Podcast - Guidelines for Quality Raters_StaffanRagno20240915_1334

Ever feel like trying to get your website noticed on Google is like, well, searching for buried treasure? I like that analogy. Right. What if I told you Google's search guidelines are basically a treasure map? OK, I'm intrigued. Even if they do read, like, you know, guidelines. Yeah, guidelines aren't exactly known for their page turning excitement. Exactly. But I have a feeling you're about to change that. Well, hopefully we can uncover some gold nuggets. What I think is really interesting is they are less about tricks. Right. And more about understanding, like, what makes a good experience for the user? See, that's what's so interesting to me. It all comes back to the user, which ultimately is what Google wants to deliver. The best possible experience for the person doing the searching. Right, because if your website, like, takes ages to load. Oh, for sure. Or looks like it's from the dinosaur era, especially on a phone. Ugh, the worst. Google is basically, like, hitting the ignore button. Yeah, it's like trying to read a faded treasure map by candlelight. You need things to be crystal clear. But here's where things get really cool. Google actually gives you a peek behind the curtain. Like, they're revealing how things work. I'm talking about stuff that most people wouldn't even think about, like how they handle domain names. Oh, that's a good one. It's such a fundamental part of the internet, but most people probably don't give it a second thought. Right. But you're right. More than just, like, having a catchy domain name, Google wants to make sure users feel safe. Oh, yeah. That they're actually on the website they intended to visit, especially when it comes to international domains, different alphabets. So it's about building trust, not just, like, climbing the search results ladder. Exactly. It's about establishing credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of both users and search engines. You want people to land on your site and immediately know they're in the right place, that it's safe, and that it's going to be a good experience. That makes sense, especially with all the concerns about, like, scams and fake websites these days. Oh, absolutely. And that focus on user experience is huge when you look at Google's core web vitals. Yes. They even highlight it in these guidelines. OK, concession time. When I first saw those terms, LCP, FID, and now INP coming in 2024, I almost threw my laptop out the window. It's a lot. It's a lot to unpack. I hear you. But imagine it this way. Google is basically saying, hey, we care about how fast your website loads, how quickly people can interact with it. And if the layout jumps around while it's loading, that's what those acronyms boil down to. LCP is about loading speed. FID, and its upcoming replacement, INP, is about how smoothly people can click buttons and use forms. And CLS is all about visual stability. They're not just tech jargon. They're about making your website enjoyable to use, which is what it's all about. It's like the difference between a shop assistant greeting you when you walk into a store. Yes, exactly. Versus you getting lost in the aisles because the layout makes no sense. A disorganized website is like a shop with no signage, confusing aisles, and flickering lights. It's a nightmare. Right. You're way more likely to leave if it's the latter. 100%. And those first impressions, they matter. Google knows that if a website frustrates people, they'll bounce before they even give it a chance. Right. And that hurts everyone, the user, the website owner, the internet as a whole. They're essentially saying, make it easy for your users, and we'll make it easy for them to find you. And speaking of making things easy and engaging, we can't forget about the elephant in the room, web stories. Ooh, yes. Visual storytelling at its finest. Google is clearly pushing hard on making the web a more visually rich experience. It's a smart move. People are busy, constantly bombarded with information. A visually engaging web story popping up in search results or on Discover can grab attention in a way that plain text often can't. It's like a mini trailer for your website. It is. And a good reminder that it's not enough to just have great content. You need to make it pop. But then they go from these snappy web stories to a deep dive on paywalls. Ah, yes. The age-old dilemma. Free content versus paid access. It seems like a bit of a contradiction. Open web versus paid access. How do those two things even coexist? It's a balancing act, for sure. Cultures need to generate revenue. But locking everything behind a paywall can hurt discoverability and impact how we consume information in the long run. It's a delicate ecosystem. It is. It's like that moment when you're super interested in an article, but then bam, paywall. Sometimes you'll pay, but often you just end up going elsewhere. 100%. We've all been there. It's like hitting a brick wall when you're just getting started. Exactly. So what Google is suggesting is this delicate dance between giving a taste and asking for a commitment. Right. Find the sweet spot. They talk about things like metering, where you get a few free articles before the paywall and lead-ins to hook the reader with those first few enticing sentences. It's all about striking that balance between giving readers a taste of what you offer and then enticing them to subscribe for more. You wouldn't buy a car without test driving it first. It's like offering a few free samples at the farmer's market. Exactly. You get a taste, and they might snag a sale. But the really interesting bit, they suggest analyzing what percentage of users actually hit the paywall. Google is clearly tracking this data closely. I'd be shocked if they weren't. They're clearly invested in finding a sustainable model for online content. But hey, let's shift gears for a second, because there's something else buried in these guidelines that I think is incredibly practical for anyone with a website, breadcrumbs. Like Hansel and Gretel? Yes. Exactly. Are we talking about leaving a trail of digital crumbs to avoid getting lost in the vast forest of the internet? Precisely. But hopefully with fewer wishes involved. Google specifically mentions how they use breadcrumb navigation, those little links that show you where you are on a website, to understand a site's structure and hierarchy, like a map for your website. So instead of clicking the Back button a million times, you have a clear path back to where you started? Yes. And Google loves that. But here's the thing. It's not just good for SEO. It's a win for users, too. It provides a sense of context and makes navigation intuitive. It's like the difference between wandering aimlessly in a massive department store and having clear signs guiding you to the exact section you need. And we all know how frustrating a poorly designed website can be. The worst. We've all been there, right? Clicking through endless pages, not able to find what we're looking for. It's enough to make you want to tear your hair out. Right. It's like they're saying, help users find their way and we'll help them find you. Exactly. It shows that Google values a well-organized website. And it ties into this bigger trend we're seeing, where they're moving beyond simple keywords. Which brings us to what I think is the most fascinating part of these guidelines, the future of search. They use this example of a data set called ACME Ink Cash Flow Data. And it seems like Google just instinctively knows this is about finance, even without those exact words in the data set title. That's the power of entity recognition, my friend. Google is getting really good at understanding the meaning behind the search, not just matching keywords. It's like they're learning to read between the lines. It's like they're developing a sixth sense for information. Whoa. Which is kind of cool when you think about it. It is really cool. And this is where things get really interesting Anyone who uses search, which is pretty much everyone. Exactly. Pretty much everyone these days. Imagine being able to search in a more conversational way, getting nuanced results that go beyond simple keyword matching. It's like having a conversation with Google instead of just throwing keywords at it. No more scrolling through pages of irrelevant results because you didn't use the right wording. The worst, right. The worst. It's so frustrating. But this, what we're talking about, this is like next level searching. And this focus on understanding context and intent, it ties into another important section of the guidelines, fact checking. Oh, yeah. That really stood out to me with so much information and misinformation, let's be honest, swirling around online. Oh, it's a jungle out there. It really is. It seems like Google is stepping up their game to fight the good fight for truth. They're taking it very seriously. They even talk about the importance of transparency and fact checking. Oh, really? Yeah. How clear are websites about their methods, their sources, their potential biases? They're encouraging a more critical approach to evaluating information online. Which is something we could all use a little more of these days. Oh, absolutely. Don't just believe everything you read. Question everything. Exactly. And they're not just relying on human fact checkers either. Oh, wow. They're using algorithms to identify inconsistencies. So it's like a two-pronged approach. Exactly. Got it. For example, they'll flag mismatches between the content of an article and the structured data associated with it. Interesting. It's like having a digital detective on the case. I like that. Making sure everything adds up. Right. It's pretty amazing when you think about it. So Google's not just indexing the web. They're curating it. Curating it. Yes. Trying to separate the wheat from the chaff. That's a huge responsibility. It is. And it speaks to the evolving role of search engines. They're becoming more like- Like librarians, almost. Yes. Guiding us toward credible and trustworthy sources of information. That's a good way to put it. Right. OK, so they're tackling fake news and misinformation. But it doesn't stop there, does it? They also have this whole section about the review system. Ah, yeah. And it's way more in-depth than I expected. Yeah, they go pretty deep on this one. It's not just about star ratings anymore. It's about quality over quantity. OK. They're essentially saying, we want insightful, helpful reviews, not just generic praise or rants. So no more five stars, great product. Nope. Those days are over. They actually want people to put some thought into it. Precisely. Think about it this way. When you're looking for a restaurant recommendation online, are you more likely to trust a review that provides a detailed experience or one that just says, food was good? I'm way more likely to trust a review that gives specifics, even if it's not all positive. Exactly. Little constructive criticism can go a long way. I agree. Yeah. And that's what Google is trying to encourage. OK. They want reviews that are genuinely useful to users. Makes sense. That provide real insights and perspectives. It's like they're saying, let's raise the bar on what constitutes a good review, something that actually helps people make informed decisions. Right. Elevate the conversation. So we've covered a lot of ground here. We have. From decoding domain names to the power of visual content, from navigating paywalls to understanding entity recognition. And now, like Google's role as information curator and champion of quality reviews. It's a lot to process. It is a lot to process. But hey, that's why we're here. Exactly. To break it all down. It's like they're inviting us backstage at a magic show. Right. Revealing all the secrets behind the illusion. Yeah. And just like a magic show. There are principles and techniques at play. Always. Even if we don't. Like, always see them. It's all happening behind the curtain. Right. But there's a method to the madness. And these guidelines kind of help us understand those principles. Exactly. And that's incredibly valuable. It's like they're handing us a toolkit. You know? Yes. To navigate the digital world more effectively. I like that. Whether we're creating content, building websites, or just trying to make sense of all the information out there. Because it is overwhelming out there. It is. It's a lot. But that's really the key takeaway here. What's that? Empowerment. OK. These guidelines, they aren't just like rules to follow blindly, you know? Right. They're insights. Yeah. They can help us make more informed decisions online. It's like the difference between being a passenger on a train and being the conductor. I like that. Understanding how things work gives you a lot more control over the journey. 100%. Yeah. And that journey is different for everyone. Right. But having like a shared understanding of the rules of the road makes the whole system work better. So as we reach the end of this deep dive, I'm curious, what's your biggest takeaway? Oh, that's a good question. What's that one nugget of wisdom that you're going to walk away with from this? And maybe even share with others. You know, for me, it's the emphasis on user experience. OK. Whether we're talking about website design, content creation, or even the way we interact with search engines. Right. It all comes back to making things easier and more enjoyable for the people using these tools. Right. If you keep that in mind, you're already ahead of the curve. That's a fantastic point. It's easy to get like caught up in the technical details. Oh, for sure. Or the latest algorithm updates. Right. But at the end of the day, it's all about the humans on the other side of the screen. 100%. And speaking of humans on the other side of the screen, what about you? What resonated most with you during this deep dive? Honestly, for me, it's the reminder that we're not just like passive consumers of information, you know? Right. We're active participants in shaping the digital landscape. We have a responsibility. We do. Like every choice we make, from the websites we visit to the content we share, it has an impact. It's a powerful thought, isn't it? We often think of the internet as this like vast, impersonal thing. Yeah. But it's ultimately a reflection of the people who use it. And the more we understand how it works, the more effectively we can use it to like connect, learn, and create. 100%. It's all connected. So for anyone listening, don't be afraid to like dig a little deeper, explore the tools and resources available. There's so much out there. Experiment and see what works. Exactly. And remember, the world of search is constantly evolving. So there's always something new to discover. Always. Who knows? Maybe you'll even uncover a few Google search secrets if you're on along the way. Well, that's an invitation worth accepting. Right. Happy searching, everyone. Happy searching.