For businesses in Washington, DC, and elsewhere, achieving a top spot in Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is a primary goal. However, the criteria for ranking in the SERPs evolve with every Google update, making the pursuit a moving target. Staying ahead requires ongoing education and adaptation to Google’s changing algorithms.
A pivotal aspect of SERPs is website crawling, which has led to extensive discussion among SEO professionals about the concept of a “crawl budget.” This term is often used to describe the supposed limit on how frequently a search engine can crawl a site. In a recent podcast, clarifications from Google’s Search Relations team shed light on how Google prioritizes website crawling.
Contrary to common belief among SEO experts, Google does not operate with a “crawl budget.” Dave Smart, a Google Product Expert and SEO consultant, addressed the confusion surrounding crawl budgets and similar terms on the podcast, describing them as misconceptions that can mislead webmasters and SEO professionals.
Google’s crawling strategy is focused on relevancy and demand for specific keywords. A scheduler determines the priority of crawling, influenced by feedback from search activity. Thus, if the search demand for particular keywords declines, so does the frequency of crawling for pages featuring those keywords.
According to Gary Illyes, an analyst on the Google Search team, the key to increasing the frequency of Google crawling your website lies in demonstrating the value of your content. While Illyes did not explicitly define “convincing search,” the implication is that aligning page content with current user trends and maintaining up-to-date information are crucial factors.
Google’s algorithm prioritizes the quality of a site’s content, with the scheduling of crawls being highly dynamic. High-quality content signals from Google’s indexing process can increase crawling demand. Therefore, enhancing the quality and relevance of the content on your website is essential to navigating the limitations of crawling.
This emphasis on quality becomes especially significant in light of the increasing prevalence of AI-generated content in SERPs. Although Google does not specifically penalize AI-generated content, it underscores the necessity of quality. Despite the potential for some low-quality AI content to rank in the SERPs, Google’s algorithms are continually improving to minimize this occurrence.
This clarification shows that Google’s crawling practices are not governed by a fixed “crawl budget” but are instead influenced by content quality and search demand.
Managing your website’s technicalities can be daunting, particularly when it’s just one of many responsibilities. This is where MedShark Digital steps in. We offer tailored strategies to elevate our clients above their competition and maintain their leading positions. For comprehensive support with your SEO challenges, consider reaching out to us.