Google’s recent algorithm updates have focused heavily on doorway pages, and while it hasn’t garnered as many headlines as other updates, it’s important to pay attention. Last month, Google released a “ranking adjustment” to target doorway pages, emphasizing that this would have a broad impact on websites using doorway campaigns.
Though there isn’t clear evidence of widespread effects yet, there’s still time to ensure your website avoids potential risks. Below are some steps you can take to ensure your site complies with Google’s latest update and improves your SEO performance:
1. Avoid Empty Pages:
Always make sure pages have unique content before they go live. Empty pages can negatively affect your website’s rankings.
2. Avoid Hard-to-Find Pages:
Pages not well integrated into your site’s navigation may be flagged as doorway pages. Ensure that all pages are easily accessible and serve a genuine purpose, rather than just driving traffic.
3. Prime the Pump for Content:
Pages dependent on user-generated content like reviews, testimonials, or blogs need regular activity to show value. Before launching such pages, ensure they are seeded with enough unique content to justify them.
4. Avoid Duplicate Content:
Google has long penalized duplicate content, and this update intensifies the scrutiny. For local SEO, consider focusing on well-crafted, location-specific pages rather than creating multiple pages with similar content targeting different keywords.
5. Avoid Multiple Sites If Possible:
If you have multiple domains, assess if they’re truly necessary. Google favors consolidated content under a single site rather than splitting it across multiple domains. If you must have multiple sites, ensure there’s no content duplication.
By staying ahead of this update and ensuring your pages are optimized correctly, you can improve your site’s SEO while avoiding potential penalties.
