Google revised its “Get on Discover” documentation following the lauch of the February Discover core update.
On its documentation updates page, Google said it added more information on how sites can increase the likelihood of content appearing in Discover. Here’s what was added.
What Changed
Comparing the archived version with the current page shows Google rewrote its list of recommendations for Discover visibility.
The previous version combined title and clickbait guidance into a single bullet, saying to “Use page titles that capture the essence of the content, but in a non-clickbait fashion.”
Google split that into two items. The first now says “Use page titles and headlines that capture the essence of the content.” The second says “Avoid clickbait and similar tactics to artificially inflate engagement.”
That word “clickbait” is new. The previous version said “Avoid tactics to artificially inflate engagement” without naming the tactic.
The sensationalism guidance changed too. The old version said “Avoid tactics that manipulate appeal by catering to morbid curiosity, titillation, or outrage.” The revision names the tactic, saying “Avoid sensationalism tactics that manipulate appeal.”
The new addition is a recommendation to “Provide an overall great page experience,” with a link to Google’s page experience documentation. That recommendation isn’t in the archived version.
Image requirements, traffic fluctuation guidance, and performance monitoring sections remain unchanged.
Why This Matters
These documentation changes map to what Google said the core update targets. The blog post announcing the update said the update would show more locally relevant content, reduce sensational content and clickbait, and surface more original content from sites with expertise.
Discover documentation has changed before alongside algorithm updates. Previously, Google added Discover to its Helpful Content System documentation and later expanded its explanation of why Discover traffic fluctuates. Both of those updates aligned with broader changes to how Discover evaluated content.
Page experience has been part of Google’s Search guidance since 2020 but wasn’t in the Discover-specific recommendations before this revision.
Looking Ahead
The February Discover core update is rolling out to English-language users in the United States over the next two weeks. Google said it plans to expand to all countries and languages in the months ahead.
Publishers monitoring Discover traffic in Search Console should check the Get on Discover page for the current recommendations. Google’s standard core update guidance applies as well.
Featured Image: ZikG/Shutterstock
