The Google Top Heavy Update is the next big thing for SEO professionals and marketers. It is transforming the way we approach ad placements on our web pages. This article offers an understanding of the update and lays down essential pointers to benefit from it.
What is Google Top Heavy Update?
The Google Top Heavy Update is a significant algorithm change introduced by Google to improve the user experience on the websites. It discourages an excessive amount of advertisements above the fold on a webpage, often limiting the quality of content the visitor experiences first-hand. The update came as a response to users' growing dissatisfaction with pages overwhelmed with advertisements, often impairing navigation and accessibility of quality content.
The goal of the update is to ensure that content is primary, not muddled by an overload of advertisements. The idea is to make the internet user-friendly instead of ad-friendly. The term ‘top heavy’ signifies an excessive amount of advertisements ‘above the fold’ – the part of the webpage visible without scrolling. Websites not adhering to this update can face lower rankings in Google’s SERP (Search Engine Results Page).
The Google Top Heavy Update is not targeted at advertisements per se, but at web pages that are dominated by ads on their main part of the screen. This update is a part of Google’s continuing efforts to make webpages more responsive and user-friendly, focusing on quality content rather than ad revenue.
Why is the Google Top Heavy Update important?
The Google Top Heavy Update holds significant importance in the digital marketing and SEO world. It reaffirms Google’s commitment towards enhancing user experience. Websites need to reconsider their ad placement strategies.
First, the update encourages the display of quality, relevant content to the users. This might lead to lower bounce rates, a greater amount of time spent on the site and potentially higher conversion rates. Second, adhering to this update can keep your site in Google’s good books, ensuring better visibility in SERPs. Lastly, given the rising usage of smaller screens (mobile phones, tablets), it becomes critical to optimize the above-the-fold space to deliver substantial content and not just ads.
Investing in a better user experience eventually pays off by improving the user’s journey on your site. Therefore, complying with Top Heavy Update not only helps in maintaining or increasing your rankings, but also in gaining your visitor’s trust and loyalty.
Types of Google Top Heavy Update
Google has rolled out several iterations of the Top Heavy Update, each aiming to further refine the website experience for users. The first Google Top Heavy Update (also known as the Page Layout Algorithm) was introduced in January 2012. Excessive adverts above the fold are identified and websites are penalized with lower rankings.
The second iteration of the Top Heavy Update was out in October 2012, coating the original algorithm with updates based on user feedback and improving its performance overall. The third version came in February 2014, dealing with other criteria such as “doorway pages” and “keyword stuffing”.
Hence, there isn’t “types” of Google Top Heavy Update, rather a series of its versions. Each version enhanced the importance of good, user-friendly content and the efficient use of above-the-fold space on web pages.
Examples of Google Top Heavy Update
Consider a hypothetical website ‘A’, it had an extravagant amount of flashy ads crowding the above-the-fold section of their website. Following the Google Top Heavy Update, website ‘A’ saw a significant drop in their website traffic and SERP rankings.
Another website ‘B’ had strategically placed a moderate number of ads interspersed with quality content in its above-the-fold section. After the implementation of the Top Heavy Update, website ‘B’ didn’t observe any negative impact on its website traffic or SERP ranking.
Thus, if a website keeps its above-the-fold section cluttered with ads, it could jeopardize its SEO ranking. But, if the ads are well interspersed with content, the website continues to enjoy high traffic and ranking.
Handy tips about Google Top Heavy Update
Here are some best practices to ensure your website complies with Google Top Heavy Update.
Reassess your ad placements
Limit the number of ads above the fold. Try to intersperse them with quality content to enhance user experience.
Don’t compromise on content quality
Focus on delivering substantial and relevant content to the users. It keeps them engaged and helps improve your SEO ranking.
Keep tracking your website performance
Regularly check your website’s performance and traffic. It will help you detect and rectify any issues early.
Conclusion
The Google Top Heavy Update is a crucial change in Google’s algorithm aiming to prioritize content over excessive advertisements on a web page. Understanding its functionality, importance, and types can help build strategies that make your website more user-friendly and rank well in the SERPs.
Checking the compliance of your website with the update, realigning any shortcomings, maintaining content quality, and constantly tracking the performance of your website are key to navigate through this update successfully. Adhering to the update ensures improved user experience, potentially leading to higher engagement and conversions for websites.
Therefore, understanding and implementing the Google Top Heavy Update is highly beneficial for SEO professionals, digital marketers, bloggers, and website owners. Be prepared to adapt to a digital landscape that prioritizes user experience and quality content over irrelevant ad placements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Google Top Heavy Update?
Google Top Heavy Update is an algorithm change by Google that demotes websites with excessive ads above the fold on their web pages, damaging the user experience.
Why is the Google Top Heavy Update significant?
The implementation of the Google Top Heavy Update emphasizes the importance of prioritizing quality content over excessive advertisements. It aims to improve user experience on the websites and can impact the website’s SERP ranking negatively if not complied with.
How to adhere to the Google Top Heavy Update?
To adhere to the Google Top Heavy Update, limit the number of ads in the above-the-fold section of your website, focus on content quality, and regularly monitor your website’s performance and traffic.