It is likely that you have checked out the fascinating Google Discover feed on your smartphone if you are like most Android users. Basically, it lets users know what’s new about their favorite topics. To receive the updates through Google Discover, users don’t have to search for any information. A user can receive updates on any topic that interests them, such as online gaming, movies, shopping, etc. Because Google Discover is based on a user’s past internet searches and related stories, a user can control what kind of updates they receive on their mobile phone.
Brands might find that an exciting opportunity. What is Google Discover, and how can one optimize content for it? These questions and more will be answered in our blog below.
An updated version of Google Feed – the Android app from Google – has been rebranded as Google Discover. To enhance user interaction, Google Discover accommodates different types of content compared to Google Feed.
This includes:
- Aktuelles
- Photographs & images
- Content for Videos
- Posts from our blog
- Content that remains relevant over time
The goal is to present the data in a more interesting way by transitioning from ‘text’ to ‘visual discovery’.
In order to provide relevant online content to users, Google Discover focuses on their experience. Because the platform displays content without users having to search for it, it is being branded as ‘search without searching’. Instead, the platform recommends content based on the user’s preferences. Marketers are talking about and debating this feature of Google Discover.
This has led to the need for marketers and entrepreneurs to answer certain questions like:
- What are the best practices for optimizing my content for Google Discover?
- If I want my content to appear on Google Discover, how do I make sure it does?
- Does Google Discover allow me to optimize my content?
- What is the value of understanding Google Discover?
- My products and services attract a wide range of users. How do I identify their profiles?
To find answers to all these questions, we must first understand how Google Discover works. Let’s take a closer look.
How does Google Discover work?
By swiping through online content, Google Discover keeps on discovering things about users and keeps providing them with fresh content. The user simply needs to keep swiping. Discover on Google:
- Provides the most appropriate content based on search patterns. It works automatically without a user’s input or instructions.
- Maintains a record of activities on the web, the application, and online. Location, history, and settings are also kept. On the basis of these, it suggests suitable content.
Now, let’s get into the details with regards to the features of Google Discover.
Features of Google Discover
Through Google Discover, the users can:
- Follow and unfollow topics that interest them
- Query-less information retrieval
- Control the frequency of specific content types
- Select topics based on their interests manually
How Do Users Get Google Discover?
Many users wonder ‘how do I get Google Discover?’ Here are the steps to follow:
- Download the Google app and search for Discover.
- Discover can be found in the browser on google.com for Android and iOS users.
- You can access it on some mobile devices by swiping right.
Setting limits allows users to restrict Google Discover’s access to certain types of content and ‘discover’ them only. Users’ profiles can be used to provide specific content pieces in Google Discover. This requires an understanding of how Google Discover feeds can be customized.
How to Customize Google Discover Feed?
To personalize Google Discover Feed, a user has to:
- On an Android or iOS mobile device, swipe right
- If a user clicks on the header of a piece of content they like, they will receive updates related to their interests.
- Users can get a news feed about certain interests, e.g. celebrities or games, by tapping the notification icon on the top right of Google Discover.
- The feed will be populated with the content of the users’ choosing once that has been done.
- Check out your search history by clicking ‘Your date in search’. For control over search history, there is an option to delete searches and inquiries.
The Google Discover app is available on all Android and iOS devices. If users do not wish to use Google Discover, they can deactivate it.
How to Enable Google Discover or Disable it
Below are the steps to activate or deactivate Google Discover on a mobile phone.
- Google’s app should be open
- Click ‘Settings’
- On the left side, click ‘General’
- ‘Discover’ is the section to look for
- You can turn the switch on or off according to your requirements
In case a mobile user chooses to use Google Discover, they can use a shortcut to access it quickly. Check out topics such as weather and news by swiping right on the home screen.
How to Add Google Discover to Home Screen
Users should follow the below-given instructions to add Google Discover to their Home Screen:
- Hold the home screen for a few seconds after tapping it
- When the launcher menu appears, choose ‘Widgets’
- You can find Google by searching
- On the home screen, drag the widget and drop it
- Tap on the Google icon to access Google Discover Feed
An If you want to directly add the news feed icon to the home screen, tap on the three dots to the left of the notification icon.
How to Change Google Discover Language
Google Discover can be used in any language the user chooses. Following these steps is all they need to do:
- Google’s app should be open
- Tap the profile picture or initial of a user’s name on the mobile screen’s top right corner
- Select ‘Settings’
- You can change your language and region by tapping ‘Language and Region’
- Search for ‘Language’
- Choose a language
After understanding what Google Discover is and how it works, many marketers wonder what makes it different from Google Feed. This question needs to be clarified.
Google News vs. Google Discover Feed; What Are the Differences?
Google Feed was created in 2016. The app was designed to help users manage their daily schedules by keeping them informed of news updates and other topics related to their interests. What was the purpose of Google Discover? In 2018, Google Feed was rebranded and updated as Google Discover.
If Google Feed had already attracted 800 million monthly active users, why launch Google Discover?
It was created to improve the platform and user search experience over time.
The differences between Google Feed and Google Discover can be summed up as:
- The tool has been renamed to reflect its objective – Discover.
- A different design from Google Feed makes it easier for users to explore their interests with Google Discover.
- Google Discover has new topic headers that explain why a particular card is seen by a user. Additionally, it provides them with new types of useful content.
- Google Discover provides content that is more customized and available in multiple languages than before.
- Along with being available on Google’s mobile apps, Google Discover is available on the Google Homepage as well.
- Rather than just providing answers, Google Discover tells stories.
- Searching for information with Google Discover is query-free, unlike Google Feed.
- Compared to Google Feed, Google Discover provides information visually.
- In terms of business optimization, Google Discover plays an increasingly important role.
The last point brings us to our next topic of discussion:
Why is Google Discover Important to SEO and Content Strategy?
Google Discover is an important component of Google Search and hence holds a lot of importance for SEO.
- Previously, we discussed how Google Discover helps users stay up-to-date on relevant topics. Therefore, businesses can use Google Discover to reach their target audience since it allows users to discover new data in the form of blogs, videos, and other content.
- The content and news found on Google Discover are not limited to the latest articles, news pieces, and content on the web. Posts that are relevant to audiences are shown regardless of when they were published – making them an integral part of your SEO strategy.
- Through the reporting feature in Search Console, businesses can analyze their overall traffic over time and gain insights about their content’s performance. Business owners can achieve better rankings in search engines and appear in Google Discover by optimizing their content in this way.
All these factors make Google Discover an imminent part of any business’s content strategy.
How to Optimize Content for Google Feed?
Google Discover is similar to regular SEO in that basic principles remain the same.
Here are a few points to consider:
Quality Content
It is important to focus on quality content. Readers might find it helpful if businesses answer their questions. An advantage will be gained if the content is better than the competitors’. It is comparatively easier to get in if the content is related to a specific topic with little competition.
A generic topic with a lot of online content already available, however, requires more care about quality.
How else can quality content be defined? Starting with blogs that are well-structured and have a logical flow of information, you should focus on creating results-driven blogs. As well as complying with the Google News Guidelines, the content must also comply with the Google Webmaster Guidelines. Therefore, your content must be original, purpose-driven, and current, as well as answering users’ questions.
Besides following these points, a company can also look into the content posted by its competitors- ‘What are they posting?’, ‘What are their rankings?’, etc. A compelling piece of content must take into account all of these factors. In addition, Google News content policies must also be met when verifying and indexing the website.
Time Quotient
To increase Google Discover success, one should post timely content. Business needs an evergreen content repository that never goes out of style. As well as that, the business must also Include trending topics within your niche that are time-sensitive in your content, especially those within your niche that are trending.
E-A-T
E-A-T – expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Generally, the higher the E-A-T factor, the more credible the content. Certain industries, such as the medical and financial industries, require technical and professional expertise from the writer. The writer and the content should be scrutinized for truthfulness and credibility.
Schema Implementation
It is important to implement schema in accordance with SEO requirements. Structured data (code that helps search engines crawl, manage, and display content) is not used for Google Discover. Content should be described well so that search engines can understand what it’s about.
Engaging Images & Videos
Due to the virtual nature of Google Discover, it’s important for content to be visually appealing. Combining content with good images is essential for holding the reader’s attention and enticing them to read more. It is also highly recommended to use engaging and professional videos.
Website Optimized for Google Accelerated Mobile Pages
AMP optimization will increase the chances of your content being listed on Google Discover. As a result, your web pages load quickly, creating the seamless and instantly satisfying UX that defines Google Discover feeds. Furthermore, speed will boost your website’s SERP rankings, boosting its chances of showing up on Discover.
Web Stories
With Google Discover being mobile-centric, you can reach out to users by providing relevant content at any time. For compelling visual storytelling, use Web Stories in Discover.
Best SEO Practices
You must follow basic SEO rules to get listed on Google Discover. By doing this, you can improve the user experience and improve your SEO strategy. A user’s engagement will improve as a result of this move, leading them to spend more time on the page.
Ask Users to Follow You
Users can follow topics of their interest on Google Discover, but they can skip doing so unless it is brought to their attention. Businesses should ask interested users to add their content to their Google Discover pages and follow them.
They will be notified every time new content is posted on the site once they have done that. Additionally, this step improves website engagement. As a result, search rankings are also boosted.
Social Media Feed Engagement
Businesses should optimize their social feeds for Discover Feed by increasing their engagement on social media. Posts with more likes, shares, and comments are more likely to be ranked higher in users’ feeds.
The best way to improve social media feed engagement is by:
- Regularly posting relevant content
- Using multiple social media platforms to share posts
- Share and like the content to encourage users to do so
There is a high chance that content that is doing well on social media platforms will be picked up by Google Discover Feed.
Multiple Languages
Publish content in the language of your target audience since Google Discover is available in multiple languages.
Conclusion
If a company or individual understands its full scope and usage, Google Discover can be an excellent tool for optimizing their content. No matter if you’re a business owner, marketer, or blogger, explore the endless possibilities this medium offers.
Throughout this blog, I’ve also learned that Google Discover is an invaluable tool for websites with high-quality and relevant content. Therefore, online magazines and media houses can benefit equally from it.
Users will be shown related content as they interact with Google Discover. Therefore, you should focus on engaging your audience.
Final Words,
As we have seen in this blog, Google Discover offers brands and businesses a huge opportunity to grab the attention of almost 800 million users on a regular basis. The key to appearing on Google Discover is quality content with adequate optimization. That doesn’t require much effort. Using the above-mentioned tips and tricks, you can smartly tweak your trending and evergreen content and you’re done!
