Google has changed dramatically since the “beta” version was launched back in January 1996. And many of the best practices for optimizing your website content have changed significantly, too. So, how do you optimize your website content for Google visibility and traffic today?

1. Conduct Keyword Research to Find Search Terms People Are Likely to Use

Well, the first step in Google News optimization is conducting keyword research to find 85% of the news search terms that people are likely to use. How do you do that?

2. Write a Clear, Concise Headline

Despite getting revamped, Google News continues to rely heavily on page titles to determine ranking.

3. Use Subheads & Text Formatting for Emphasis

What about subheads? Well, they’re a good place to incorporate additional keywords that aren’t in your headline.

They also provide early supplemental guidance to readers as they decide whether to continue reading longer news content.

4. Question the Conventional Wisdom That Says: Keep It Short

Now, I’m often asked, “How long should optimized news content be?”

But, there is no simple formula for calculating how long your article or release should be in order to be optimized for Google News.

But, it’s time to question the conventional wisdom that says: Keep it short.

5. Include Photos & Videos

Although rich textual content is important, so are photos and videos.

Google News displays images associated with articles included in its index, although it sometimes pairs relevant images with articles from different sources.

6. Add Meaningful Links

It’s okay to use links in your story or release to direct your audiences to relevant additional content.

This includes:

• Sidebars and photo galleries for readers.
• Campaign-specific landing pages and product purchase pages for customers.

I should remind you that Google is constantly changing. This year Google updated algorithms 3,200 times.

So, I should probably add a “Best if used by (or before)” date to some of the tips in this article.