To inform Google that your content is original, you need to follow best practices that help search engines recognize and prioritize your work. Here’s a guide to ensure Google identifies and ranks your original content appropriately:
1. Use Google Search Console
- Verify Ownership: Ensure your website is verified in Google Search Console. This signals that you are the legitimate owner of the domain hosting the content.
- Submit Sitemaps: Regularly submit an updated sitemap, which helps Google discover and crawl your original content faster.
- Request Indexing: After publishing new content, use the “URL Inspection Tool” in Search Console to request indexing.
2. Publish Content on Your Platform First
- Avoid Duplicate Publishing: If you’re sharing your content on third-party platforms (e.g., Medium), ensure it’s published on your website first.
- Canonical Tags: Use canonical tags (
<link rel="canonical" href="https://yourwebsite.com/your-page"/>
) to point Google to the original version of the content.
3. Provide Clear Authorship
- Author Pages: Include a detailed “About the Author” section or page that establishes your authority in your niche.
- Schema Markup: Use
Article
,Author
, andOrganization
schema to help Google identify the creator and source of the content.
4. Use Unique Titles and Meta Descriptions
- Distinctive Titles: Avoid generic titles. Use specific, descriptive titles that reflect the originality of your content.
- Unique Meta Descriptions: Write compelling meta descriptions that summarize your content accurately.
5. Avoid Duplicate or Scraped Content
- Check for Plagiarism: Use tools like Copyscape or Grammarly to ensure no part of your content matches existing content online.
- DMCA Requests: If someone copies your content, file a DMCA takedown request to protect your work.
6. Optimize Content for Quality and Engagement
- Value-Driven Content: Create in-depth, useful, and engaging content that addresses user needs better than existing resources.
- Multimedia Integration: Add unique images, videos, or infographics to make your content stand out.
7. Use Structured Data (Schema Markup)
- Article Markup: Add schema to indicate the type of content (e.g.,
NewsArticle
,BlogPosting
). - DatePublished and DateModified: Include these fields to show when the content was created or updated.
8. Build Authority with Backlinks
- Earn Quality Backlinks: Encourage other authoritative sites to link back to your content, reinforcing its credibility and originality.
- Monitor Backlinks: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to track links and ensure they’re pointing to the original source.
9. Submit Content via Google’s Publisher Tools
- Google News: If applicable, submit your site for inclusion in Google News. Original, high-quality content performs well in this channel.
- Fact-Check Markup: Use
ClaimReview
schema if your content involves fact-checking, which signals originality.
10. Include Internal Links
- Link to Other Original Content: Interlink your content to show Google the depth of your unique material and improve crawlability.
11. Regularly Monitor for Plagiarism
- Use Tools: Tools like Copyscape or Grammarly can help you detect and report duplicate content online.
- Protect with Legal Measures: Consider copyrighting your content if it’s highly valuable or frequently copied.
12. Engage with Google’s E-E-A-T Framework
- Expertise: Demonstrate deep knowledge of your topic.
- Experience: Share firsthand experiences or original research.
- Authoritativeness: Build authority in your field through consistent, high-quality content.
- Trustworthiness: Ensure your site is secure (HTTPS), your contact details are visible, and your information is accurate.
By following these steps, you can improve your content’s visibility and establish its originality, ensuring Google recognizes and rewards your work in search rankings. Let me know if you’d like specific assistance with any of these steps!