Based on its wide and wild array of products, one could argue that Google wants to be, among other things, your mailman (Gmail), your Wi-Fi provider (high-altitude Internet balloons) and even your chauffeur (driverless cars). But what the company really wants is to win the hearts, minds and clicks of Internet users — and “moonshot” projects notwithstanding, its strategy is built firmly on its original product: search. (Simply put, better search results = more eyeballs = more ad revenue = more money to fund other projects = more opportunities to win the aforementioned hearts, minds and clicks.)
As described in last week’s infographic, Google and competing search engines use sophisticated software to crawl the web and return results they hope will match searchers’ inquiries. Much of the process is automated but it also relies on so-called Quality Rater Guidelines, in which actual human beings use specific parameters to judge websites’ quality. Based on a copy of the guidelines that was leaked last summer, the folks at AudienceBloom created a great infographic on what those raters like to see:
Doctor Takeaway
If you want to attract more traffic, provide search-friendly content
Much of what Google’s raters are looking for is based on what the company refers to as the E-A-T principle: Expertise, Authority and Trust. Demonstrate yours by maintaining high editorial standards, highlighting your accreditations and citing other reputable sources. Back it up with good web design, readily available contact information and reviews from patients that prove that you deserve your good reputation.
