A new correlation study from Zyppy SEO finds that websites that use first-person pronouns, direct experiences, and cookie consent banners are more likely to see increased visibility during Google updates.
On the other hand, fixed footer ads and fixed video ads were the two features that were most likely to have a negative impact on your website.
why do we care? In my opinion, credibility and experience are becoming increasingly important factors in SEO. As Cyrus Shepherd's analysis so beautifully puts it, “Everything about SEO is connected to everything else.” This doesn't mean you'll always win with every keyword you want, but it will significantly increase the odds in your favor.
Google update winner. During Google's algorithm update, five website features showed “strong” correlation among winners:
- Use of first-person pronouns (e.g., “I,” “me,” “we”). This is based on his analysis of the first 1,000 words of the text.
- Demonstrated practical experience. This was done through in-text instructions or unique image and video content.
- Display of cookie consent banner.
- Contact information is now displayed in the footer.
- The contact information was displayed somewhere on the page, but not in the footer.
Google update loser. Twelve website features had “very strong” or “strong” correlations among Google update winners during the same time period.
- A fixed ad appears in the footer that scrolls with the user.
- Fixed (autoplay) video ads included.
- Use of stock images. This seems to fall into the “correlation is not causation” category.
- Total number of image and video ads shown (one loser was shown a whopping 38 ads).
- How to use push notifications.
- The presence of “a large navigation menu at the top of a website, usually expandable and containing many links.”
- The logo was missing or hidden.
- A search function is now displayed in the footer.
- The page did not display any contact information.
- Using mega menus anywhere on the page.
- Presence of affiliate links.
- There was a link to the privacy page.
What do all of these have in common? It comes back to experience and ultimately authenticity. These are all about content creators demonstrating unique expertise and websites providing a great user experience.
- Google wants to reward sites that excel in both areas. And yes, we all know that Google isn't perfect and probably never will be. As Marissa Mayer once said, search remains an “unsolved problem.”
About data. This is a small sample size (50 websites) based on Ahrefs estimates during Google's specific volatile period (August-December 2023). Also, correlation is not causation.
It's not a factor, it's a feature. Also, to be clear, this report does not directly refer to these website features as “ranking factors” or “ranking signals.” Although this result is interesting, it is not conclusive evidence that these individual website features may be responsible for gaining or losing Google search visibility.
Report. You can read it here: Wins and losses of Google's big updates: 50 site case studies