![\"Mobile](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/mobile-user-needs-met-800px.jpg\")
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On Oct. 14, 2020, Google released an updated version of its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/a> (SQEG). In it were several updated sections, with one section in particular receiving multiple updates \u2014 the \u201cneeds met\u201d category. \u201cNeeds met\u201d is all about the mobile user, and as we know, Google\u2019s major focus is on mobile.<\/p>\n Because \u201cneeds met\u201d is a critical area that website publishers should better understand, I\u2019ll go over the basics of \u201cneeds met,\u201d what it means, why you should care, and the new updates around it. Jump ahead if you like:<\/p>\n As a reminder, the SQEG is a guide that human raters use to evaluate the search results for certain queries. They then report back to Google what they have found.<\/p>\n This allows Google to better understand if the changes it\u2019s making to its search algorithms are producing quality results. As needed, Google engineers make further tweaks to the algorithm.<\/p>\n In the latest version of the SQEG, Google adds language to clarify this:<\/p>\n Your ratings will not directly affect how a particular webpage, website, or result appears in Google Search, nor will they cause specific webpages, websites, or results to move up or down on the search results page. Instead, your ratings will be used to measure how well search engine algorithms are performing for a broad range of searches.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Takeaway for website publishers: <\/strong>The SQEG is meant to help Google improve its search results. But website publishers have a big hand in that. Aim for quality content that satisfies your target audience\u2019s search queries.<\/p>\n The \u201cneeds met\u201d category focuses on \u201cmobile user needs and … how helpful and satisfying the result is for the mobile users.\u201d<\/p>\n The rating scale for \u201cneeds met\u201d looks like this:<\/p>\n Categories include:<\/p>\n The \u201cneeds met\u201d rating can apply to both the result on the search engine result page and the landing page associated with it.<\/p>\n \u201cNeeds met\u201d is directly related to the intent of the searcher and how well the search results fulfill that intent. The SQEG gives some examples of results that achieve the highest rating:<\/p>\n Takeaway for website publishers: <\/strong>An SEO strategy targets queries (aka keywords) that your intended audience uses in Google. Then you create useful content (aka webpages) that fulfill the intent of that query. It is your job to understand what a person is looking to do when they use a certain keyword or phrase. Is it to learn or buy, for example? Ensure that when creating your webpages around key phrases, you give your potential visitors what they want.<\/p>\n This updated section clarifies how \u201cneeds met\u201d and page quality relate to one another. Google says that while the \u201cneeds met\u201d rating is based on both the query and the result, the rater should not think about the query when assigning a page quality rating.<\/p>\n In other words, the intent of the search query matters when considering if the result answered the query in \u201cneeds met.\u201d But the quality of the page is a standalone rating with its own set of standards.<\/p>\n Google clarifies with some information:<\/p>\n Takeaway for website publishers: <\/strong>Both Google and websites have a responsibility to meet user needs. That said, \u201cneeds met\u201d is a lot about how good Google is at serving results that meet the needs of its users. Many times, Google serves a result that doesn\u2019t meet the needs of a particular user. But that doesn\u2019t mean the webpage in question is not high quality. Remember, though, that low page quality may not meet the needs of your target audience and may not rank. So get to know some of Google\u2019s quality indicators, like E-A-T<\/a>.<\/p>\n Content blocks, according to Google, can be:<\/p>\n When it comes to rating \u201cneeds met\u201d for content blocks, Google says the following:<\/p>\n For Needs Met rating, you will assign a rating to each result. Each result includes the content inside the result block and landing pages associated with the result.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n But this depends on the type of content block:<\/p>\n Google gives examples of queries and how to approach content block ratings:<\/p>\n Takeaway for website publishers: <\/strong>Any time your website has the potential to be involved in a \u201ccontent block\u201d that\u2019s being evaluated by your potential visitors, think about how that content block is showing up. Don\u2019t ignore the importance of your meta tags and optimizing them for the search results<\/a>. You also want to consider how to rank for featured snippets<\/a>, and some of the things you can do to optimize those.<\/p>\n When a webpage fails to load in some way, it fails the \u201cneeds met\u201d rating. According to Google:<\/p>\n All result blocks must be given a Needs Met rating. If the landing page truly doesn\u2019t load, assign the Did Not Load flag and rate the page FailsM. True Did Not Load pages are useless.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n However, having a custom 404 page,\u00a0for example, that directs visitors to another helpful page could mean that the need is still met:<\/p>\n Sometimes the page partially loads or has an error message. Give Needs Met ratings based on how helpful the result is for the query. Error messages can be customized by the webmaster and are part of a well-functioning website. Sometimes these pages are helpful for the query.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Takeaway for website publishers: <\/strong>This category is all about maintaining the technical back end of your website. Make sure it\u2019s accessible to search engines and visitors. Monitor for errors. Ensure you are properly implementing 301 redirects<\/a> as needed. Customize\u00a0a 404 page<\/a> that helps your visitors dig into more useful information on your site if they happen to get a \u201cnot found\u201d page from the search results.<\/p>\n Some queries deserve fresh content. Google recognizes this and, at one point, changed its algorithm<\/a> to reflect that. Examples of queries that deserve freshness include breaking news and current event queries.<\/p>\n Google wants us to keep in mind, however, that some queries will require both evergreen content and news content to satisfy a need:<\/p>\n For some queries, there may be \u201cnewsy\u201d or recent information user intent, as well as more \u201ctimeless\u201d information user intent. Users issuing queries for celebrities or politicians may be interested in biographical information, or users may be looking for the latest news or gossip.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Takeaways for website publishers: <\/b>If you are a website publisher that creates fresh content for some of the categories above, make sure that it is able to compete in the search results. If appropriate, optimize your site for Google News<\/a>, including having a news sitemap<\/a>. You\u2019ll also want to think about creating webpages with fresh or evergreen content for certain queries that may warrant either.<\/p>\n Some queries have a local intent and require local results. It\u2019s Google\u2019s job to serve up the best results for a query based on the user\u2019s location, and that can vary a lot depending on the intent. Google explains:<\/p>\n When there is a user location for a visit-in-person intent query and a location has not been specified in the query itself, such as [chinese restaurants] with a user location of Boston, MA, results in or near the user location are the most helpful.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n How close is \u201cnear\u201d? The type of business and\/or entity should be taken into consideration when deciding if the distance of the visit-in-person result is too far. For example, most people are not willing to travel very far for a gas station, coffee shop, supermarket, etc. Those are types of businesses that most users expect to find nearby.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n However, users might be willing to travel a little farther for certain kinds of visit-in-person results: doctors\u2019 offices, libraries, specific types of restaurants, public facilities like swimming pools, hiking trails in open spaces, etc. Sometimes users may accept results that are even farther away, such as a very specialized medical clinic.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In other words, when we say users are looking for results \u201cnearby,\u201d the word \u201cnearby\u201d can mean different distances for different queries. As always, please use your judgment.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Takeaway for website publishers: <\/strong>Make sure your website is doing local SEO right<\/a>. Ensure that you are giving Google accurate signals about your local business so that it can appear in the search results when your target audience is looking for what you offer.<\/p>\n Will Google always get it right when it comes to \u201cneeds met\u201d? No. And that\u2019s where the SQEG comes in so that Google can improve its search algorithms.<\/p>\n Meeting the needs of your intended audience starts with creating a quality, well-optimized website. This primes your content for ranking in Google\u2019s search results.<\/p>\n Want expert help with your SEO? Contact us today<\/a> for a free consultation and quote.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The “Needs Met” concept within Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines is pivotal in evaluating the effectiveness of search results. This guideline emphasizes meeting user intent and satisfaction by ensuring search queries receive accurate, relevant, and comprehensive results. When users perform searches, they have specific needs\u2014whether it’s seeking information, purchasing a product, or finding entertainment. Google’s algorithms aim to align search results with these needs.<\/p>\n In essence, “Needs Met” assesses whether a search result fulfills the user’s intention. This involves analyzing the content’s relevance, depth, and usefulness. For instance, if a user searches for “best budget smartphones,” the search results should list various smartphones and provide details that address the budget aspect. Websites that successfully achieve “Needs Met” understand the user’s query context and tailor their content accordingly.<\/p>\n User experience lies at the heart of this concept. Google strives to offer search results matching the query and satisfying experience. This means not only meeting the immediate need but also anticipating related needs. Websites that comprehensively address user queries tend to rank higher as they enhance user satisfaction, leading to longer engagement and repeated visits.<\/p>\n To ensure your content aligns with “Needs Met,” focus on understanding your target audience. Conduct thorough keyword research to grasp the intentions behind search queries. Develop content that answers questions and goes beyond by addressing related topics, catering to a wider range of user needs. This user-centric approach not only aligns with Google’s guidelines but also establishes your website as a reliable source of information.<\/p>\n The “Needs Met” criterion in Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines is a guiding light for content creators and SEO experts. It underscores the importance of user satisfaction, relevant content, and a seamless search experience. By prioritizing fulfilling user needs, websites can optimize their content to rank higher in search results, driving organic traffic and establishing themselves as authoritative sources in their respective domains.<\/p>\n Step-by-Step Procedure: Significance of “Needs Met” in Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/strong><\/p>\n By following these steps, you can effectively ensure that your content aligns with the “Needs Met” criterion in Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, enhancing your website’s search ranking and user satisfaction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cNeeds met\u201d is all about making sure Google\u2019s search engine results satisfy the mobile user. Find out why \u201cneeds met\u201d is a key area to master.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":89302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[18,1788,1787,1785,1232,1786],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/a>How SQEG Factors into Rankings<\/h2>\n
<\/a>What Is \u201cNeeds Met?”<\/h2>\n
![\"Needs](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/needs-met-scale.png\")
\n\u201cNeeds met\u201d scale, Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/em><\/p>\n\n
![\"Needs](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/needs-met-examples-e1612293695721.png\")
\n\u201cFully meets\u201d search results examples, Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>The Relationship Between Quality and Needs Met<\/h2>\n
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![\"Example](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/fails-to-meet-example-e1612293977573.png\")
\nExample of when a result \u201cfails to meet\u201d query needs but is still considered a quality landing page, Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Content Blocks and Needs Met<\/h2>\n
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![\"Types](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/types-of-content-blocks-e1612294171533.png\")
\nTypes of content blocks, Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Examples](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/examples-of-content-blocks-e1612294293561.png\")
\nQueries and content block examples, Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Sites That Don\u2019t Load and Needs Met<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Freshness and Needs Met<\/h2>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/examples-of-queries-that-deserve-freshness-e1612294464693.png\")
\nQuery examples that require fresh results, Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Location and Needs Met<\/h2>\n
Summary<\/h2>\n
<\/a>FAQ: What is the significance of “Needs Met” in Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines?<\/h3>\n
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