Google has warned about the issue of uncreative content. While this warning was directed mostly towards video sites, it is still something that can be found to be an issue elsewhere on other sites. And with Matt Cutts recent rant about guest posting, and the rise of content in 2013 and into 2014, the content on your website becomes increasingly more important, not to mention the recent roll out of Panda 4.0. Many websites have taken a hit from that alone.
The 4 Questions You Should Be Asking Yourself:
Is my content automatically generated?
This can mean a couple of different things, but the main idea is to only allow human beings to write your content, as well as being sure that person is creating original content with value to your readers. A human being could potentially copy information and stitch it together with no new information, making the content unoriginal.
Do I have original, creative content on my site?
This means content that has value and substance to it. Think about how the content varies from other sites content in the same field. Being creative means presenting information in a way that is unique to your site alone, and steering clear of recreating content.
Do I rely on more reputable sites to provide my content?
It’s definitely not wrong to share a link to another website’s content every now and then, but if you are constantly using other sites content to provide content for your own website, you are not doing it right. The links you share should be of quality, and not quantity.
Does What I Wrote Make Sense to a Human?
Sometimes content writers get so caught up in including keywords that the content makes very little sense, or has no real meat behind the words. And while keywords are important, they are not the sole reason you should be creating content.
Answering these questions truthfully and honestly will automatically point out places of weakness for your website. Not only could you be penalized by Google, but you are also not providing a quality website for your customers. While tons of keywords may drive traffic through your website, it doesn’t mean you have user engagement or are a reliable and trustworthy source.