confusion around SEO, content for the reader, and checking off all the boxes various writing tools provide. Do we change the way a statement is made because the tool says to? Or what about punctuation for content written for other languages? That is when a person asked the question about accent marks in H2s, and Google’s John Mueller came through:

Tools like Semrush, Grammarly, SE Ranking, and others provide ‘content scores’ that can’t know what your reader wants. You know your audience; show them and connect with them by creating content for them. Then, use the tools you have in your SEO toolbox to review, edit, and polish them up (hello spelling, and grammar).

Other content writing tools, like Zimmwriter or even ChaptGPT, are resources that help simplify processes, but to rely on them entirely would be putting your readers’ needs in jeopardy. Even as this is being written, Grammarly wants to change ‘readers’ to ‘escrow.’ Not even the smartest machines or algorithms are always right.

Nothing will replace knowing your audience. Even Google’s Search Relations team has come out saying AI is a creative aid but not something that can replace the unique creative abilities of humans. The human element of emotional connections that come through your content in the way of shared experiences, addressing needs, and even empathy cannot be scored or created by a tool. Find the happy medium that works for you, but always make the connection with your reader a top priority.

Measuring Site Quality

Site quality and measuring it is not as complicated as some think it is. In a recent podcast, Google’s Martin Splitt, John Mueller, and Gary Illyes talked about site quality and basically came out saying, “Hey, it’s not rocket science!”

There is no secret unraveled or special tool for measuring site quality. It comes down to a functional (optimized) website and content that genuinely helps searchers. Think about it, if your content is about gum and all your content is about hard candy, or links take the user to empty content pages (or, gasp, 404), you’re missing the mark.

Find your unique voice and discover the little niches that others aren’t talking about. Stand out in a sea of repetitiveness by knowing your stuff, being helpful, and making sure your website is user-friendly.

Google Merchant Auto-Promotions

Google Merchant has automatically created and applied promotions to some products. With the surge in holiday discounts, this has gained more attention. What’s happening is the Merchant Center detects promotions on your website and then shows them in your product listings on Google. Businesses haven’t had to do anything, and it’s all been automatic.

The nice thing about this is Google has basically provided you with an automatic boost to your sales strategy. But be cautious and double-check your promotions. This automatic feature is a handy tool, but it’s always wise to keep an eye on things, especially when it comes to your business and sales. Accuracy in price affects not only your bottom line but the user experience, too.

Watercooler Highlights

We know how busy our days get, but you don’t want to miss these highlights. Follower counts in the SERPs surprised many people, leaving some asking, “Does it affect rank?” And finally, Google takes a break from content to talk about technical SEO—spoiler, it matters.

Follower Counts Added to Google Snippets

Google recently began displaying social media follower counts in some search snippets. Which, naturally, prompted speculation about the influence the number of followers had on search ranking. Google’s John Mueller quickly clarified that these numbers are not a ranking factor but simply an additional piece of information for the searcher.

Google Says to Check Technical SEO First

Technical aspects of your website are crucial for performance in search results. Site crawlability, indexing, and page rendering should be top priority, and that comes directly from Google’s Martin Splitt, Gary Illes, and John Mueller on their ‘Search Off the Record’ podcast.

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