News Update: Google to devalue doorway pages

News Update: Google to devalue doorway pages

Recently, Google have announced an update to its ranking algorithm that will now devalue doorway pages within search engine results, reducing the impact of spammy web results for users.

Doorways are pages within websites that are specifically created to rank highly within search engine results for precise search enquiries.

The websites are used to boost the “search footprint” of a website and according to Google, the multiple domains or almost identical pages clog up the SERPs and diminish a positive user experience.

Within Google’s guidelines regarding quality, they add that doorways are bad for users because in many cases, they do not offer unique value, and ultimately draw users to the same destination anyway.

Google’s Webspam frontman Brian White said they can be a “very frustrating experience” for users; hence the action they’ve taken to hit websites that currently use and depend fully on doorway campaigns within their online marketing strategies.

However, there has not been given a definite date of when the transition will happen, but in most cases Google introduce changes in the US before implementing them across other markets around the world.

Does your website include doorway pages?

If you are not sure whether your website includes web pages that are classed as doorways, Google suggests that you ask yourself the following, in regards to your website:

Is the content vital to user experience or used solely to direct traffic to your site?

Is the content written around specific subjects while being optimised for generic terms?

Is the information a reproduction of content located elsewhere on the website for the purpose of drawing in more traffic?

Are there links from other pages on the site or are they standalone “island” pages created just for search engines?

Optimise your website with Purple Fruit

If you are unsure whether your website includes the dreaded doorway pages that Google will soon penalise, Purple Fruit’s digital marketing specialists are on hand to advise you on this, and other aspects of your online marketing strategy.

Contact us today and talk to one of the Purple Geeks to avoid being penalised by Google from the easy-to-make mistake of including doorways in your website.