When Google does something it’s important to pay attention.
You probably hear that Google updates how they do things from time to time.
One of the big changes in the last couple years has been their move to show fresher items in the search results. The official blog post came out in the fall of 2011 addressing the change:
Search results, like warm cookies right out of the oven or cool refreshing fruit on a hot summer’s day, are best when they’re fresh. Even if you don’t specify it in your search, you probably want search results that are relevant and recent.
Google is saying that they’ve seen that people want more up-to-date information. This isn’t true for everything, but for many searchers, newer is better.
You may have noticed the last two years that your website traffic is down after losing some of your rankings. If you haven’t updated the content on your website recently the freshness update could be one of the culprits.
If you want to get those rankings back I’ve got three strategies for you.
1. Blogging
I’m a little biased on this one, but blogging is perhaps the best way to keep the content on your website fresh and ready for Google rankings.
Blogs are setup to provide fresh content to your target audience. With a blog, you have the platform to teach your potential customers so you can earn their trust and turn them into customers. You also have a platform to release official company news.
It’s all fresh content that will give Google reason to come back more often to your site. They’ll also see that you’re publishing valuable and fresh information and they’ll be more likely to rank you for related search results.
2. Case Studies
If a blog isn’t your thing, but you still want to upload fresh content to your website then a Case Studies section on your website might be the ticket.
It’s good to have a Case Studies section even if you have a blog. It’s a great way to provide fresh content to your site for your potential customers to find.
Include dates in your case studies so Google can see that your information is fresh.
Depending on your business model, setup a regular schedule to add new case studies to your website. It will help you sell your service and it will increase your chances of showing up in the new fresh search results.
3. Video Series
Video is quickly becoming a major form of content on the web. People are watching more video than ever.
If you don’t want to write blog posts then maybe video is the perfect fit.
You can publish video updates just like blog posts. You’ll provide content that is fresh and Google is also showing bias toward video in the search results especially if you host the videos on YouTube.
These are three ways you can create a fresh content strategy for your business website.
Did I miss anything?
Share your ideas in the comments.
