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A note about content trends and Google’s algorithm
As SEOs, often our prime concern is with Google and its algorithm. But as Google’s Danny Sullivan recently reminded us, Google isn’t looking at its algorithm the way we might…they’re looking at how people are consuming content. The algorithm, in fact, adopts changes in the content people tend to prefer with some of its machine-learning properties, such as RankBrain.
It’s important to remember that, not only do elements of content like the preferred medium change, but even more fundamental elements can quickly evolve. What we consider to be “quality” content today differs greatly from what we once thought it was. It’s why Google, as it recently did, updates its Quality Rater Guidelines.
So with all the talk about “creating quality content” always keep in mind that the definition of “quality” isn’t static. It changes over time.
Our best tip: Keep your finger on the pulse of what people are saying about content.
Looking at anything from chatter on social media, to how brands are shifting, to the very announcements Google makes can all be signals about how content trends are changing.
Listen to our podcast episode on E-E-A-T as we go in-depth with Lily Ray to uncover what quality content actually means.
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Happy reading,
Crystal and Mordy
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Pointers from the pros
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Senior SEO Director, StudioHawk
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What’s the best way to price your SEO work?
There are lots of different things you need to consider. The first one is what kind of pricing model you want to use (whether that’s hourly or project-based or value-based). It also depends on who you actually are. Are you a freelancer? Are you a consultant? Are you working agency-side? All of these factor into how you want to charge and what it is you’re doing.
For SEO freelancers: What I’ve done as a freelancer is charging hourly. For me that was great. It’s just me working on the project so the client is able to pay for my time, and that’s only my time. Obviously, you can have people reaching out to you to work on a specific task. So then it could be project-based.
There are other types of pricing models like value-based pricing, which don’t really work. I think it’s quite unethical since you can’t guarantee results in SEO. So it’s generally something I would stay away from.
For SEO agencies: With agencies, it’s quite interesting because internally you can look at things based on hours and how long you spend on things. However, if it’s client-facing I would tend to shift this toward resources you’ll need to provide for the campaign. For example, you’ll probably have multiple people working on the campaign so you’ll need more (or less) resources for on-page work, analysis, outreach, etc. So it becomes more about resources within the context of a monthly retainer as opposed to committing to X number of hours.
You may get some project-based work. If it’s just a site migration you might want to charge based on that project. But you also want to do your due diligence and understand the scope of work before it comes to pricing something on a project basis.
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Newflash
Mordy Oberstein
As I mentioned above, content trends are always changing and Google is always looking to align. Nothing better exemplifies that than some of the product announcements Google made over the course of the month.
First up, Google is giving us “Notes.” Google is officially testing what it calls “Notes” which lets users leave small comments about a webpage right on the SERP. Imagine you’re shown a recipe page to make squash soup on the SERP. With notes, folks can leave comments about what worked or didn’t work about the recipe. Knowing myself, I’d probably leave a comment like, “You might want to add more salt than what the recipe calls for.”
Google also announced that it has implemented changes to the algorithm to show more content that’s based on firsthand knowledge. Whether it be content from forums, social media, blog posts, etc. Google says they are rewarding content backed by personal insights and experiences.
This comes as Google is also adding a new “follow” feature to help you get updates on a topic/search you’re interested in.
My take: Google clearly knows people want more content from actual people and we want to keep up with it all with far less effort.
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What are some product marketing trends you see coming into focus in 2024?
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It will be critical to understand and optimize the mechanics of your pricing model. Essentially, do you have the right offer to convert (and retain) your best customers? Businesses focused on profitable growth will double down on efforts to increase net revenue retention through customer expansion.
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Connection and authenticity will be paramount. Marketers will continue to move away from business/human relationships and double down on human/human connections. Budget will be funneled to initiatives like customer communities, creator marketing and employee personal brand building.
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We'll see an emphasis on testing value early through rolling thunder launches. The days of mega launches are behind us—companies can't afford to get it wrong. This means more mini campaigns that allow companies to confirm they're positioning the right value to the right audience through the right channels.
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Live from BrightonSEO, San Diego: Unresolved SEO mysteries
Experience the SERP’s Up podcast the way it went down on stage and hear our expert-packed live panel thrash out the most pressing questions in the world of search.
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What’s new on Wix
Use AI to write meta tags faster than ever
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Crafting title tags and meta descriptions can be time-consuming. With our AI meta tag creator, you can now spin them up in seconds based on the context of the page. Refine suggestions with prompts and select the right tone of voice—all from your SEO Panel.
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In the pipeline
Learn how a little structured data and consistent messaging about your brand identity can help you generate a Google knowledge panel. And, with a new year on the horizon, we’ll show you how to consolidate content for even more SEO gains in 2024.
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