While, in a Content Marketing,  quality content is defined relatively precisely by Google,  everyone has a particular and highly subjective idea of what makes good content.

So how to answer this question:"How to make quality content, both for search engines and for the user?".

Here are some of the answers:

How long should quality content be?

SEO experts rarely agree on the definition of quality content. Their opinions also differ on the ideal length of a text  from 200 words, it can go to 2,000 words. But as everyone knows, more content does not necessarily mean better content.

To estimate the ideal length of your texts, first think about your target reader, in this case, your buyer persona. 

If you have properly defined their reading preferences, you should be able to determine whether they prefer short or long formats.

From Google's point of view, you also need your content to appeal to your readers.

It will penalize pages on which your visitors pogo stick, that is, if they return to the search results page (SERP) with their browser's back button because they did not find the content interesting.

Inversely, it will favor pages where visitors drill down, especially through internal links. Finally, you will have better SEO if your content is widely shared. 

How to evaluate the relevance of quality content

The notion of " relevance " for content can appear fuzzy. The whole difficulty with this concept is that "poor quality" content can just as easily turn out to be relevant.

So how do you navigate this and is there really such a thing as foolproof quality content ?

Google Webmaster Instructions

Google gives guidelines to Webmasters on this point, but these contain more warnings about poor quality content than guidance on what makes good content.

In reading Google's recommendations, it becomes clear that many websites are following the rules. But do they still offer quality content ? How do you decide between sites when none of them make mistakes ?

Some basic principles to follow

• Do not mislead your readers
.
• Avoid using subterfuge to improve your ranking. A good way to know if you're doing the right thing is to ask yourself if what you're doing helps your users and if your site would be similar if search engines didn't exist;
• Think about what makes your website unique : how does it stand out from the competition ? Is there a tone that particularly appeals?

Specific instructions from Google

To avoid being penalized by Google, avoid as much as possible the following techniques :

• Automatically generated content : this content makes no sense to the reader. They are sentences put together in a random way;
• Artificial link building: these are links inserted into the text without consistency with it;
• Creating pages with little or no original content;
• Cloaking : By presenting users with content that is different from that intended for search engines, you are at high risk of being penalized.
• Redirections that do not lead to the right page;
• Hidden text or links;
• Stolen content from other sites;
• Participation in an affiliate program without providing additional value;
• Misuse of keywords:
• Creation of pages that allow the installation of viruses or trojans.

On the pages of the Google Webmaster Academy, you'll be able to learn more about creating quality content from the SEO point of view (even if the focus is still more on bad practices).

For greater efficiency, do the hunting:

• to dead links
• to misinformation,
• to grammar and spelling errors,
• to the misuse of advertisements.

The Panda algorithm from Google is intended to measure the quality of a site. It uses many signals to determine the value of a site but little information has been given to tell us about the positive signals used.

The quality rating system by Google

There is a 146-page document on indicators that show that content is of good or poor quality.

The definition that is given in this document is based on 3 principles :

• Expertise
• Authority
• Reliability

In English, this evaluation system is referred to by the acronym EAT for Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. "Eat" also means "to eat", to indicate that following these principles makes the text more consumable and digestible for the web user.

A site should also provide the necessary contact or customer service information (in the case of e-commerce).

What message, what purpose for your content?

Google does not like it when the purpose of the site is impossible to determine. We are talking about a messy site where the content is so bad that it is impossible for a human to understand. But it is just as much about the content using jargon and vague concepts that do not allow to state that they are the services offered by the company behind the site.

The various possible functions of a site are as follows:

• Share information about a topic
.
• Share personal information
• Share images, videos or any other forms of content
• Express an opinion or point of view
• Entertain
• Sell products or services
• Allowing users to ask questions that other Internet users will answer
• Allowing users to share files or download software.

To determine the quality of a site, the search intent made by a web user must be satisfied by the content offered on the site found.

By identifying all the possible topics in your industry and naming all the corresponding keywords, you can successfully cover the variety of questions asked on search engines by your Buyer Personas.

Answer each of these questions thoroughly and your SEO will be sustainably improved. Bringing useful information to a web user will help you enrich your content.

And what is your approach to determining what makes quality content?