Another Google algorithm update!

Google’s last update was a change to exact match domains , this time it’s an update which affects sites with too many adverts and not enough content “above the fold”

Above the fold is a term used by professionals in web design that refers to a web page’s content that is visible on the screen without scrolling.

Google really does not want to list websites that are loaded with spam in their search results and this is another step forward to cutting that down. So, how do you ensure that your website ranks highly on Google still?

The action you need to take:

Place more genuine and relevant content “above the fold” so that all the important and relevant information is in view for your visitors.

Try not to have too many out-going links from your homepage, especially above the fold (Google could consider you to be a link farm).

Have a clear headline “above the fold” that conveys your value proposition using a few well-chosen words.

Beneath your headline have a Call To Action, that takes your website visitor by the hand and tells them what you want them to do next such as “Learn More” or “Sign up now”. You can use more than one call to action, but it’s best not to use more than 2 as it could confuse your visitors and end up harming, rather than improving the user experience of your website.

2020 Update

Another cracking update from Google back in 2012 which at the time affected a lot of affiliate style websites and forced many to review how they monetize their websites – especially when they are advert driven.

At the time this affected lots of sites, but Google was again way ahead of the curve and focused on User Experience before many even knew what it was.

This change really improved user experience, with ad blindness and ad blockers now common, Google really took the right step with this change.