Navigating the labyrinth of digital marketing can sometimes feel like plunging into the sprawling archives of a grand library - the back corners of which even the most scholarly reader can overlook. And in a world where top-tier digital real estate is perhaps the paramount priority for businesses, a service like Google Discover can be your hidden treasure map.
For business owners aiming to chart their course through the search engines' newest functionalities, understanding and capitalising on Google Discover could spell the difference between content lost in the void and content highlighted in the searchlight.
In this detailed guide, we'll explore what Google Discover is, how it works, and how it can be leveraged to boost your online presence and organic traffic significantly.
What Is Google Discover?
In its simplest terms, Google Discover is a feed found in the Google app. Acting somewhat like a digital oracle, Google Discover serves users a curated selection of content tailored to their interests, often before they even initiate a search.
Unlike the traditional Google Search, which responds to specific user queries with relevant links, Google Discover uses an algorithm that continuously learns from the user's interaction with the web to suggest a personalised stream of articles, products, videos, and other online content that they might find interesting.
For business owners, Google Discover is a new frontier.
It's a platform that offers substantial traffic potential but also demands a nuanced approach to content creation and optimisation. With Discover, businesses now have the opportunity to reach vast audiences, engage with users who might have previously been out of reach, and witness spikes in organic traffic like never before.
Understanding Google Discover
If Google Discover is the map, it's essential to know the terrain. Understanding how Discover operates is fundamental to leveraging its power.
At its core, Google Discover is driven by user data and behaviour. The algorithm analyses a user's:
- search history,
- clicks
- saved items
- shared posts
to predict their interests.
It then aggregates content from across the web, including news articles, evergreen content, and multimedia offerings, to provide a seamless mobile browsing experience.
This implies that the cornerstone of Discover is personalisation.
The feed's success is contingent on its ability to predict and serve content that aligns with a user's individual interests and browsing patterns. Therefore, for content to be featured on Discover, it must be high-quality and resonate with specific clusters of users.
How Google Discover Works
Google Discover's workings are somewhat enigmatic, much like the rest of the search giant's internal algorithms. Nevertheless, we do know that the AI responsible for Discover places emphasis on recent user activity. This means that content needs to have high relevance and engagement among a target audience to feed the algorithm's predictions.
Difference between Google Discover and Traditional Search Results
While traditional search engine results pages (SERPs) cater to immediate inquiries, Discover anticipates what the user would want to know. The traditional search engine often focuses on keyword relevance, link-building, and various SEO strategies. Discover highlights the importance of freshness, relevance to interests, and engagement — unique factors that pivot from traditional SEO.
Benefits of Being Featured on Google Discover
For businesses, the pot of gold at the end of Google Discover's rainbow is the impressive array of benefits it can offer.
1. Increased Visibility and Organic Traffic
Featuring on Google Discover can lead to a significant uptick in visibility and traffic. As the feed is personalised, users are more likely to engage with content that genuinely attracts them. This creates a potent cycle where higher engagement often leads to greater visibility, and vice versa.
Unlike traditional search results, which can fluctuate based on keyword competition and SERP ranking, Discover offers a relatively consistent stream of visitors once content is successfully featured.
2. Enhanced Brand Exposure and Authority
Being regularly featured on Discover can amplify your brand's reputation as a trusted source of industry knowledge and expertise. Users who frequently see your brand in their feed are more likely to regard it as a leading authority, which can translate into improved brand sentiment and trust.
3. Opportunities for Reaching New Audiences
Google Discover can be instrumental in broadening your audience base. By surfacing your content to users who might not have found it through a typical search, Discover presents valuable opportunities to connect with new users and convert them into loyal followers and customers.
Optimising Content for Google Discover
There are certain factors to keep in mind when creating content that is more likely to be featured on Google Discover:
High-Quality and Relevant Content
Content for Discover must be top-notch, offer value, and be timely. Timeliness is often the trait that separates Discover content from that of traditional search results. Moreover, the content must be high-quality, diverse and range from:
- how-to guides
- thought leadership pieces
- breaking news
- revered content
On-Page SEO Tactics
Meta descriptions, title tags, and headers are all important components of on-page SEO for Discover. These elements give the algorithm's crawlers crucial context about your content and serve as the first taste users get before clicking through.
Structured Data and Metadata
Leveraging structured data and compelling meta-descriptions is how you set the stage for your content to be understood by Discover. Structured data helps Google's AI understand the components of your page, leading to better categorisation. While meta descriptions serve as the elevator pitch for your content.
High-Quality Images
Visuals are critical in a feed that is predominantly mobile. Ensure that your images are striking, high-resolution, and at least 1200 pixels wide. This not only ensures your content looks good on Discover but also that it stands out.
Strategies for Getting Content Ranked on Google Discover
If you're wondering how to increase your chances of getting your content ranked on Google Discover, here are some key strategies:
Identifying and Targeting User Interests
The first step in reaching Discover's audience is identifying their interest. This can be done by:
- examining your own user data
- conducting market surveys
- using tools like Google Analytics to see what's driving traffic to your site currently
Optimising for User Experience and Engagement
Discover prioritises content with high user engagement, which means you need to optimise for both the reading experience and the potential to spark further action from the user.
- use clear, concise language
- facilitate easy reading with headings and bullet points
- and encourage user interaction
Leveraging Multimedia and Visual Content
In a feed as visually driven as Discover, multimedia can be the not-so-secret weapon. Videos, infographics, and interactive elements can drive higher engagement and better retention among users.
But remember, all multimedia content should be both contextually relevant and reflect the highest quality.
Want To Get Your Business Discovered?
Google Discover presents a unique and lucrative opportunity for businesses looking to expand their online footprint. The path to Discover may not be as straightforward as traditional SEO, but with dedication, innovation, and a commitment to high-quality content, its rewards can be spectacular.
If you want to see an increase in your business's organic traffic, we can help! Our SEO content and copywriting services in Pretoria specialise in creating content that can rank on Google Discover.
So, dare to discover — the benefits await those bold enough to embark on the journey.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How Do I Get To Google Discover?
To access Google Discover, you need to have the latest version of the Google app installed on your mobile device. You can also access it through Google Chrome on desktop by clicking on the three dots in the bottom right corner and selecting "Discover".
2. How Do I Get Content On Google Discover?
To increase your chances of ranking on Google Discover, it is recommended that you use enticing headlines, include high-quality images in your content, and avoid clickbait or misleading copy.
3. Can I Advertise On Google Discover?
At the moment, there is no option to advertise on Google Discover. However, with the potential for high visibility and engagement, it may be worth investing in creating content that can rank organically on this platform.