Google has been placing greater emphasis on mobile and local search for several years running. In 2018, as part of the search engine’s 20th anniversary, Google decided to upgrade its Google Feed feature to improve search. Now called Google Discover, this update has introduced new features that digital marketers should understand.
Google Discover was once Google Feed. It is Google’s version of a social media feed. However, instead of friends and followers, you’ll see things that Google believes are of interest to you, such as entertainment, marketing, sports, music, etc. In other words, searchers get a personalized feed, and your brand could be part of it.
Google Discover integrates with the home page of the search engine, currently only on mobile devices, and uses AI technology to bring searchers the latest relevant content. If a user likes what they see, similar to social media, they can hit the “Follow” button on their browser and see more of those topics or from that brand in the future. On the other hand, if a searcher doesn’t like what they see, they discard those topics or brands in their settings.
In the past, most of the content on Google Feed, now Google Discover, was news-based or trending topics. Now, visitors will see a mix of content that is derived from their interests. For example, someone purchasing a new home might see mortgage news or remodeling tips. The content might not be brand new, but it will be new to the end-user.
Google Discover is just another way that digital marketers can reach and engage with a target audience on mobile devices. This feature allows you to create awareness about your brand and bring visitors to your site in an entirely different way. Instead of matching search queries, Discover is more about topics that may be of interest to a mobile user.
Content recommendation isn’t new for Google. The company already uses it on YouTube, which is a feature that is responsible for up to 70 percent of the streaming activity on the site. Discover hopes to do the same thing with mobile device users and perhaps eventually desktop browsers.
Since a majority of people use Google as the search engine of choice, these features have significant influence. When Google makes a change, it has the potential to impact how users interact with content on the web and discover new brands. Some of the ways that Google Discover could help your brand include:
You won’t be found on this new feature if your content isn’t eligible to get listed on Google Discover. The search engine has some rules. First, your website should be indexed and verified in Google's Search Console. Google Discover isn’t the same thing as Google News, but your content will have to meet Google News standards to get listed through this feature.
To appear in Google Discover (or Google News), your content must:
Those guidelines are some of the bare minimum requirements for inclusion in Google’s feed. If you want the best chance of getting listed in Google Discover, some of the other actions you can add to your digital marketing program include:
One of Google’s goals is to present the best quality content for searchers. Carefully consider user intent as you produce your content. Are you answering frequently asked questions? Is your content easy to read and up to date?
Just as you would optimize your content to appear in a Featured Snippet, focus on things like lists, tutorials, and guides. Add plenty of images, charts, and videos to your content to make it easier to digest. Don’t forget to use the appropriate title tags with your headings.
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) should be a vital part of your digital marketing strategy. They cater to mobile browsers and are meant to load quicker than non-AMP pages. These specially-coded pages can also help you score some spots on Google Discover.
Since Google Discover only works on mobile browsers and AMP optimized for the audience, it makes sense that this should be a priority. You can also boost your performance with these pages by having high-quality images that are 1,200 px wide or larger.
Google Discover isn’t quite the same as social media, but engagement is going to help your visibility with the feature all the same. In addition to creating amazing content, increase its exposure by using social media, encouraging participation, and inviting users to share.
You can shortcut some of this by paying for inclusion on Google Discover with Discovery Ads. Despite the name, these same ads can be found across all platforms like Gmail, YouTube, Shopping, and Google Discover.
The ads will vary in appearance, depending on the platform. When you create your ad, you’ll specify parameters that will get your content in front of your target audience, including on that search engine feed.
Google Discover is one more way that your business can create awareness about its brand and engage customers. But taking advantage of all that Google has to offer can be challenging. At Connection Model, we specialize in navigating this complex universe on behalf of our clients. Contact us now to learn more about our results-driven solutions.