From Obscurity to Prominence: How to Rank Better on Google Discover

Google Discover is a personalized content feed curated by Google for mobile users. Unlike traditional search results that are driven by specific queries, Discover showcases content that the algorithm predicts users would be interested in, based on their search history, behavior, and preferences. Google Discover represents a new frontier of web traffic potential, with the platform boasting over 800 million active users as of 2021.

The importance of ranking on Google Discover cannot be overstated. Ranking on Discover provides an opportunity to boost organic traffic, increase brand visibility, and reach users who may not have realized they were interested in your content. Moreover, it facilitates a connection with the audience in a more organic, serendipitous manner compared to traditional search, potentially leading to higher engagement.

In this article, we'll walk you through the journey from obscurity to prominence on Google Discover. We'll delve into what Google Discover is, why it matters, and how you can optimize your content to rank better. We'll also explore the best practices and strategies for Google Discover optimization, with insights backed by successful case studies. 

What is Google Discover?

Google Discover, previously known as Google Feed, is like a personal news concierge for your mobile. It's always a step ahead, using smart algorithms to predict what you'll find interesting based on your online behavior.

Whether you're on the Google app or browsing on your mobile, Google Discover dishes out a variety of content that matches your interests. It's like having sports scores, news articles, recipes, and more at your fingertips, all presented in dynamic cards that evolve with your interests. Some cards even offer a "Discover more" option for a deeper dive into a topic.

How Google Discover Works?

Google Discover is like a mind reader. It gets to know you by looking at your search history, browsing habits, and how you interact with Google products like Google News and YouTube. It even considers where you are and what device you're using. The more you engage with certain types of content, the more of it you'll see on your Discover feed.

But it's not just about what you like. Google Discover also cares about quality. Just like with Google Search, content that's high-quality and user-friendly gets the thumbs up. It looks at things like the expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T) of the content, as well as technical stuff like page speed, mobile-friendliness, and secure connections.

Your Discover feed is always on the move, changing and updating to match your evolving interests. This keeps things fresh and interesting, making you want to come back for more.

Importance of Ranking on Google Discover

Imagine Google Discover as a bustling digital party, a golden opportunity for businesses and creators. With a crowd of 800 million users, landing a good spot on Discover can seriously boost your traffic and engagement.

Google Discover is like your content's personal matchmaker, connecting it with folks who'll love it. It's also a brand amplifier, building recognition and trust over time. Plus, it's a treasure chest of unexpected discoveries, introducing your brand to potential customers who didn't even know you existed.

Strategies to Improve Your Google Discover Ranking

Creating High-Quality Content

Quality content is the key to shining on Google Discover. The Discover algorithm loves content that not only offers substantial value but also delivers a top-notch user experience, both in terms of what the content is about and how it's technically presented.

When we talk about substantial value, we're referring to the impact your content has on your audience. It's all about creating content that's relevant, engaging, and brings something new to the table. 

Here's how you can do that:

1. Know Your Audience: Get to know what your audience wants, what they're interested in, and what problems they're trying to solve. Then, shape your content to provide solutions or insights that hit the mark.
2. Be Original: Google Discover loves content that's fresh and unique. Aim to provide a unique viewpoint, exclusive information, or groundbreaking ideas that make your content stand out from the crowd.
3. Stay in the Loop: Content that's tied to current events, trending topics, or seasonal interests often gets a boost on Discover. Keeping your content fresh and relevant can help draw in users.

On the flip side, technical quality is all about how well your content is set up for consumption, especially on mobile devices. After all, Google Discover is primarily a mobile platform. 

Here are some tips:

1. Mobile-Friendly: Make sure your content is ready for mobile viewing. This means having a responsive design, easy-to-read fonts, simple navigation, and fast loading times.
2. Easy on the Eyes: Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make your content skimmable and easy to digest.
3. Visuals Matter: High-quality, relevant images and videos can significantly boost engagement. Discover loves to feature images in its cards, so eye-catching visuals can lead to more clicks.
4. Don't Forget SEO: Even though Discover isn't based on search queries, SEO is still important. Using keywords effectively, crafting meta descriptions, and using schema markups can help Google better understand and categorize your content.

Optimizing for Mobile and Visual Content

Given that Google Discover is primarily a mobile platform, making your content mobile-friendly isn't just a good idea — it's absolutely crucial. Plus, since Discover loves to showcase visual content, paying a little extra attention to optimizing your visuals can lead to a boost in engagement and a higher Discover ranking.

When we talk about mobile optimization, we're really talking about creating a smooth and user-friendly experience. Your site needs to be responsive, meaning it looks and works great on all sorts of devices and screen sizes. It should also load quickly—no one likes waiting around, and slower sites could hurt your visibility on Discover. Tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test can be a big help in checking and improving your site's mobile readiness.

Don't forget about navigation and readability. Menus and buttons need to be touch-screen friendly, and your text should be easy to read, even on the smallest screens. And try to avoid pop-ups or other intrusive elements that can get in the way and turn users off.

When it comes to visual content, the golden rule is to use high-quality, relevant images or videos that can catch the user's eye. Your visuals should be high resolution, but also optimized so they don't slow down your page loading speed. Using alt text and captions can also be a good move, as they can help Google understand what your images are about.

One more tip: consider using schema markup for your visual content. This can give Google extra information about your content, which could give you a leg up on Discover.

Keep in mind, Google Discover's mission is to deliver personalized, engaging content to users. When your site offers a top-notch mobile experience and eye-catching, relevant visuals, you're in line with that mission — and that can boost your chances of popping up on users' Discover feeds.

Leveraging SEO Best Practices

Even though Google Discover isn't a query-based system like the good old Google Search, SEO best practices still have a big part to play in your Discover ranking. The same principles that help your content get found and indexed by Google Search can also boost its visibility on Discover.

• First things first, your content needs to offer value, be original, and be relevant — these are key factors for both SEO and Discover. Top-notch content that meets users' needs and expectations tends to shine on both search engines and Discover.
• Keywords are still king. Even though Discover doesn't work off user queries, it uses keywords to understand and categorize your content. Using the right keywords in the right way can help Google's algorithms get a handle on your content and match it up with what users are interested in.
• Meta tags are also worth your time. A catchy meta description can act as a sneak peek of your content, potentially boosting click-through rates on Discover. Similarly, title tags should be descriptive and engaging, giving users a clear snapshot of what your content is all about.
• Schema markups can be a big help too, as they give Google more information about your content. They can be especially useful for certain types of content, like recipes, articles, or videos, which have their own specific schema types.
• Don't forget about backlinks. They're still a strong sign of content quality and trustworthiness for Google. Earning high-quality backlinks can give your SEO a boost, which could in turn enhance your visibility on Discover.
• Technical SEO aspects, like speedy loading times, mobile-friendliness, and a secure, HTTPS-enabled site, also play a part in a better Discover ranking, offering users a smooth, safe browsing experience.

Monitoring Your Performance on Google Discover

Keeping an eye on how your content is doing on Google Discover is key to fine-tuning your strategy and getting to know your audience better. Thankfully, Google has a tool just for this: the Google Search Console (GSC).

The Discover report in GSC lets you keep tabs on how your website is performing on Google Discover. You can find it by heading over to the "Performance" section in the GSC dashboard and picking "Discover" from the options.

The Discover report dishes out some really useful metrics, like:

• Total Clicks: This is the total number of times your content was clicked on from Discover.
• Total Impressions: This is the total number of times your content was shown to users on Discover.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): This is the percentage of users who clicked on your content after seeing it on Discover. It can give you a feel for how well your headlines and images are working.
• Average Position: This is the average spot your content shows up in on Discover. While it's not a ranking in the usual sense, a higher position usually means more visibility.

The report also lets you see which specific pieces of content are hitting the mark on Discover, giving you a sense of what kind of content really clicks with your audience. You can use this info to steer your future content creation and optimization efforts.

Another neat feature is the ability to filter data by date range, so you can track performance trends over time. Just remember, you'll only see data if your site has gotten a good amount of traffic from Discover in the past 16 months, so don't worry if your report is empty at first.

Conclusion

Google Discover is a game-changer in digital marketing. It's like a matchmaker for your content, connecting it with people who'll love it, boosting your visibility and traffic. To ace Google Discover, create killer content that's mobile and visually friendly. SEO still counts, but it's a bit different here as Google's smart algorithms sort your content based on relevance, not search queries.

Keep an eye on your Google Search Console's Discover report to tweak your strategy and better connect with your audience. In today's world of custom content, optimizing for Google Discover isn't just a cool idea—it's a must. So, jump on board and let your content reach your audience in new, exciting ways.