Have you ever searched a query in Google? and find the instant, relevant answer for it?
We all use Google more than ever to get answers to the questions we have. When we consider business practices, most business websites (who get higher rankings) have a well-optimized SEO practice. They also look for and follow Google’s updates to improve or maintain the higher ranking positioning. Passage indexing is one of the recent updates published by Google.
According to this update, if you optimize your digital marketing strategies, you have greater chances of getting improved rankings.
Want to know everything about passage indexing?
You have landed at the right spot. This blog is a comprehensive guide to know essential information about passage indexing.
Let’s explore the details together!
What is Passage Indexing?
Google is one of the highly recommended and preferred search engines where users search billions of search queries each day. In these instances, Google tries its best to present the relevant information to the users. In the recent Google algorithm update, the search engine has emphasized context rather than content.
For instance, a web page has a section that is important for the search query. It will be displayed on top of the search results.
The search robots intentionally look for the context for searches with the BERT update. It is also utilizing AI to assist in improving the outcomes it serves customers.
Simply, it means that if the context of your content is appropriate to a search query, it improves the chances to feature in the passage index.
How Passage Indexing Algorithms Works?
You might have come across the common understanding of the passage indexing algorithm as an “indexing” update. Nevertheless, it is actually a “ranking” change.
This update does not alter the way pages are indexed. Rather the algorithm ranks page’s passage differently.
If Google thinks the passages of the webpage are more relevant to search rather than the entire page, the passage will be displayed on the top.
Let’s take an example. I have searched for “the best school reward programs available” in the search engine. And, I got the result (passage of a blog) for my searched query.
Although Google originally referred to the update as “passage indexing,” it has not actually changed the way the search engine does indexing sites. (Indexing is the process of crawling and indexing with bots). Google is still indexing the full page but only displaying the passage in snippet form.
Does Passage Indexing Affect SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential when you want to improve ranking positioning on the SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages). Google’s every update has something to do with rankings.
If you want to maintain a higher ranking for your website, you should be aware of the latest algorithm update. There are certain strategies to approach when maintaining or acquiring ranking positioning on SERPs.
The passage indexing does not drastically change the SEO score for a website. There are sites that will not have much effect on this recent update.
However, if you pay little attention to creating worthwhile content, it will surely help in boosting SEO score. So, create long-form content where you have more opportunities to use multiple keywords. Simultaneously, you should definitely focus on the context of the content you are creating. Having an SEO-friendly website that fits in the latest update criteria by Google has relatively more chances of getting higher ranking positioning.
At PeddleWeb, we focus on well-planned SEO strategies for a website, which confers profitable results. Let’s connect to boost the SEO score of your website.
Benefits of Passage Indexing
When Google launches a new update, there’s a major reason behind it. In most instances, the search engines want to help users easily find what they are looking for. Likewise, passage indexing is launched with an aim to quickly give the overview of the query a user looked for. As mentioned earlier, the passage indexing update has a unique purpose.
But why should you care about it?
In terms of benefits, there are certain measures where this passage indexing can be worthy for your business.
- This move essentially improves the chances of the long-form content’s rank positioning for more specific keywords.
- You can easily incorporate long-tail keywords. Content with focused long-tail keywords has a better chance to get a higher ranking with this update.
- You can focus on users rather than bots while generating content. If you have user-friendly content, you can attract a potential audience easily and effectively.
- Websites in competing niches will stand out by having great content along with on-page optimization.
The passage indexing has not majorly changed the entire indexing system. Instead, the slight change intends to help users find sites with valuable content (which might not be optimized perfectly).
So, How to Optimize Websites for Passage Indexing?
It is not commandeered to optimize the entire website to match up with this update. But, you should definitely tweak specific content creation strategies to improve chances of getting ranked in the passage index.
For instance, if you create long-form content, you have a better opportunity to include long-tail keywords. This surely improves the chances of getting ranked for a passage out of the long-form content.
- Keep users at the focal point while creating content.
- Use clear, keyword-rich headings for each section of the content. This will help Google understand all the topics/subtopics in a post.
- Update long-form posts with new stats, links, or resources.
- If you have not created long-form content, it’s high time now. When you create the content, make sure you cover the topic as much as possible to answer the generalized questions. Also, use long-tail keywords smartly.
- Optimize long-tail keyword research strategies and integrate those terms in the content.
Lastly, do not try to overemphasize the passage indexing to get ranked. If your content has the potential to answer the searched query, it is automatically published in the passage. Hence, focus on creating useful content that your potential users might be searching online.
How Passage Indexing Affects Search Marketing?
Passage indexing is a small yet influential change in Google’s ranking system. If you pay little attention to the update, you can take advantage of getting ranked for it.
Google always prefers the users over other things. Of course, SEO matters, but users should remain in your core focus. If you have optimized your site while keeping users at the focal point, you are good to go with this update.
It also indicates that Google is dedicated to accompanying AI to understand the context of a page. So, be sure to provide a correct context of what you are creating for your users. Especially if you are a digital marketer, this update is good news for you.
Google intends to keep its search results as appropriate as possible for users. But, optimization is no longer adequate to present mediocre content. The need to create compelling, valuable content has been increased than ever!
All in all, passage indexing helps if you strategize your content marketing strategies. Not necessarily; all businesses have to adopt this update. But, if you create long-form, useful content, you have better chances to improve rankings.
At PeddleWeb, we strictly emphasize the latest updates of Google while delivering SEO services for all types of businesses. Our digital marketing team strategically focuses on improving the ranking of a website by practicing multiple SEO actions. Whether you want to boost website traffic or optimize your site for search engines, we can help. Let’s connect now to discuss opportunities!
