Why Your Website Might be Outranked by Reddit on Google Search Results
In the ever-evolving world of search engine rankings, smaller publishers and site owners have long complained about being outranked by larger publishers and sites. This ongoing issue has recently been highlighted by HouseFresh, a smaller publisher, who discovered that their article about Google killing independent sites was outranked by none other than Reddit.
The irony here is hard to ignore – a smaller site being outranked by a large popular forum like Reddit. HouseFresh even provided a screenshot of the search results, clearly showing Reddit ranking above their own article. What makes it even more baffling is that the Reddit post actually links to the original story from HouseFresh.
This complaint is not new, as smaller publishers have been voicing their concerns for years. Former Googler, Matt Cutts, even posted about it a decade ago, asking for examples of smaller sites that should rank higher. It seems that in some cases, smaller publishers have a valid argument. If their content is superior, coming from the original source, and has all the necessary elements of helpful content and expertise, why should Reddit outrank them?
Google’s response to this issue has been mixed. Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, acknowledged the concern and expressed a desire to ensure a better diversity of results that includes both small and large publications. He hopes that Google will improve in this aspect in the future.
However, the irony of Reddit outranking HouseFresh in this particular case is hard to ignore. The Reddit post even recommends reading an article specifically about Reddit if readers want to know more. It begs the question of whether smaller publishers are doomed to be overshadowed by larger ones. Will it become increasingly difficult for them to rank higher than their larger counterparts?
Comparing the situation to a small mom-and-pop store trying to compete with a retail giant like Home Depot, it is clear that it is not an easy feat. While it is possible for smaller publishers to carve out their niche and succeed, they face an uphill battle against larger publishers.
Google has made promises over the years to provide a more diverse set of search results for smaller publishers, but the question remains – has it delivered? Will Google be able to fulfill this promise in the future? Is it even a promise that Google truly wants to deliver on? Ultimately, does the average searcher care if they read an article on Reddit or the original site? And does Google even care?
For now, smaller publishers can only hope that Google releases a new search algorithm update that addresses their concerns. When that happens, you can be sure that they will write about it. In the meantime, the battle between small and large publishers in the world of search rankings continues.
