Google Discover and the Impact on SEO

Google May Core Update

For the last 20 years, one search engine has made such a massive impact on the way people use the internet that the company’s name became a verb. I am, of course, talking about Google, which most people don’t even think of as a company – it’s simply part of everyday life. Few companies come close to Google’s success, which they’ve achieved simply by dictating how the internet will work and expecting everyone else to follow suit.

Google has maintained its spot at the top of the pile by constantly tweaking and adjusting things behind the scenes. Though they usually don’t address or announce minor changes or experiments, Google rolls out the red carpet and makes SEOs around the world start sweating when something really big comes through.

Recently, Google began to roll out Google Discover, one of its biggest changes yet. This new feature could very well drastically alter how people interact with the search engine and what customization can mean for the average user.

Google Discover Will Change Search (Forever?)

Since day one, Google has been wholly committed to providing users with a great experience and the most relevant content possible. They’ve accomplished this for years by constantly reworking their search algorithms, but recently, Google has started looking at new ways to improve the user experience. Their solution: the introduction of Google Discover.

Google Discover originally started as a basic feed feature that provided users with relevant data based on their search history. It was a minor item that saw some use, but it wasn’t a core component of the overall process. Now, Google Discover provides users with a feed-like list of articles, videos, and content related to their interests, right on the Google homepage.

Users can adjust their feed by deciding if they want to see more or less information on specific topics. Actively managing their Discover page will help create a personalized search engine completely focused on their interests. Google will customize everything to that user and create a powerful experience that searchers will likely begin to adopt, especially on mobile devices.

Is Google Discover Going to Kill Queries?

To put it simply: probably not, but it’s going to affect how SEO works over the coming years. Users will still search for goods, services, and queries just like they always have but their searches can now alter and expand their Discover feed. It could be that they begin finding relevant content right on the Google homepage and only need to use the search option for items outside their feed. This is a big change and will drastically alter how SEOs handle optimization and online marketing.

How do We Optimize for Google Discover?

Google Discover is designed to provide evergreen content to users, which means that SEOs and web marketers will need to start focusing on creating high-quality, topical content that could be useful to a searcher’s Discover feed. Content has always been king for Google, but with Discover, content is going to become the heart of any valuable website.

On top of this, it will be even more important to include schema on pages throughout the site, as these bits of code are highly useful for gathering articles, guides, and How-To posts into Google carousel and Discover feed. Tie in the idea that it’ll be important to monitor Discover traffic, which you can now do through Google Search Console, and SEOs will quickly find that it’s a whole new ball game.

As a side note: don’t worry if you don’t see the Discover section in your Google Search Console reports – it’s a slow rollout and will likely appear for ecommerce sites well before service and information sites.

Don’t Let Yourself Get Undiscovered

Google’s near-constant changes mean that marketers around the world need to be on their toes and ready to adjust their strategy at the drop of a hat. With Google Discover, it’ll be more important than ever to make sure you’re producing relevant, engaging content that won’t be lost in the shuffle.

CQL will be focusing on ensuring our clients are ready for Google Discover. If you need help, want some assistance, or just need the right marketing team to guide your company into the new era of search, then give us a call.