Google announces “news  topic authority” aimed at surfacing relevant, expert, and knowledgeable content in Google Search and Google News. This system is designed to help with queries in specialized topic areas, such as health, politics, or finance. However, Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, clarified that this is not a new system but an old ranking system that they are now discussing publicly.

The news topic authority system works by looking at several signals to understand the expertise of a publication in a specific area of interest. These signals include the notability of a source for its topic or location, the originality of the reporting, and the reputation of the source. For instance, if there was a flood in your area, the topic authority signal would help identify content from local publications that regularly cover topics in your city or town and surface them towards the top of your search results.

Google believes this system should help surface content from original reporting news teams that are intimately familiar with the location and topic. Local news publications should appear more often for queries related to their local area, and publishers with specific expertise should appear for queries on their areas of expertise.

In terms of optimization for topic authority, Google advises continuing with current practices and providing great coverage about the areas and topics they know well. If done right, Google should reward your content and publication with better visibility and traffic from both Google Search and Google News.

Historical Topic Authority

  1. Notability of a Source: Google’s topic authority system takes into account the notability of a source for its topic or location. This means that if a publication is particularly well-known or respected for its coverage of a specific topic or location, it will be given more weight in the search results. For example, a local newspaper that regularly covers local events would be considered a notable source for news about that location.
  2. Original Reporting: The system also considers the originality of the reporting. This is determined by looking at links, citations, and other areas. If a publication is producing original, in-depth reporting that is being cited by other sources, it will be considered more authoritative.
  3. Reputation of the Source: The reputation of the source is another important factor. Google can look at the history of high-quality reporting, recommendations from expert sources, and more to assess the reputation of the publication. A source with a long history of high-quality, reliable reporting will be considered more authoritative.
  4. Practicality: Google’s topic authority system is designed to surface content from original reporting news teams that are intimately familiar with the location and topic. This means that local news publications should show up more often for queries related to their local area. Similarly, publishers with a specific expertise should show up for queries on their areas of expertise.
  5. Optimization: In terms of optimizing for topic authority, Google advises publishers to continue doing what they’re doing, as long as they’re providing great coverage about the areas and topics they know well. This means focusing on producing high-quality, original content that is relevant to their area of expertise.

Google’s news topic authority system is designed to surface the most relevant, expert, and knowledgeable content for users. It does this by considering a variety of factors, including the notability, originality, and reputation of the source. This should result in users seeing more high-quality, relevant content in their search results.

The Future of Google Topic Authority

As we look towards the future of Google’s Topic Authority system, it’s clear that the search engine giant is making a concerted effort to prioritize quality, expertise, and relevance in its search results. This system, which is designed to surface the most knowledgeable and relevant content for users, is likely to continue evolving and improving as Google refines its algorithms and responds to user needs.

One of the key areas where we might see further development in the Topic Authority system is in its ability to assess the notability and reputation of a source. Currently, Google uses a variety of signals to determine the authority of a source, including the history of high-quality reporting and recommendations from expert sources. However, as artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies continue to advance, we could see Google developing even more sophisticated ways of assessing the credibility and authority of a source.

For example, Google might start to incorporate more nuanced measures of a source’s reputation, such as the number of retractions or corrections it has issued, the qualifications and expertise of its authors, or the transparency of its editorial policies. This could help to further refine the Topic Authority system and ensure that the most reliable and trustworthy sources are prioritized in search results.

Another area where we could see further development is in the system’s ability to understand the context and nuance of a topic. While the Topic Authority system currently looks at the notability of a source for its topic or location, future iterations of the system might be able to delve deeper into the nuances of a topic, understanding the different perspectives and facets of a complex issue and surfacing content that provides a comprehensive and balanced view.

This could be particularly valuable in areas like health, politics, or finance, where there are often multiple valid perspectives on a topic and where providing users with a range of viewpoints could help them to make more informed decisions.

Furthermore, as the internet continues to grow and evolve, the Topic Authority system will need to adapt to new forms of content and new ways of disseminating information. For instance, as more people turn to social media platforms, podcasts, and other non-traditional sources for news and information, Google might need to find ways to assess the authority and credibility of these sources.

In terms of optimization for Topic Authority, we can expect that the best practices will continue to revolve around producing high-quality, original content that is relevant to a specific area of expertise. However, as the system becomes more sophisticated, publishers might need to pay more attention to demonstrating their credibility and authority, for instance by providing clear information about their editorial policies, the qualifications of their authors, and the sources of their information.

In conclusion, the future of Google’s Topic Authority system looks set to be one of continued evolution and refinement. As Google continues to prioritize quality, relevance, and expertise in its search results, we can expect to see further improvements in the way the system assesses the authority of a source and understands the nuances of a topic. For publishers, this means a continued focus on producing high-quality, original, and relevant content, while also demonstrating their credibility and authority.