Well, Google improves or updates its algorithm to enhance the quality and relevancy of what users are searching for. With the ever-changing phase of technologies and how things work, staying updated on the latest changes and updates about SEO Search is crucial.
Recently, Google Algorithm updates have turned heads, especially the SEO professionals. In this update, Google clarifies how its algorithm chooses its search snippets. It highlights how the Meta descriptions are written and how the Content is optimised.
To better understand Google SEO Search, let's delve further into these updates on search snippets work.
What are Google Search Results Snippets?
First up, let's understand what search snippets are. When you use Google to search for something, it shows you a page with a title, a web address, and a short description of the web content.
So, the description you get is called a snippet, which gives you a quick understanding of what's on the webpage.
In the past, snippets came from the meta description, a page summary. But today, Google has recently updated how it does this, revealing where snippets mainly come from.
Learn all about the Google SEO Search through these updates on how these updates on Google Algorithm.
What Google Clarifies about Search Snippets Guidance
Do you want to know what Google clarifies in search Snippets guidance?
Here's what the official documentation says,
Google clarifies that the snippet is the page content itself. So, the Google Algorithm updates are to explain how structured data and the meta description were previously considered primary sources for snippets.
Recently, Google has made things more transparent in its Search Central info. When Google picks what to show in search snippets, the most concerning thing is the stuff on the webpage itself. The page content is the big deal, not so much the structured data or the meta description. So, this update on SEO Search gives us a better idea of how Google decides what to display in search results.
What is the Change in Google's Snippet Documentation
In improving how websites appear on Google searches, keeping track of what changes Google makes is essential. Recently, Google updated its info on how it picks the descriptions you see in search results, called snippets.
Now, when you look up Google for something, you get a page with a title, a web address, and a short description (the snippet) that gives a quick idea of what's on the page.
This change is a big deal for SEO because it means we need to focus more on making the Content on search pages super clear and helpful. Google wants to show people the best, most relevant information, and now it's relying more on what's actually on the page rather than other technical details.
Traditionally, these snippets came from something called the meta description, a summary of the webpage. But Google has now made it clear that the actual Content on the page is the main thing it looks at for snippets, not so much the meta description or some technical stuff called structured data.
So, if you're into SEO or want your website to do well on Google, the key takeaway is to make your webpage content awesome, and Google will likely pick it up for snippets in searches. The game has changed a bit, and it's all about what you put on your pages.
What Impact Will Change in Guidance Mean for SEO in the Future?
Well, Google's clarification on snippet guidance has significant implications for SEO practices, particularly about meta descriptions. Many online SEO guides have erroneously advised that optimising meta descriptions involves using them as "advertising copy" and incorporating "target keywords" to attract clicks. However, this advice needs to be updated and corrected.
So, what is the update and the correct one?
Let's find out!
Contrary to popular belief, adding keywords to the meta description is not crucial for ranking purposes. The primary purpose of a meta description is to accurately and concisely describe the web page's Content.
What is the Google Algorithm all about?
Google's guidance aligns with the official meta description HTML specification, which outlines the meta description's role as a free-form string that describes the page and its suitability for search engine directories.
Moreover, Google advises that a meta description may generate a snippet if it provides a more accurate description than the on-page Content alone. Is that all?
Well it also emphasises the importance of informing and exciting users with a short, relevant summary of the page's Content. Using a simile to describe meta descriptions as a pitch further emphasises the need for an accurate and compelling webpage representation.
Conclusion
To conclude, do the words, Content is the king still work?
Well, as Google updates the algorithm, Content itself is the primary source of the Snippets, which means SEO should entirely focus on creating highly-quality and informative Content that represents what the web content says.
With that, the other question is, does Meta Description matter?
Understanding that it might not be the sole dominant one is crucial. However, it still plays a vital role. So, should SEO professionals pay attention to it?
Well, yes! To ensure that the web Content is accurate and compelling, SEO experts should craft accurate meta descriptions.
FAQ
1. What are Google Search Results Snippets?
A Google snippet, or a search snippet, is a little piece of info from a webpage that appears in search results. It's created based on what someone searched for and collected from saved information about the webpage.
2. How has Google changed the Snippet Documentation?
Google changed its snippet rules. Before, they talked about getting snippets from different places, like meta descriptions and fancy results with markup.
In the newer version, they say the main thing for snippets is the stuff on the webpage itself. They used to mention many sources, but now they focus mainly on what's in the page content as the main factor.
3. Do I still need to add keywords to meta descriptions for SEO purposes?
According to Google's new advice, putting keywords in meta descriptions just for SEO ranking is a little critical. What matters is that the meta description accurately tells what the webpage is about. You can throw in keywords if they help make the report more accurate.