In a recent discussion during a Google Webmaster Central hangout, Google’s John Mueller recommended using Google’s quality rater guidelines to find information on creating quality content. This was in response to concerns about the absence of recent updates to Google’s webmaster guidelines. A site owner was particularly interested in how Google’s algorithms currently evaluate content quality for page ranking.
During the conversation, the site owner inquired whether Google’s perspective on good content had changed since the original webmaster guidelines were established. This prompted Mueller to suggest consulting the quality rater guidelines.
While Mueller clarified that these guidelines do not directly influence ranking factors, they offer valuable insights for site owners seeking to maintain high-quality website content. Google recently updated its quality rater guidelines in July, with notable changes in the “low quality” content section.
Mueller also mentioned the possibility of integrating the quality rater guidelines with the webmaster guidelines for easier access to this information in the future. Hear Mueller’s full response in the video below, starting at the 1:13:02 mark:
He remarked, “The quality rater guidelines, which aren’t directly ranking factor-related, offer a lot of good information on identifying high-quality websites and areas where quality might be lacking. Perhaps integrating these with the webmaster guidelines would make it easier for both seasoned users and newcomers to access this information.”
