A Few Thoughts Re: Google Quality Content (Part 5) – What Factors Contribute to Article/Page Recommendation?

Continuing our commentaries with respect to Google Quality Filters and what questions Google asks to assess the quality of a page or an article; I have been addressing a few questions at a time, providing some insight and explanation as appropriate.  

In this post, I will raise some talking points as they related to article/page sharing and/or recommendation.

Another question The Google Quality Filter uses in the analysis of assessing the page/article quality is:

Is this the sort of page you would want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?

For a moment, if we stop and think about why we recommend something, what questions do we ask ourselves?  The answer to this question is a difficult one – usually, we like something as a matter of personal preference, and without knowing quite why, we just like it and want to recommend it to a colleague, friend, and/or fellow professional.  What then, is the average reader drawn to?  Some areas are:

• Appearance
• Content
• Ease of Navigation
• Page Ranking
• Accessibility
• Feedback

Clearly, there are other factors; however, most individuals will be drawn to these areas.  I would like us to take a step back, obtain a different perspective, and explore each of these areas a little more in detail:


Appearance

This is the first thing we see.  Is the article/page visually pleasing or too distracting?  True, we each have our own interests and tastes; yet, an aesthetically attractive article/page is, in the vast majority of cases, a professionally design one, and as such, professionally designed websites are usually more reliable.


Content

Is the content updated, high quality, and useful?  A thought to keep in mind is this – when reading an article/page, are we happy and have an inclination to want to return?  True, the article and/or page content could be products, services, and/or information, and as such, we should try to create content that our readers are looking for.

Navigation

Ease of navigation by far will ensure repeat readers in lieu of difficulty finding a word or topic.  If the navigation is difficult, the likelihood of repeat readers will be minimized substantially.  It is quite frustrating not being able to access the information we need.

Page Rank

This criteria is important in that your article and/or page will rank higher in the search engines, and essentially, the more sites link to an article and/or page, the higher the Page Rank.

Accessibility

Pages that load slowly; disallow access to other pages; have pop-up windows; and/or has difficulty progressing forwards (or backwards) will dissuade readers.  Our articles/pages should flow easily; follow coherent thought; and make sense to the average reader.  Lest we be reminded, for each individual who is technically savvy, there are twice as many who are not.


Feedback

An article and/or page with positive feedback are a great indicator of the quality of the article and/or page.


Recommending an article/page is not an exception, it is a choice.  If we locate an article/page that we like, the more we will want to browse it, resulting in a higher probability of recommendation.  I would ask those who are reading this article to stop and think about "why" you would recommend an article/page and what were the contribution factors in that decision.

For me, I have an open mind with respect to the obtainment of information, and I have been brought up embracing a belief that our level of wisdom is depedent upon the practical application of knowledge.  Acquiring knowledge implies an interest in a diversified range of subjects, and if I am drawn to a subject visually and/or through the content, I choose to make the time to read it.As much as I dislike the saying, "Do not judge a book by it's cover", I see everyday online and in social media, a link and/or reference that appears plain, copied, and not well thought out will not get read, and as such, will remain undisturbed.

I have stated on prior occasions that I am far from knowing how exactly Google assesses article/page content.  Common sense tells me more visits to an article/page is an attribute Google prefers, and perhaps it regards the popularity as a positive influencing factor in Page Rank calculations.  I can say unequivocally that approaching our social campaigns methodically and fundamentally takes time, and we are creating online relationships whether we realize it or not.

As always, I humbled and grateful for all of the individuals who have contributed their thoughts, time, and encouragement to this effort.