Google matched content is a content recommendation service/tool/widget that displays relevant content from your site to the users. It works in similar way as other content recommendation widgets such as WordPress internal related post widgets. The Google Adsense matched consent service has been in use since April 2015 but not until September before we got the invite.
Many industry watchers believes Google is rather coming in too late into the content recommendation business considering the fact that other recommendation services such as Taboola, Outbrain, and Yahoo Recommendation are already monetizing with ads in form of related content.
Now that the Google matched content is here, what are the benefits for using it? To understand this proper, we want to look at the questions arising and try to find answers to them:
Is Google Matched Content Better Than Other Related Content Widgets?
This has not yet been proven to be the case. For example, our own in build content recommendation tool pulls related content from the same category which our users have found to be very helpful and good because we try to file our content within the closest category as possible. In this case, I don’t think Google matched content will out perform our current related content as far as recommendation is concerned.
However, for other related content tools that are not category based and for sites that does not pay particular attention to categorization, I think Google matched content may be the way to go as it may actually be better.
Does Google Matched Content Increases Adsense Revenue?
Google said yes! “By making it easy for your readers to find the content that they’re interested in, you can increase your site’s page views, the time spent on your site, reader loyalty, ad impressions, and ultimately ad revenue.” But nothing has been proven yet, it is still as good as speculation.
If the only way Google matched content increases Adsense earning is purely by improving users engagement, it means any other related content widgets that is efficient enough to recommend to users what they want can as well increase Adsense earning. For now, it is safe to conclude that improving users engagement and Adsense earning has not been proven to be Google matched content’s monopoly.
The Matched Content Unit Has It’s Own Reporting Metrics?
Yes, the matched content units also have their own reporting metrics, and I think this is it’s strongest point as far as I am concerned. But come to think of it. What can the reporting metrics do that you can’t find on Google Analytics?
In Conclusion!
I think it’s a great honor to be considered as one of the many sites that have qualified for this great service from Google. Like every other Google’s products, this will soon takeover the content recommendation niche. Judging from the way I see it display on other people’s site, I think it works wonder.
Constative.com have been approved for Google matched content services but we are yet to use it. This is because I just find it difficult to ditch the current related post we have. We may use it in the near future and I certainly recommend everyone to use it as there are obvious benefits of using it.
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