Doorway Page Penalty: Google’s Doorway Page Penalty Algorithm 2015

Google announced that it’s making a change in the future to how it ranks ‘doorway pages’ and is encouraging users to stop utilizing them for SEO ahead of the changes.

In an effort to improve the overall quality of its search results, Google has announced that it will start to launch ranking adjustments for doorway pages in search results.

Doorway pages are pages that exist for no other reason than to rank in search results. Some websites may create multiple doorway pages all ranking for the same term, which do not offer any unique value on their own because of the fact that the subject matter is similar, and they ultimately drive visitors back to the same place.

It’s easy to confuse doorway pages with landing pages, but they’re not the same thing. A landing page provides useful information for the user who visited whereas a doorway page simply tricks the user into coming to the site by showing irrelevant information in search results.

For example, searchers might get a list of results that all go to the same site. So if a user clicks on one result, doesn’t like it, and then tries the next result in the search results page and is taken to that same site that they didn’t like, that’s a really frustrating experience.

Over time, we’ve seen sites try to maximize their “search footprint” without adding clear, unique value. These doorway campaigns manifest themselves as pages on a site, as a number of domains, or a combination thereof. To improve the quality of search results for our users, we’ll soon launch a ranking adjustment to better address these types of pages. Sites with large and well-established doorway campaigns might see a broad impact from this change.

To help webmasters better understand Google guidelines, I’ve added clarifying examples and freshened our definition of doorway pages in our Quality Guidelines.

Here are questions to ask of pages that could be seen as doorway pages:

1. Is the purpose to optimize for search engines and funnel visitors into the actual usable or relevant portion of your site, or are they an integral part of your site’s user experience?

2. Are the pages intended to rank on generic terms yet the content presented on the page is very specific?

3. Do the pages duplicate useful aggregations of items (locations, products, etc.) that already exist on the site for the purpose of capturing more search traffic?

4. Are these pages made solely for drawing affiliate traffic and sending users along without creating unique value in content or functionality?

5. Do these pages exist as an “island?” Are they difficult or impossible to navigate to from other parts of your site? Are links to such pages from other pages within the site or network of sites created just for search engines?

Get maximum bang with digital marketing

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WHY IS VISUAL CONTENT SO IMPORTANT?

Images are the no. 1 most important factor in optimal social media content. Recent studies show that we review the available content only briefly, focusing on the information presented in the most accessible way for us. It also involves our ability to concentrate, which time in recent years has greatly shortened. More and more people these days do not read content on the web; focusing instead on films, videos, pictures and memes.

Making a good first impression and keeping visitors on your website are almost entirely dependent on design. That is why it is so important to provide your audience with such content, which will immediately awaken their interest and encourage them to spread your message along.

SOME STATISTICS

Still not convinced? Let me show you some interesting statistics and numbers that will probably communicate with your mind better than a bunch of paragraphs.

Embed this infographic on your website. Copy the embed code below:

<div style=”clear:both”><a href=”http://www.elephate.co/visual-content-better-visibility/”><img src=”http://www.elephate.co/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/infographic-post1.jpeg” title=”Visual Content” alt=”visual content infographic” border=”0″ /></a></div><div></div>

What’s more, let me show you a real life example that can confirm the authenticity of the statistics above. Take a look at the insights of Elephate fanpage on Facebook. As you can see, there is a clear difference in visibility between posted text or link and photos. Visual content is much more clickable, people just love browsing photos!

But there is more! Some people claim that the power of infographics went down in history, but here is a great screenshot  that can undermine this theory. The release of Penguin 3.0 was a huge event in the SEO world, so the interest in this topic was also quite big. But even in this case, you will notice that the range of infographic regarding the Penguin update just overwhelmed the simple post; although it was the same topic.

On a first glance, we will notice the difference with reach and engagement between image and link. However, of enormous importance is that technically, with 469 views compared to only 57, it gives us a staggering 822% increase using infographics instead of a blog post!

As they say, numbers don’t lie, so if you don’t think visual content is worth your time, think again 

TOOLS THAT CAN IMPROVE YOUR CONTENT

There are a bunch of techniques that you can use to create great and outstanding images. Let me show you a few categories with interesting and useful tools that can help you make a visual content on the highest level.

ONLINE EDITORS

Befunky

You do not need a Photoshop to improve the quality of your photos. You do not even need to install any program on your computer.  With the availability offew interesting  apps online, editing photos has become much easier and faster.

I would highly recommend an editor called befunky. It is an easy tool that enables the use of many filters to enhance the quality of images. Do you want to crop, resize, play with colors, reduce contrast or even add more shadows? This app gives you a package of options; you can even add some virtual make-up to your face, no kidding!

Check this quick tutorial of the things you can achieve using befunky

Pixlr

Another very useful app is called the Pixlr Editor. This is a free online browser-based photo, picture and image editor. Using this tool, you can create, modify and save your photos with various tools connected to palette, adjustment layer and the image itself.

Picmonkey

This is one really cool free photo editor and its website was ranked as one of the best websites of 2013. What more? For all the benefits the app provides, no software needs to be downloaded as it works perfectly with just the browser. You can fix your photos, add beautiful filters and text. You can also make facial features glow or tell a story using a collage; all in one. Should you require some help with your masterpiece, just check their how to section.Tremendous tricks within reach!

CREATE AMAZING GRAPHICS

Piktochart

For a little more advanced graphics, I will recommend the use of Piktochart. It helps you create not only infographics; but also posters, banners and illustrations. Use some templates or create your own infographic from the beginning. Choose your icons from many different categories. Change the fonts, background and the whole concept according to your own taste and ideas.

Canva

Want some 1st class design on your business cards, banners, blog graphics or just Facebook covers? Then check out Canva, a simple but modern tool that gives you everything you need to easily turn ideas into stunning designs. You can start either with a custom layout or a blank page. You can also findyour perfect font from hundreds of types. With all the tools in one place, there’s nothing holding you back.

Easelly

This app allows users create and share visual ideas online. You can easily create eye-catching, informative and fun graphics on the web. Easel.ly has made it possible for anyone to design their own custom infographics in minutes for free and without any graphic design skills needed. This is a website that features thousands of free infographic templates and design objects which users can customize to create and share their visual ideas online.

Vizualize

For all your social media management needs, check out this useful website called Vizualize.me. As we became a pretty visual audience, we came across a lot of infographics that provide us information, but using more the visual appeal. And Vizualize.me does the exact same thing in terms of an infographic, however it uses the information that you have provided in LinkedIn. The great thing about this is that it makes your resume and work experience different and more appealing than everyone else’s.

COLOR PALETTES

Pictaculous

If you are not a professional graphic designer, it is understandable that you might have some doubts about the taste of your image. Does this group of colors work well with each other? What color should be used for this beautiful amaranth? With Pictaculous, you do not have to rely on your own instincts alone. This app suggests color palettes, uploads a photo and then searches for the color that matches your picture the best.

Adobe Colour

Check this amazing wheel of colours and create your own palette. You can choose from a few options like showing colours that are monochromatic, complementary or just find similar shades. You can also see the “ready to go” set of colours and get inspired by some of them.

Colourlovers

Have you ever come across an international creative community that helps people discover the inner designers in them? Well, now you have a chance. This website provides people with a wealth of user created & shared colour inspiration, as well as tools that make the creative process as simple as possible. Simply get inspired by many colour palettes or use some tools and services to create a piece of vector art. What’s more? You can also join the colourful conversations by signing up to forum.

INTERACTIVE PHOTOS

Make your content original and outstanding by adding the interactive image. You can use ThingLink which is a free and user friendly tool. You can add text or multimedia overlays to any of your photos or images, and turn it into an interactive graphic. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

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STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Of course, you do not always have to create something new. Sometimes,what we really need are some good quality and matching photos, just to diversify our article. We all know Shutterstock, but should we always take our money out of our pockets just to get some picture? The answer is no. There are dozens of websites where you can download photos,without the anxiety that you might be stealing someone else’s property. Images are not copyrighted, so you can use them however you would like to. One of them is Pixabay. You can search for your perfect illustration through 20 categories or just use your key words. Also, let’s not forget the bunch of vectors you can find there! Worth mentioning also is Compfight, which helps find images from Flickr that can be used commercially.