The latest Google algorithm update will make it easier for users to find high quality sites. The change has been implemented in answer to user complaints about websites that do not offer enough actual content ‘above the fold’.
When users click on a search result, they want to be able to see relevant content immediately rather than having to scroll down the page past numerous ads to reach it. With the latest update, Google algorithm will now take into consideration the layout of a web page and the amount of relevant content available above-the-fold in the rankings process.
The page layout algorithm improvement is likely to affect the sites that do not offer sufficient content ‘above the fold’. The search engine giant has clearly mentioned on the Webmaster Central blog that going forward the search rank of sites having their initial screen real estate largely dedicated to ads rather than actual content is likely to slip.
The change is hardly surprising. The popularity of Google search is based on the user experience offered by it. The search engine giant is constantly making efforts to improve the same. SEO experts are well aware of the fact that too many ads above the fold do not result in a great user experience. According to Matt Cutts, the number of sites likely to be affected by the change is small. While the websites offering good value to the users have nothing to worry about, a change of strategy may be required in case of self-serving sites.