subject: How Google's search algorithm change will affect your business [print this page] How Google's search algorithm change will affect your business
Recently Google made the announcement that they're changing their search algorithm in order yield search results with higher quality sites in the more highly ranked positions.
They explain that this change is in response to a proliferation of poor quality content that's been search engine optimized to dominate the Google rankings yet provides the person conducting the search with no real value.
As a result of Google's announcement, many people running small and medium sized businesses are understandably wondering how this change will affect their online businesses. The answer is that it can either help or hinder their business, depending upon their online marketing practices.
Chances are, if you've used a solid website creator to build a basic website, with the fundamental pages that comprise one, then there is probably nothing inherently problematic with your site that would negatively be affected by this change.
If anything, it should help your site receive higher rankings for searches more directly relevant to your business. It is the quality of the additional content you use to market your site that can have the biggest impact on how high or low your Google rankings swing from here.
If you use your website maker to create a blog, be sure your postings are meaningful, original, topical and relevant to your business. Don't design your content around the most frequently search keyword phrases in your industry. Rather, consider your customer. Ask yourself what information they would find most valuable and provide it.
Ideally, provide this yourself in original, thoughtfully written articles from your own expert vantage point and research. Every website builder makes creating fresh new articles as often as you like as easy as building the fundamental pages of the site.
If you must hire out for your web content, make sure you're not getting predigested and regurgitated copy from a content mill that barely passes the plagiarism test. This is exactly the kind of content the changes in the Google algorithm are designed to ward off.
The Google algorithm changes are designed to reward website building that is honest and tries to provide genuine value to a niche audience. The change is designed to discourage people from whipping up one free website after another designed solely to boost search engine rankings.
