Today Google launched an “algorithm improvement” that looks at the layout as well as the amount of content “above the fold” of a page. For those unfamiliar with the term, “above the fold” refers to the content visible to the user from the moment they enter the page without having to scroll. This change aims to target and punish pages filled with ads and useless information upon first entrance and it will only affect 1% of search results. However, this is just a reiteration of what Matt Cutts posted on Google’s Webmasters blog.
The entire Internet community of designers, developers and marketers have already reacted with despair and complaints. This may well affect how a web designer and an SEO Marketer interact when collaborating on design projects. The emphasis of content has always been made clear, especially after the Panda updates. However, now a designer must think and re-think when including a Flash animation on a page or pushing content to the bottom of the page. But, is this really such a bad thing? Lots of Ads above the fold definitely needs to be addressed; could this actually be an improvement. I sense that this really isn’t such a bad thing.
As an SEO Marketer, I am always inclined to question Google’s changes and decisions; after all, their changes don’t always work to the benefit of searchers and SEO Companies alike.
What does the Layout Update mean to Flash elements?
Textual content is clearly the emphasis Google is making and since Flash isn’t read by search engines anyway, this change seems to indicate Google’s desire to “kill” Flash once and for all. However, most people are visual, not literal, so this dictates to web designers and marketers that if you wish to have visual elements, you need to have only search engine-readable content like HTML5 content to have the visual effects you are seeking. In essence, there is no big news here as most folks know that Flash is not searchable. Google is trying now to force the issue.
Implications of Changes to SEO and Web Design – What Should You Do?
It’s just progress being pushed along. It also means “Stop selling too hard and start providing some value!”
- Review your design template and make sure that you are not over-selling with graphic ads and “Buy” buttons above the fold.
- Make sure that your top SEO pages and offers has a decent ratio of content and graphics above the fold.
- Review your call to actions and edit your headers accordingly.
- Lose the flash!
In essence, get over it! It’s a rather straight forward change that shouldn’t really surprise anyone if you are following the developmental trends and Google itself. Google is seeking to consistently raise the bar to force websites to be more readable and conform to what they are looking for.
Share with us what you think.
January 20, 2012
One Comment
User-friendly approach of Google’s algorithm is always welcome but I don’t understand when Matt says that websites with less content above-the-fold will be affected. My concern is for Artist/Band/Music websites in which larger images and videos are displayed above-the-fold and this is also for better user experience! There is no other way to do this on such websites. Will these sites also be affected by this layout algorithm update. I’ll be glad to get an answer from Google in this regards and some tips that can help such websites perform better despite this update.