Google Discover will not show content or images that would normally be blocked by the search engine’s SafeSearch tools.
Though not surprising, this is the closest we have come to seeing this confirmed by someone at Google. Google Search Liaison Danny Sullivan responded to a question on Twitter by SEO Professional Lily Ray. In a recent tweet, Ray posed the question:
“Is the below article on SafeSearch filtering the best place to look for guidance on Google Discover? Seems that sites with *some* adult content may be excluded from Discover entirely; does this guidance apply?”
In his initial response, Sullivan wasn’t completely certain but stated: “It’s pretty likely SafeSearch applies to Discover, so yes. Will update later if that’s not the case.”
While Sullivan never came back to state this was not the case, he later explained that “our systems, including on Discover, generally don’t show content that might be borderline explicit or shocking etc. in situations where people wouldn’t expect it.”
Previously, other prominent figures at Google including Gary Illyes and John Mueller had indicated this may be the case, also suggesting adult language may limit the visibility of content in Discover.
For most brands, this won’t be an issue but more adult-oriented brands may struggle to appear in the Discovery feed, even with significant optimization.
https://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Google-Ads-Safety-Report-Banner.jpg4161000Taylor Ballhttps://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/TMO-Logo.pngTaylor Ball2023-05-04 15:40:342023-05-04 15:40:36Content Flagged By Google SafeSearch Won’t Appear In Discover
Google’s take on the popular Story format hit a big milestone, as the company recently reported more than 100,000 new Google Web Stories are getting added to the search index every day.
Combined, these daily new stories have helped accumulate more than 20 million Web Stories total since the launch of the content format.
This led to a significantly larger reach for Google Web Stories and a significant increase in interest from brands.
“Last October, we created a home for Web Stories in Google Discover so users could find a personalized stream of the best Web Stories from around the internet. The goal with Web Stories is to enable publishers and creators to easily build and take full ownership of their content.”
Unsurprisingly, putting the short video clips front-and-center on Google’s content discovery page has also helped millions of users check out and engage with Web Stories every day.
For those who are still skeptical about Google Web Stories, or those who just want to improve the stories they are putting out, Google compiled data from users to create five suggestions for creating the most engaging and exciting stories for your audience.
Five Tips For Engaging Google Web Stories
Lifestyle content, complete with inspirational imagery and messages, informative how-to info, or relevant product-partnerships drive the most engagement of any vertical.
Thanks to a diverse array of visually engaging topics and videos, the Arts and Entertainment and Food and Drink verticals consistently get the most impressions.
Users show a clear hunger for new Arts and Entertainment, Celebrity, and Sports/Gaming content. “With new TV, movie, and game releases rolling out all the time, these verticals offer opportunities for growth.”
Though Google has seen successful Web Stories of all sizes, users are typically willing to click through an average of 11-15 pages before ditching a Web Story.
Users watch an average of 1.7 Stories for every Web Story opened on Google Discover. However, this can vary significantly across industries and demographics.
https://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Google-Web-Stories-Banner.jpg451800Taylor Ballhttps://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/TMO-Logo.pngTaylor Ball2021-06-29 17:02:042021-06-29 17:02:06More Than 100k Google Web Stories Get Shared Every Day
Google is warning brands that Web Stories which don’t follow through on their promised content may but cut from appearing in Google Search and Google Discover.
In an announcement, the company explained that users have expressed disinterest in Web Stories which “tease” content but require users to click through to get the full experience. As such, brands using this style of Web Story run the risk of having their content demoted.
What Are Google Web Stories?
Google’s take on the popular Story format first appeared back in 2018, going by the name of AMP Stories.
These quick, visual posts or ads function almost identically to Facebook or Instagram Stories, but appear within the Google mobile app when exploring the Discover tab or searching for websites.
One thing that makes Google’s version of these posts unique, however, is that Web Stories can easily be shared to any platform, including competing social networks.
What This Change Means For You
In the announcement, Google’s Paul Bakaus explains that “a one- or two-page teaser for your blog post doesn’t tell a satisfying story to a reader, so Google will do its very best to not show these to users.”
With this in mind, Google is planning to stop showing “teaser” based Web Stories across its platform.
If you are concerned your Web Stories may be affected, Google recommends following a few Do’s and Don’ts:
Dos:
A shopping inspiration list that highlights products and links out to places where you can buy them.
A short version of a recipe with complete ingredients listed that leaves more detailed instructions behind a click.
Don’ts:
A one-page story that mentions a recipe in the headline, but is just a bunch of photos that redirect to the website.
A list highlighting beautiful cities in Europe, but just listing a city and a photo and pointing to the blog link for any actual information.
It is worth noting that the above example image Google shows of a recipe web story actually clearly falls into the “Don’t” category here. This highlights how unclear the actual implementation of this new policy is currently.
People are Tired of Clickbait
As Bakaus notes, users expect complete content from Stories, not a lure leading to a comprehensive blog post.
“Unfortunately, from what users are telling us, this isn’t what they want. Instead, web stories are best when they tell a full story and aren’t used to “tease” other content.
“Readers don’t like to feel forced to click through to a connected blog post to finish reading.”
How This Affects Monetization
One of the biggest reasons many brands used “teaser” Web Stories was to help drive traffic to their own monetized content. This new policy could potentially disrupt this strategy entirely.
Despite this, Google urges you to “think about the users consuming [Web Stories] and how Google showcases them.”
At the same time, the company notes that “you can directly monetize Web Stories with in-between-page ads.”
Bakaus does admit this may not be as effective or lucrative, though the company hopes to improve this situation in the future:
“A well-optimized blog post might still make you more money today, but ad networks are working on building out and expanding their Web Story integrations, so you should see both CPMs and fill rates improve over time.”
You can hear Paul’s full explanation of the policy and the best practices for creating Web Stories in his Google Web Creators video below:
https://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Google-Year-In-Search-2020.jpg360640Taylor Ballhttps://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/TMO-Logo.pngTaylor Ball2021-01-28 17:54:412021-01-28 17:54:43“Teaser” Web Stories May Soon Be Blocked From Google Discover and Search