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More on Google's Update

Managing Changes to Search Algorithms

Last week, we covered Google's update and how search engine changes were being rolled out in an effort to focus on helpful content. We'd like to tell you a bit more about it and offer some ways you can work with what the update wants.  

There are many different factors that determine how many views and clicks your articles are getting. Certain pieces might gain significant traffic seasonally, while others might fall off if another site of a higher authority publishes on the same topic, for example. When it comes to Google's search update, all sites are subject to their new standards, and HubPages is no exception. 

Here are some more pieces of information we thought could help you navigate the changes:

• Photos: At HubPages, we have always emphasized that your own photos make the piece all the better. Now, it is more important than ever to have your own photography. Images from sites like Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons might help your pieces look better, but your own images should give the piece a higher level of authority. They are one of a kind and show off what really captured your attention! Remember, you can use simple editing tools like your phone's photo app or programs like Canva to crop images into the optimal orientation and edit for vibrancy, brightness, and clarity. For sites like WanderWisdom, if you have a photo of yourself touring something like Venice's canals, adding it in is a better choice than having stock images of vague figures. 
• YMYL: We've talked about this before—YMYL means content that has anything to do with Your Money, Your Life—but it's as important to understand. It's not that articles can't touch on anything within this realm; you just have to make sure that you aren't making bogus claims. Saying a dish is dairy-free is a fact that can be supported by the recipe, while saying a homemade face scrub will cure acne is not a guarantee. Fact-check yourself and add sources as necessary. 
• Niche topics: Writing thousands and thousands of words on a topic not only results in pages taking a longer time to load, but the likelihood of readers making it through a piece that attempts to cover topics like the entire Second World War is slim. If you have more in-depth pieces, think about ways you might be able to break things up. You can always hyperlink or add a Further Reading section at the bottom!

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Effective Interlinking and Hyperlinking

Earlier this summer, the HubPages editing team began putting a bigger emphasis on interlinking articles with others across our network sites. This practice helps guide readers to other HubPages articles as opposed to bringing them off our sites. 

If you are working on interlinking pieces, make sure what you choose is not only really relevant but that the article is also of high quality. For example, interlinking articles on dog training on PetHelpful is a particularly good idea if you do so with pieces by Adrienne Farricelli. She's a certified trainer who has detailed her experience working with dogs in both her bios and text. She is a trusted source with good information and has a lot of content on the site.

If you interlink to an older article that hasn't been updated to current network site standards, then the quality of your own article isn't going to increase as much. 

The same can be said with external hyperlinks. Not every topic can be internally hyperlinked, so there are times when you need to seek out other sources. Finding strong anchor text is important, as is finding a source that is written by an expert, is peer-reviewed, sourced, or of a .gov or .edu domain. (You don't have to find a source with all those characteristics, but at least one is important.)

Interlinking and sourcing will only make your articles look better to Google and other search engines; prioritizing taking the time to do it thoroughly will only benefit you!

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Featured Articles of the Week

What really makes a doppelganger, bridges and viewpoints on Budapest's Danube River, and dowsing via radiesthesia are a few of the fascinating topics covered in our featured articles of the week. Check them out!

• Soapboxie: Do You Have a Doppelganger? by Rupert Taylor 
• The CrimeWire: The Mysterious Disappearance of John and Shelly Markley by Michelle Short
• Exemplore: Guide to Using Pendulum Charts for Dowsing by  Marika
• LetterPile: My Oasis by  Rushali Prasad
• WanderWisdom: The Best Selfie Spots in Budapest by  Mr Foster