Your Guide to Understanding, Optimizing for, and Troubleshooting Google's Interest-Based Feed

Ever scroll through your phone and find fascinating articles or videos you weren't searching for? Chances are, you've encountered Google Discover. It's that personalized feed on the Google app and mobile homepage that proactively shows content based on your interests, not just your active searches. For website owners and SEOs, Discover represents a significant, often untapped, traffic source.

But how do you know if your content is hitting the mark in Discover? And how can you optimize for it? Recently, Google Search Console has made analyzing this easier by giving Discover performance its own dedicated report.

Let's dive into what this report means, why Discover matters for SEO, and how you can leverage it for growth.

First Things First: How Does the Discover Report Appear in GSC?

This isn't a feature you manually enable or a brand-new integration you need to set up. The Discover performance report appears automatically in the left-hand navigation of your Google Search Console property if your site has accumulated a minimum threshold of impressions in Discover over the recent period (typically the last 16 months).

If you don't see it, it simply means your site hasn't achieved significant visibility within the Discover feed. Don't worry—this guide will help you work towards that!

Why Google Discover is a Big Deal for SEO

While distinct from traditional search rankings, Discover visibility is incredibly valuable:

1. Significant Traffic Potential: Discover can drive substantial traffic, sometimes rivaling or even exceeding organic search traffic for certain types of content or during viral moments.
2. Reaching New Audiences: It exposes your content to users who might not have found you through a direct search query, broadening your reach based on their demonstrated interests.
3. Brand Building: Consistent appearance in Discover builds brand recognition and positions you as an authority or source of engaging content within specific niches.
4. Understanding User Interests: The report itself offers clues about what topics resonate most with the audience. Discover targets for your site.

What Makes Content Shine in Google Discover? (Key Metrics & Factors)

Unlike traditional search, Discover isn't about matching keywords precisely. It's about matching content to user interests. Google uses signals from a user's Web & App Activity, location history, and device information to personalize the feed. So, what makes your content likely to appear?

• High-Quality, Engaging Content: This is non-negotiable. Content must be accurate, well-written, insightful, and genuinely interesting to users. Google emphasizes content that aligns with E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) principles.
• Compelling Visuals: Discover is highly visual. High-resolution, captivating images and videos are crucial. Avoid using just your site logo as the main image. Ensure your preview images are large enough (at least 1200px wide and enabled by the max-image-preview: large setting or by using AMP).
• Strong Headlines: Titles should be descriptive and entice clicks without being clickbait. They need to accurately reflect the content while grabbing attention.
• Topical Relevance & Entities: Google needs to understand what your content is about and connect it to established topics and entities that users have shown interest in. Clear structure and focused content help.
• Site Authority & Trust: Established websites with a history of publishing trustworthy, quality content are often favored.
• Mobile-Friendliness & Page Experience: Since Discover is primarily a mobile experience, your site must be fast, responsive, and offer a seamless user experience on mobile devices.
• Freshness & Evergreen Appeal: While timely content often performs well, high-quality evergreen content that aligns strongly with user interests can also surface repeatedly.

Notice the overlap here with broader SEO best practices? Principles that help with things like AI Overviews in Search Results (deep content understanding) and achieving good Search Experience Optimization (SXO) and Site Quality Index (SQI) (user satisfaction, trust) are also fundamental to Discover's success. Similarly, content structured well enough to potentially win Featured Snippets often has the clarity that resonates in Discover.

Your Guide to Using the Discover Performance Report

If you have the Discover tab in GSC, here’s how to use it:

1. Navigate: Click on "Discover" under the "Performance" section in the left sidebar.
2. Key Metrics:
• Total Impressions: How many times any URL from your site was shown in users' Discover feeds.
• Total Clicks: How many times users clicked on your URL from their Discover feed.
• Average CTR (Click-Through Rate): Clicks divided by Impressions. This indicates how compelling your content (headline, image, snippet) was when shown.
3. Analyze Trends: Look at the graph over time. Are there spikes? Dips? Correlate these with the content you published or updated.
4. Top Performing Pages: Identify which articles or pages are driving the most Discover traffic. What topics are they about? What format are they in? What visuals did they use? This is your blueprint for success.
5. Compare Discover vs. Search: Use the "Compare" tab to see how Discover traffic stacks up against traditional Search traffic for specific pages or queries (though Discover doesn't use queries). Notice the difference in CTR – Discover CTR is often lower than targeted search CTR, but impressions can be much higher.
6. Filter by Appearance (If Applicable): See if your content appeared with specific features.

Troubleshooting: Why Isn't My Content Appearing (or Performing Well) in Discover?

• Not Enough Data Yet: Your site might be new or hasn't hit the impression threshold for the report to appear. Keep creating great content.
• Content Quality/Interest Mismatch: Is your content truly high-quality and genuinely interesting to a broad audience interested in your topics? Review E-E-A-T.
• Weak Visuals: Are your featured images compelling, high-resolution, and large enough (1200px+ wide)? Avoid generic stock photos or just logos.
• Misleading/Clickbait Titles: Headlines must accurately represent the content.
• Technical Issues: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, loads fast, and doesn't have intrusive interstitials. Check AMP validity if you use AMP.
• Policy Violations: Ensure your content adheres to Google Discover's content policies (avoiding hateful, deceptive, medical, or explicit content, etc.).
• Lack of Topical Authority: Build expertise and publish consistently within your niche.

FAQs: Google Discover and User Content

Q: Can User Generated Content (UGC) like comments or forum posts appear in Google Discover?

• A: Yes, any webpage that is indexed by Google and meets Google Discover's content policies is potentially eligible for Discover, including pages featuring user-generated content. There are no special tags required. Eligibility focuses on content quality and relevance to user interests.

Q: How does Google Discover evaluate the quality of pages with UGC?

• A: Google evaluates pages with UGC using the same core principles as other content, emphasizing E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Content should be helpful, reliable, and people-first. For UGC, this means ensuring the content is moderated, factual where necessary, and contributes positively to the topic.

Q: Do Google Discover's content policies apply to UGC hosted on my site?

• A: Absolutely. All content eligible for Discover, including UGC like comments or forum posts, must adhere strictly to Discover's content policies. This prohibits content that is dangerous, deceptive, hateful, harassing, medical-related (in certain contexts), sexually explicit, terrorist-related, violent, or promotes regulated goods. Effective moderation of UGC is crucial.

Q: How important are compelling visuals and titles for pages featuring UGC to appear in Discover?

• A: Very important. Discover is a visual experience. Pages featuring UGC should still follow best practices: use high-quality, large images (at least 1200px wide, enabled via 'max-image-preview: large' or AMP) that are relevant to the content. Page titles should be descriptive and engaging, accurately reflecting the topic without resorting to clickbait tactics.

Q: Do user actions on my site (like upvoting UGC or commenting) directly influence Discover visibility?

• A: The documentation emphasizes that Discover matches content to users based on their interests (derived from Web & App Activity) and the content's quality signals (like E-E-A-T). While high user engagement is generally a positive signal for website quality overall, the primary driver for Discover appearance seems to be the alignment of quality content with automatically detected user interests, rather than specific on-page interactions like upvotes influencing the algorithm directly for others.

Q: Can users directly influence seeing more content (including relevant UGC) from my site in their Discover feed?

• A: Yes, users can influence their own feed. Google mentions an experimental 'Follow' feature that allows users to follow specific websites directly from Search results or Discover. Following a site indicates a strong interest, making it more likely that content from that site (including pages with relevant, high-quality UGC) will appear in that particular user's Discover feed.

Embrace the Opportunity

The Google Discover performance report in Search Console is more than just another data point; it's a window into a powerful traffic channel driven by user interests. While you can't optimize for Discover keywords, you can optimize for quality, engagement, compelling visuals, and deep user value.

Focus on creating content that resonates, ensure your technical foundation is solid, and pay close attention to your visuals and headlines. Dive into your Discover report (if available) to learn what's working, and keep refining your strategy. Discover represents a fantastic opportunity to connect with users in a new, proactive way – make sure you're ready to meet them there.

 Best,

Momenul Ahmad

I'm Momenul Ahmad, Digital Marketing Strategist at SEOSiri. I focus on driving top SERP performance through technical skills and smart content strategy. Currently, I'm available for hire and looking for exciting consulting or full-time opportunities to make an impact. Interested in discussing how I can help? Let's chat on WhatsApp. You can also learn more about our work at SEOSiri.

WordPress, the powerhouse CMS driving a vast portion of the web, never stands still. With each major release, it refines its features, addresses user feedback, and adapts to the ever-evolving digital landscape. The preliminary planning outlined for the upcoming WordPress 6.8 release (as detailed in the early Field Guide discussions) offers valuable insights into its strategic priorities and how it aims to compete against a diverse field of rivals.

Let's dissect the potential focus areas for 6.8 and analyze their competitive significance:

1. Continued Evolution of the Block Editor & Site Editor (FSE):

• What the Guide Suggests: Ongoing refinements to blocks, patterns, design tools, and the overall Full Site Editing experience. Introduction of features like Block Hooks API for deeper developer integration without modifying theme code directly. Potential improvements to template and pattern management.

• Competitive Analysis: This remains WordPress's core battleground, especially against visual site builders like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify. WordPress aims to bridge the gap between its inherent flexibility/power and the intuitive drag-and-drop experience these platforms champion. Enhancements here are crucial for retaining users who demand easier visual control. The Block Hooks API, specifically, reinforces WordPress's strength as a platform, offering extensibility that closed systems can't match, potentially appealing more to developers than platforms like Wix/Squarespace. It also keeps pace with layout-building capabilities in systems like Drupal.

2. Exploration of Admin UI Redesign:

• What the Guide Suggests: Dedicated focus on potentially modernizing the WordPress admin interface (WP-Admin). This is a long-term project, but 6.8 might see foundational work or specific component updates.

• Competitive Analysis: This directly addresses a long-standing critique. While powerful, the WP-Admin can feel dated or complex compared to the streamlined dashboards of Squarespace, Wix, or even modern headless CMS platforms like Contentful or Strapi. A successful redesign could significantly lower the barrier to entry for new users and improve efficiency for everyone, making WordPress feel less intimidating compared to simpler hosted solutions. However, changing a familiar UI carries risks of alienating long-term users.

3. Performance as a Perpetual Priority:

• What the Guide Suggests: Continued work on optimizing loading times, database queries, and overall site speed, likely involving improvements related to block rendering, image loading (building on INP fixes), and potentially theme/plugin performance APIs.

• Competitive Analysis: Performance is critical across the board. While WordPress performance heavily depends on hosting and theme/plugin choices (a potential disadvantage compared to optimized closed systems like Shopify or Squarespace), core improvements are vital. This focus helps WordPress compete on SEO rankings (Core Web Vitals) and user experience, ensuring it remains a viable option against inherently fast architectures, including some Headless CMS setups.

4. Potential Seeds of Collaboration Features:

• What the Guide Suggests: Exploration or early work related to real-time collaboration features, potentially mirroring experiences seen in Google Docs or Notion.

• Competitive Analysis: This is a forward-looking move. Many modern platforms, including some specialized CMS and tools like Notion or even Google Workspace, excel at multi-user workflows. Introducing robust collaboration directly into WordPress could be a significant differentiator, especially for agencies, publications, and larger teams, potentially drawing users away from relying on third-party tools or less collaborative CMS options. It's an area where traditional competitors like Drupal and Joomla are less focused.

5. Developer Experience Enhancements (APIs, Tools):

• What the Guide Suggests: Features like the Block Hooks API, potential updates to the Interactivity API, and other under-the-hood improvements aimed at developers building themes, plugins, and custom sites.

• Competitive Analysis: This reinforces WordPress's core strength: its extensibility and developer community. While hosted builders offer ease of use, WordPress provides unparalleled customization potential. These updates keep the platform attractive for agencies and developers compared to closed systems. It also ensures WordPress remains a competitive framework against other open-source options (Drupal, Joomla) and provides a different value proposition than API-first Headless CMS platforms (which often require more frontend development).

Strategic Implications:

The WordPress 6.8 planning indicates a multi-pronged strategy:

• Doubling Down on Gutenberg: Continuing to invest heavily in the block-based paradigm to compete directly with visual builders on ease of use and design capabilities.

• Addressing Usability: Acknowledging the need for a more modern admin experience to lower the barrier to entry.

• Maintaining Core Strengths: Prioritizing performance and developer tools to retain its technical advantages and community loyalty.

• Future-Proofing: Exploring areas like collaboration to stay relevant with evolving web and workflow trends.

Conclusion:

The WordPress 6.8 roadmap, even in its preliminary stage, shows an awareness of the competitive pressures from intuitive hosted builders, flexible headless systems, and established open-source rivals.

By focusing on refining its core block editing experience, tackling admin usability, enhancing performance, and exploring future needs like collaboration, WordPress isn't just maintaining its position; it's actively working to sharpen its competitive edge across multiple fronts. The success of these initiatives will be crucial in ensuring WordPress continues to dominate the CMS landscape for years to come. 

What else like potential and lack of use cases in your mind about 6.8 WordPress release, please share us in the comments.

Read the release guide of WordPress 6.8

 Best,

Momenul Ahmad

I'm Momenul Ahmad, Digital Marketing Strategist at SEOSiri. I focus on driving top SERP performance through technical skills and smart content strategy. Currently, I'm available for hire and looking for exciting consulting or full-time opportunities to make an impact. Interested in discussing how I can help? Let's chat on WhatsApp. You can also learn more about our work at SEOSiri.

You pour your heart (and budget!) into your e-commerce store. You drive traffic, perfect product pages, and celebrate every "Add to Cart." But then... crickets. That shopper vanishes, leaving items orphaned in their cart. Sound familiar? This isn't just frustrating; it's cart abandonment, the silent profit killer draining countless online stores.

But what if you could understand exactly why they leave? What if you knew which types of shoppers are most likely to bail? This isn't about guesswork; it's about insight. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about cart abandonment rate – what it means for your business, why different shoppers leave, and actionable steps you can take today to turn those abandoned carts back into revenue.

What is Cart Abandonment Rate, Really? (And Why Should You Care?)

Let's get clear. Your Cart Abandonment Rate is the percentage of shoppers who add products to their online cart but disappear before checking out.

The Formula:
Cart Abandonment Rate = (Carts Started - Purchases Completed) / Carts Started * 100%

Think of it: If 100 shoppers start a cart, but only 25 finish buying, your rate is a staggering 75%!

Why this metric keeps savvy e-commerce owners up at night:

• Direct Revenue Loss: Obvious, right? Every abandoned cart is money left on the table.
• Wasted Marketing Spend: Your hard-earned ad clicks, SEO efforts, and social media buzz didn't fully convert. Ouch.
• Conversion Rate Killer: It's a major roadblock in your overall sales funnel efficiency.
• Red Flags in Your Experience: Often, high abandonment signals friction – maybe checkout is clunky, costs are confusing, or trust is low.

"Why Did They Leave?!" Common Culprits for Abandoned Carts

Do any of these sound painfully familiar? These are the usual suspects driving shoppers away just before the finish line:

• Sticker Shock: Unexpectedly high shipping, taxes, or fees popping up at the end.
• "Create an Account?" Barrier: Forcing registration instead of offering guest checkout.
• Checkout Maze: A process that's too long, confusing, or asks for too much info.
• Trust Issues: Lack of security badges, unclear return policies, or unfamiliar payment gateways.
• Payment Roadblocks: Not offering their preferred way to pay (PayPal, Apple Pay, BNPL?).
• Tech Troubles: A slow site, bugs during checkout, or a layout that breaks on mobile.
• "Just Browsing" Syndrome: Using the cart as a wishlist or for price comparisons.
• Life Happens: Real-world distractions or simply deciding to "think about it."

Beyond the Basics: Segmenting Your Abandonment Rate for Smarter Fixes

Your overall rate is just the starting point. The real power comes from slicing the data. Let's see how different factors dramatically influence abandonment:

1. 📱 Device Drama (Mobile vs. Desktop)

• The Trend: Ever notice more drop-offs on phones? You're not alone. Mobile abandonment rates are often much higher than desktop.
• Why the Gap? Smaller screens, fiddly forms, easier distractions, less perceived security, connection issues... mobile checkout can be inherently trickier.
• Your Action Signal: High mobile abandonment screams for a better mobile user experience (UX) and a streamlined mobile checkout. Fixing this boosts conversions from on-the-go shoppers.

2. 🌍 Location, Location, Abandonment (Geolocation)

• The Trend: Selling internationally? Expect different abandonment rates by country. Regions with higher shipping costs, complex customs, or less established e-commerce trust often see higher abandonment.
• Why the Gap? Surprise import duties, lack of local payment options (crucial!), slow/expensive shipping, language barriers, or strong local competitors.
• Your Action Signal: High abandonment from specific countries signals a need for localized shipping solutions, transparent cost calculation, local payment methods, and possibly translated checkout pages. Nail this to increase global sales.

3. 🗣️ Language Barriers (Site Language)

• The Trend: If your site isn't perfectly translated, expect higher abandonment from users browsing in those secondary languages. Seamless native language experience = lower abandonment.
• Why the Gap? Poor translations erode trust ("Did they even care?"). Wrong currency/formats confuse buyers. Lack of support in their language is a dead end.
• Your Action Signal: Professional translation and full localization (currency, formats, support) are essential for building trust and increasing conversions from international audiences.

4. 💻 Browser Quirks (Browser & OS)

• The Trend: Usually less dramatic, but specific, older, or less common browsers can show higher abandonment if your site has compatibility bugs. Modern browsers usually perform better.
• Why the Gap? Technical glitches (CSS/JS errors), rendering issues, or simply a lack of testing on that specific browser/OS combo.
• Your Action Signal: Spikes in abandonment on a particular browser point to technical issues needing attention. Fix the bugs to increase completion rates for those users.

Your Action Plan: Turning Abandonment Insights into Revenue Recovery

Okay, enough analysis – let's fix things! Here’s your checklist to fight cart abandonment:

1. Streamline That Checkout:
• ✅ Guest Checkout: Make it prominent!
• ✅ Simplify Forms: Less is more. Autofill is your friend.
• ✅ Show Progress: Keep users oriented (e.g., Step 1 of 3).
• ✅ Fewer Steps: Can anything be combined?
2. Kill Surprise Costs:
• ✅ Upfront Totals: Show shipping/taxes early (cart page if possible).
• ✅ Shipping Calculator: Let users estimate costs easily.
• ✅ Offer Incentives: Free shipping thresholds work wonders.
3. Build Unshakeable Trust:
• ✅ Show Security: Prominent SSL, payment logos, security seals.
• ✅ Clear Policies: Easy-to-find returns, privacy info.
• ✅ Social Proof: Leverage reviews!
• ✅ Be Reachable: Clear contact info builds confidence.
4. Expand Payment Horizons:
• ✅ Offer Variety: Credit Cards, PayPal, Digital Wallets (Apple/Google Pay), BNPL? Know your audience's preferences!
5. Boost Performance Power:
• ✅ Speed Up: Optimize images, use caching, check mobile speed!
6. Master the Mobile Experience:
• ✅ Truly Responsive: Test relentlessly on different devices.
• ✅ Thumb-Friendly: Big buttons, easy forms.
7. Intercept the Exit:
• ✅ Exit-Intent Popups: Offer a last-minute discount or help.
8. Win Them Back (Recovery):
• ✅ Abandoned Cart Emails: Timely, visual reminders (with product images!) + a clear CTA. Maybe a small nudge (discount)? Read full guide.
9. Make Returning Easy:
• ✅ Save Cart / Wishlist: Let browsers easily pick up where they left off.
10. Stay Top-of-Mind:
• ✅ Retargeting Ads: Gentle reminders across the web/social.

Helpful Tools for the Journey:

• Analytics (Essential): Google Analytics 4 for segmenting users.
• User Behavior: Hotjar, Crazy Egg (heatmaps, session recordings).
• Testing: A/B testing tools to validate your changes.
• Recovery Platforms: Klaviyo, Omnisend, CartStack etc. for email automation.

Make Abandonment Your Optimization Catalyst

Cart abandonment might feel like a leaky bucket, but every "leak" you analyze is an opportunity. It's a direct signal from your potential customers telling you where the friction lies. By moving beyond the overall average and dissecting abandonment across devices, locations, languages, and browsers, you uncover specific, actionable insights.

Reducing this rate isn't a single fix, but a commitment to creating a smoother, more transparent, and trustworthy path to purchase. Implement these strategies, test relentlessly, and watch those seemingly lost sales turn into loyal customers.

What's the biggest cart abandonment challenge you're facing right now? Share in the comments!

Best,

Momenul Ahmad

I'm Momenul Ahmad, Digital Marketing Strategist at SEOSiri. I focus on driving top SERP performance through technical skills and smart content strategy. Currently, I'm available for hire and looking for exciting consulting or full-time opportunities to make an impact. Interested in discussing how I can help? Let's chat on WhatsApp. You can also learn more about our work at SEOSiri.