118: Take Advantage of the Google Leak (part 2)

Summary

In this episode, Meredith and her husband discuss key insights from the Google algorithm leak, focusing on traffic-weighted links, the importance of Google entities, and the role of brand mentions in SEO. Website owners can use these insights to better leverage high-traffic pages for internal linking, optimize their Google business profiles, and understand that brand mentions without links still carry SEO value.

How Google’s Latest Algorithm Leak Changes SEO for Website Owners

SEO is constantly evolving, and the recent Google algorithm leak has provided a new layer of insights into how websites are ranked. In their podcast, Meredith and her husband dive into how website owners can apply these discoveries to improve their online visibility. Let’s explore the most important takeaways from the leak, focusing on the role of traffic-weighted links, Google entities, and brand mentions.

Leveraging High-Traffic Pages for SEO Value

One of the most surprising insights from the Google leak was that link value is significantly impacted by traffic to the page providing the link, not just by authority. Traditionally, SEO strategies prioritized getting links from high-authority websites, but this leak indicates that Google also weighs the traffic of the linking page heavily. So, if a page with high traffic links to your website, it could provide more SEO value than a link from a high-authority page with low traffic.

Key Actions for Website Owners:

• Identify high-traffic pages on your site (using tools like Google Analytics).

• From these high-traffic pages, link to your essential service or product pages to boost their SEO.

• Focus link-building efforts on obtaining links from highly trafficked sites, even if they aren’t considered high-authority.

Google Entities: Optimizing Your Google Business Profile

The concept of “entities” is another takeaway from the leak. In Google’s algorithm, entities represent real-world people, places, businesses, or things. This concept is essential because it indicates that Google values the presence and recognition of these entities in its search results. Entities often appear in Google’s Knowledge Graph, which is the panel that shows up in search results with detailed information about a person, business, or organization.

For website owners, the importance of entities means that optimizing your Google Business Profile is crucial. It’s likely that Google leverages business listings to identify entities in various parts of its ecosystem beyond search, so a well-optimized profile can enhance a site’s SEO.

Tips for Optimizing Your Google Business Profile:

• Ensure your business profile is up-to-date and contains relevant keywords, your location, and services offered.

• Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews, which can improve your profile’s visibility in local searches.

• Link to your website from the profile, as this connection reinforces your entity’s presence.

The Power of Brand Mentions

Another surprising revelation is the value of brand mentions without links. Although a link to your site still holds more SEO value, a brand mention—such as when a blog or social media post names your business without a link—can still positively impact SEO. Google can identify specific mentions of your brand, and while they don’t carry the full weight of a link, they are beneficial.

Suggestions for Gaining Brand Mentions:

• If working with content creators, request that they mention your brand name (e.g., “Meredith Zinner Photography”) in captions or descriptions, even if they don’t include a link.

• Ensure your brand name is distinct and recognizable so that Google can accurately associate mentions with your business.

• Embed your brand name in image file names and metadata when sharing images for publication to reinforce your brand’s presence.

Resources

Meredith’s husband mentions an episode on optimizing your Google Business listing. Check the podcast’s show notes for a link to this resource.

Final Thoughts

The recent Google leak brings an essential shift in how SEO professionals and website owners approach optimization. By prioritizing high-traffic page links, enhancing Google Business Profiles, and embracing the value of brand mentions, website owners can refine their SEO strategies and stay aligned with Google’s current priorities. This episode reminds us that Google’s ranking factors are dynamic, but by adapting to new insights, website owners can continue to grow their online presence effectively.