Google has recently been emphasizing the importance of information satisfaction (IS) in its ranking algorithms. Information satisfaction refers to how well a system meets the needs of its users. In the context of SEO, it is about ensuring that search engine results and web pages meet the needs of searchers.
Google has been discussing the importance of IS for quite some time, but it has become more explicit in recent communications. The goal is to prioritize helpful and original content that provides a satisfying experience for visitors. This involves using machine-learning models to constantly update and fine-tune the ranking algorithms based on IS scores.
In an antitrust case, Pandu Nayak, a Google executive, testified that IS is Google’s primary measure of quality. This means that IS scores are used to judge and fine-tune various algorithms, regardless of the specific signals they look at. The Search Quality Rater Guidelines also mention the importance of satisfying content.
Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai has also mentioned improving satisfaction in relation to Google’s search experience. Overall, information satisfaction is the key search quality metric for Google.
So, how can businesses apply IS thinking to SEO and digital marketing? It starts with understanding customer journeys and user personas. By understanding users’ needs at each step of their journey, businesses can create content and optimize their websites to satisfy those needs. This requires a deep understanding of customers and constantly updating customer journey maps.
One common issue is that organizations often have multiple customer personas and journeys, which need to be considered separately. It’s also important to think beyond linear steps and consider post-conversion actions as part of the user journey.
Measuring information satisfaction can be done through surveys using a Likert scale format. Google uses human raters to assess the satisfaction of search results, and businesses can create their own processes based on the guidelines.
Overall, SEO should be seen as optimizing for user satisfaction. By understanding customer journeys and creating content that satisfies users’ needs at each step, businesses can improve their rankings on Google. Information satisfaction is the key metric to focus on, and businesses should continuously adapt and improve their strategies based on user feedback and data.
