Google’s power and influence is unlike that of any other company. The search engine and associated technology serve as a platform upon which countless businesses are built. This means that Google algorithm updates are always big news.
Building a high-converting affiliate website isn’t easy, but it becomes even more difficult when trying to navigate recent changes to the Google algorithm. In this article, we outline some key tips to help you build a successful platform.
What are the Recent Google Algorithm Updates?
Google makes major updates to its algorithm, called core updates, several times per year. These often bring about significant changes and can have far-reaching implications for digital marketers and businesses.
The October core update finished rolling out towards the end of that month, and it introduced some key tweaks to the system that all marketers must be aware of.
In the October update, Google has looked to further focus on three key areas: user experience, authority and spam.
If you are building a high-converting affiliate website, it is absolutely critical that you take Google algorithm updates into consideration. Let’s look at each aspect of the October update in detail and discuss what each means for your affiliate platform.
User Experience
The layout and design of your affiliate website are incredibly important. If you want to drive conversions, keeping users engaged is key, as studies indicate that 38% of users will stop engaging with poorly designed websites.
Google is also aware of the importance of web design, and it will prioritise platforms that put the user experience at the forefront. If you want to see your SERP stats improve, you must constantly review and evaluate the user experience on your platform.
Your website should be intuitively laid out, with clear pathways and routes. Different sections should be easy to access, and users should never feel lost.
Performance is critical too. If your website is slow and buggy, visitors aren’t going to stick around. Not only will this make your website difficult to use, but it can also make your brand appear unprofessional and even unsafe.
This is why regular testing of your website’s performance is so important. Check how quickly pages on your website load, as this can significantly impact conversion rates. You should also test all buttons and options on your platform to ensure there are no bugs or glitches that could impact the user experience.
Ensuring your website works on desktop and mobile is also critical. Users are increasingly accessing the internet through their mobile devices, which means website cross-compatibility is more important than ever.
Google’s algorithm update takes both user experience and performance into account when ranking websites. These factors should be your first port of call when building or restructuring your platform.
Authority
The next factor Google looks for is authority. When a user searches for something, Google wants to ensure that they are delivered the most reputable, reliable and accurate information. For this reason, the algorithm will prioritise websites deemed to be authority voices on certain subjects.
In terms of conveying your website’s authority to the Google algorithm, the most effective way to do so is by building high-quality links. If lots of other trusted websites link back to your own, this can help boost your search engine results.
The quality of your content plays an important role too. Content should provide value to users; it shouldn’t just be a means to promote your affiliate links. Create things like guides and tutorials, these are high-value and are appreciated by users.
You should also look to build trust among users. The best way to do this is by displaying reviews and testimonials on your website. This acts as social proof; assuring visitors that your platform and the products you promote are high-quality, safe and reliable and can boost conversions on your website.
Spam
Finally, the Google algorithm update is rolling out alongside a spam update. The two will work together to more efficiently combat spam content online and remove it from Google search results.
Google’s spam policy is extensive, and it continually updates as changes to the algorithm are introduced. For affiliate websites, the way in which you display links is integral to avoiding being flagged as spam by Google.
If your website is filled with links and contains little additional information, with product descriptions simply copied and pasted from other platforms, your website could be flagged as spam and your SERP stats may be negatively impacted.
Instead, your links should be placed naturally, allowing visitors to come across them by themselves. Place them inside high-value content, such as blog posts and articles, and ensure they are relevant to the subject matter at hand. You can also use calls-to-action to help motivate users to click links.
In Conclusion…
If you’re unprepared, Google algorithm updates can impact the performance of your website and your business. Staying on top of the latest changes is vital, and you must be prepared to make changes to your platform to meet evolving standards and regulations. Use the tips in the above article to create a high-converting affiliate website that adheres to the latest Google algorithm updates.
