For the first time, Google has published the full version their search quality rating guidelines. The file was previously 160 pages long and was only available to Google search quality raters.
Search quality scoring guidelines describe the type of website Google is looking for. Websites types of human evaluators based on these guidelines.
Google compares human ratings with ratings from its ranking algorithms. If these ratings do not match, the classification algorithms could be improved. Thus human raters do not determine the ranking of sites but have an indirect influence.
The guidelines allow you to check if your web pages contain the content that Google is looking for. For example, the guidelines show Google's requirements for a high quality page.
What defines a high quality website?
According to Google quality guidelines, the following makes a website is of high quality:
1.- Good content
High-quality pages are pages that contain “a satisfactory amount of high-quality core content.” Creating high-quality content takes a significant amount of at least one of the following: time, effort, experience, or talent.
According to Google, high-quality encyclopedia articles should be factually accurate, clearly written, and complete. High-quality business content should allow you to find the products you want and purchase them with ease.
The amount of content needed to make the page satisfactory depends on the topic and purpose of the page. A high-quality page on a very broad topic with a lot of information available will have more content than a high-quality page on a narrower topic.
2.- No technical errors
How often a website should be updated depends on its purpose. However, all high quality websites They are well cared for, maintained and appropriately updated.
Google encourages quality evaluators to check that: links work, images load, content should be added and updated over time, etc.
3.- A positive reputation
If a website has a bad reputation, this has a negative influence on the quality of the website. Google says website evaluators should check user reviews, BBB ratings, reports, Wikipedia articles, blogs, magazine articles, discussion forums, and ratings from independent organizations to judge a company's reputation.
4.- The website must have a high level of experience / authority / reliability
High-quality pages and websites need enough experience to have authority and confidence in their topic. The term “expert” can be used for websites of all types, including gossip websites, fashion websites, humor, etc.
Google explicitly states that it also values “the everyday experience” that is based on life experience. A website should not be penalized for not having formal education or training.
5.- The website must have a functional design
Your website should be well organized and have an overall functional design. The main content must be clearly visible and it must be clear what the main content is.
Ads and secondary content should not distract from the main page. It should be clear which parts of the page are ads, either through explicit labeling or simply by the organization or layout of the page.
What constitutes a functional layout for a shopping page can be very different from what constitutes a functional layout for an informational page. Although it is important for a page to be functional, not for it to be pretty.
6.- The website must offer a satisfactory amount of website information
Don't hide your contact information. Google wants to see 'About us' information, contact or customer service information and, where applicable, information about who is responsible for the content and maintenance of the website.
7.- It is good if the site includes additional useful content
Even though a page may get the highest ranking on Google, if it has no additional content at all, that type of content can help improve the overall quality of a website.
For example, features designed to help shoppers find other products they may also like can be as useful as the main content on the page.
Useful secondary content on a recipe page could be multiplying or dividing the recipe to make the right amount of food for a given number of people.
Useful secondary content on a business page could be other popular manufacturers or models of the same type of products offered on the page.
Source: Free SEO News
