Why You Should Feed Google More Data
Though keyword research is important, when I start a new website, one of the main tasks I have in my mind is to create a high VOLUME of content. Of course it should be good content, but volume is important.
Why?
My working theory is that Google is a computer, and it needs data to make decisions. In order to decide if your website is "quality", and if you deseve to be an "authority" on the topic, it needs lots of informationt to make that decision.
What if you write a really good first article though? The best! It's the most informed, absolutely #1 written piece of content on the topic though. If Google is so smart, why wouldn't they just rank you #1 from the outset?
Here's the analogy I came up with.
How Would You Choose A Wedding Photographer?
A wedding day is a big day for most people. It's important to get some good photos! So you browse a couple of potential photographers on Instagram.
One photographer has a ton of photos. Some good, some bad, but mostly good. You like the style. You even see a couple of incredible backgrounds that you want to ask more about to see if you could do something similar. There are even some really good testimonials from previous clients!
A second photographer only has one photo. It's really, really good. Almost perfect. What about the other photos though? Is this really his work? Was this a fluke? Is he still working?
Which photographer would you rather work with? The person who has a history of producing good content and more trust, or the person with a one-off win?
I think most people would go with the person who has the portfolio. Although not all of the photos are perfect, it's the safer bet. You're using the volume of data to make an informed decision.
In my opinion, that's how Google is looking at websites too. When you have more high quality articles on your site, it's better able to understand what you're writing about, how it compares to other websites, and where you should be ranked in the SERPs.
Volume is Important In The Beginning, But There Is A Point Of Diminishing Returns
Brute Force is one of my favorite ways to jumpstart a website. For many of my sites now, I use what I call the Series Method of blogging, just knocking down phrases one by one. It works.
However, my sites do hit a point where publishing more and more and more stops working. Doing a thousand articles a month probably won't make you rich. At some point, you do have to get smart, and be choosy about where to focus your resources, whether that be your own time, or money to outsource.
That's why it's still important to understand how to do keyword research and do proper SEO for your articles. Publishing "whatever" forever might get you started, but it won't take you to the finish line.
A High Barrier To Entry Is Good For You Too
If this is your first website, it's probably pretty frustrating to see other people consistently outrank you. Even if you think your content is the best out there. However, this high barrier to entry works in your favor.
Imagine you website in 2-3 years, or even 10 years. How would you feel if you work on your online business for 10 years, crafting and perfecting your information to be the best possible out there.
Then, one day, some guy with a brand new website and ten articles takes your spot. How frustrating would that be!
So this barrier to entry, the phase where you have to prove your authority to search engines is working against you now, but will work in your favor later. The longer you go, the stronger you get, and the harder it is for competition to outperform you.
Have a great week everyone!
Recent Comments
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We have to feed more data because Google isn't as smart as we think.
Seriously.
There is no reason why a 3000-word article is automatically more helpful, more authoritative or more necessary than a 1000-word one.
We all have scrolled through mediocre, repetitive and drawn-out content, necessary to feed Google's appetite for data (= ranking potential).
So, what is the real reason Google favours long-form content?
A possible answer is that the algorithm cannot sufficiently distinguish between different degrees of quality of written content.
A search engine is an algorithm (mathematical model) and needs as much data as it can get to make a qualified probability statement.
It doesn't "understand" the written words on an intellectual level.
All it can do is to calculate the probability that those words and images present the best and most valuable content.
If a qualified human would analyse the same articles (in terms of helpfulness), he/she might come to a different ranking order.
It makes long-form content as necessary and meaningful as keyword stuffing, doesn't it?
Martin
I think you're right in many ways, not that I'm the expert, yet, but there is the fact that if you write a long article, your readers would spend more time on your site (not necesserely because it's high quality, but because they are interested in the topic), which also is an interesting topic for the search engines, and might help you crawl upwards.
What do you think about the notion that newer websites that stop creating content, maybe for a month somewhere along the line of the website being published, or even a few months of no new content...
Do you think that affects how the website will be ranking down the road? Or if someone decides after a hiatus of content creation to sit down and bust out a bunch of content then the website will be able to succeed after creating high quality, and high volume content overall?
Would love your input, thanks man.
It absolutely affects ranking. Many people have commented that they stopped for a month or so and it took 3 months to gain momentum again!
I guess that's what I'm wondering as well, if Google will trust a site and be able to gain that momentum again after a hiatus, thanks for your reply
I'm not sure what you mean. Are you asking if there's an advantage or disadvantage somehow?
In my personal experience, there's been more than one time where "taking a break" somewhere along the way actually seemed to benefit my site, but it's hard to say if I was just more excited to see progress despite not working, or if results actually jumped forward because of the break.
I don't think there's any special advantage or disadvantage to having a specific schedule, or even publishing at a regular pace. It's all about volume IMO.
There have been times throughout the years where I've taken a break from posting for a good while man and have seen both ways. But also not sure if taking a break from creating content was a factor for increased results or if it's from me enjoying it rise while I wasn't working on it.
What I'm wondering is if Google cares about a website that takes a few months of no content at all, if Google will still see the site as relevant after a few months and then creating content again. If rankings are still entirely possible after not consistently being updated for a while.
I was getting at the disadvantages of that, if there are any, not necessarily the advantages to taking a break. My bad if that didn't make sense, thanks for the reply man.
Volume, have a ton of content and data for Google to get a sense of what you're about
Always a pleasure to read your articles, I believe that it is important to build your email list as soon as possible too, building your "tribe" of followers because with the constant changes of the search engines and you don't have control over. Your email list you are.
Thanks for sharing, Nathaniell :-)
Good information and plenty to think about, Nathaniel. Thanks for sharing.
I agree-- plenty of postings will help google (and others) find us. I also like the 'diminishing returns' idea--we do need to consider. Writing to our niche and our intended focus is essential.
Always enjoy your posts!
Have a wonderful day-
Diane
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Been following you for some time now, I enjoy your posts. Signed up for our extra insight emails. I'm a slow starter, been working on this new endeavor for over a year now. Just started my third website "manthing.net", (its a manthing) might be to broad a niche. But gives me much content to chose from. Any feedback on this niche I chose?
By the way I have finished online entrepreneur certification and most of the way thru affiliate bootcamp.
Well done with your certificate
Wow ! You did it, it's good to meet you.
Best wishes going forward
Kaya