Google's New Rule: Stop Stuffing Your Website With Junk

If you’re a builder depending on your website to keep your project pipeline full, you need to wake up and pay attention. Google has made major updates to how it ranks websites and if you’re still relying on outdated SEO wizardry, you could actually be losing business without even realizing it.

Maybe you’ve already noticed a slow down over the last year or so: the leads just aren’t there anymore for some reason. Sure, part of it has to do with our shaky economy (yet again), shifting buyer preferences or increased competition.

But the biggest thing you need to be aware of is how Google’s new algorithms are now actively penalizing websites that are trying to "game" the system with old SEO shortcuts.

SEO - A refresher

Let's back up for a second.

SEO - or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of tweaking the content in your website to make it easily understood by search engines like Google. In theory if you do it right, they should recommend you when someone searches for the products or services you provide.

The problem is, about a decade ago somebody figured out that if they just hammered the same phrases over and over again like Spokane remodeling contractor, Spokane home remodel, Spokane kitchen remodel or whatever, you could trick Google into pushing their site higher in the search rankings results lists.

And that kicked off an arms race. It turned into a game of stuffing in as many keywords and phrases as possible with the hopes of out-ranking competitors, ignoring the reason why prospects were looking for the information in the first place.

Websites stopped being helpful and started sounding robotic. Instead of guiding real people to the answers they needed, they became bloated, repetitive, just playing annoying clones of each other.

The game just changed for the better

Three big things have recently happened that are a game changer:

First, (in case you haven’t heard) artificial intelligence just came onto the scene, giving Google and other search engines a much sharper eye for spotting garbage content.

Second, more and more buyers are starting their searches on niche platforms, trusted networks, or even AI tools instead of Google. And when they do use Google, they often get answers right on the search results page—without ever clicking into a website.

Third, in response, Google rolled out three major updates in a row specifically designed to punish keyword-stuffed, low-value websites that feel fake, repetitive, or made purely for SEO. It is also doing its best now to reward websites with helpful, human-focused content by pushing them to the top of the search results lists instead!

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Here's What You Need to Do:

Rethink your website

Put yourself in the shoes of a typical prospect viewing your site for the first time. Is your site natural and helpful, painting you as an industry expert, or is it filled with repetitive buzzwords that any of your competitors could claim? Does it sound like a real conversation you'd have with a potential customer—or like a robot regurgitating search terms?

If your website comes off to you as phony and transactional, chances are your prospects feel the same way. The search engines are seeing that too and aren’t letting that slide anymore. On the other hand, if you can turn it into a resource hub with well thought out articles, videos, case studies and other help information, you will have a competitive advantage right away.

Focus on quality, not quantity

A handful of strong pages providing thoughtful, informative answers are way more powerful than a bloated site filled with fluffy, repetitive articles no one wants to read.

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Today, your site often makes the first impression long before someone picks up the phone or sends you a message. It should feel like talking to the best project manager on your team: clear, confident, and genuinely helpful.

Obsessing over keyword volume is out. Providing value is in.

Search engine optimization isn’t dead — it’s still critical for digital marketing and lead generation. But the approach to SEO has to evolve.

• Focus on reaching the right audiences instead of anyone and everyone.
• Create content that serves buyers who are already in decision making mode by helping them build confidence in the decision they are about to make.
• Be more conversational as if you were talking to them over their kitchen counter or conference table
• Even if a keyword only gets a few searches a month, if it brings you the right client ready to sign a contract—that’s a win.
  

SEO Is No Longer a Standalone Tactic

The thing I find most amusing is how SEO has become the go-to-term to represent marketing for builders. Instead it should only be one component integrated into a larger marketing strategy:

• Your website experience
• Your content strategy
• Your social media presence
• Your email marketing
• Even your proposal templates
  

SEO is no longer just about optimizing a few pages and hoping for the best. You have to understand your entire buyer journey, their needs and motivators. Every touchpoint you present must earn trust and solve problems to incrementally move your prospect closer to choosing you over your competitors.

A builder that embraces this approach will keep growing and thriving even when the digital landscape keeps shifting underneath you.

It’s time for a spring cleanout.

If you want your business to ditch the junk and start focusing on what matters most to your prospects, reach out to us anytime. Let’s make sure your digital foundation is just as strong as the ones you build for your clients.

Written by Rusty George, with no help from Artificial Intelligence. Well, maybe he ran a few sentences through the rinse cycle to check grammar from time to time, but he's only human.

Rusty George leads a branding, website design and marketing agency serving Seattle and Tacoma area construction companies, subcontractors, manufacturers, material fabricators and suppliers. His goal is to help the building industry become more attractive to the skilled workforce of the future. Reach out to us at any time to discuss how you can optimize your website for to stay ahead of the industry changes ahead.