Meet Fred – the latest Google update bed-rocking* the world of SEO. Since its release, tons of websites have kissed goodbye to their organic rankings overnight, so it’s important you know what Fred is and how to use it to the advantage of your business. Here’s a quick overview of Fred and what your website needs to do to keep those rankings.
What is Fred?
Fred is the latest item in Google’s portfolio of updates. Released on 8th March, Fred has already turned search engine optimisation on its head in its attempt to rid the web of low value, generic content.
Poor content will be punished
Many websites with poor content have seen a 50-90% drop in organic search rankings since the update. Poor content comes in the form of ad-heavy sites posting generic material which is broad and not relevant to the user
Follow Google’s guidelines
The best way to prevent any drop in organic rankings is to stick to Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Following these guidelines during web design and development gives your website a platform for good, quality content which can be found, indexed and ranked easier by Google. If you’re unsure how Fred might have impacted your SEO rankings, get in touch with the SEO agency team at Upperdog.
Prioritise the user
Design your site with the user in mind, both in terms of aesthetics and content. Ensure your ad ratio, if you have any, is user-friendly. As a general guide a user should only be able to see 1-2 ads when they look at a webpage.
Resist the keyword stuffing
It can be tempting to stuff content with as many keywords as possible. However, with Fred making it clearer than ever that this is deemed as invaluable content, try to include keywords naturally in all content.
There’s no doubt that Fred has bed-rocked the SEO world. As a digital marketing agency in Bournemouth, we’re experts in ensuring your website keeps that illustrious ranking!
If you’d like help with digital marketing in Bournemouth, contact SEO agency Upperdog today on 01202 798 820 or email hello@upperdog.co.uk.
*kudos to those who got the Flintstones pun.