Is Google the enemy?

As a business it can be frustrating to keep on top of Google’s algorithm changes and pay your SEO or web development agency money to do so.

After all, your website hasn’t changed, and it was on page one last month, so why shouldn’t it be now?

Well first of all, it’s important to note that not all changes in rank are Google’s fault. For example, if your competitor has genuinely invested in a better website than yours, when why shouldn’t they be promoted?

The next thing to consider is people like us, SEO agencies. Even before the days of Google when search engines like AltaVista were prominent, SEO companies and web designers have always tried to modify websites so that they are on the first page, so typically in the top 10 for any particular search.

All search engines are doing is improving their algorithms so that the system cannot be cheated and the most relevant results are first.

Put yourself in the shoes of a user, not a website owner. When you perform a search in Google you are after a website that best matches your keywords, is potentially local to you, and contains lots of useful information on your desired subject. You are not after a website that has been stuffed with keywords so that it is at the top of the listings.

By changing their algorithms all Google are doing is putting their users first and trying to provide them with the most relevant results possible. That can never be a bad thing.

Consider the recent changes where Google started ranking mobile-friendly searches better in mobile search results. Business who had websites that were not mobile-friendly may have been annoyed that Google’s changes meant that they had to suffer a loss in traffic, or pay their web designers more money. However, put yourself in the shoes of a user; if you’re performing a search on a mobile phone, you probably want to see websites that will work well on your phone.

Although website owners may not agree with all of Google’s changes, I would suggest that Google certainly isn’t the enemy; it’s simply an organisation trying to put their users first.

If you want to rank better in search engines, there is always one trick that always has, and probably always will work. Have a website that has more genuinely useful, unique and relevant content than your competitors.

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