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