Google Perspectives: A New Opportunity to Maximize Your Brand Exposure

Perspectives Can Be Your Shortcut to Google's Front Page Without Traditional SEO Hassle

In the last few days, I've been rigorously testing Google’s Perspectives tab - a new feature that boldly claims to 'bring diverse voices to search.’

The drive behind my deep dive was pretty pragmatic.

I wanted to figure out if Perspectives could be a shortcut for brands and content creators to Google’s traffic, bypassing the standard heavy SEO grind.

And if that’s the case, how do we optimize for them?

Since Google dominates over 90% of the global online search market, we have solid reasons to look at its Perspectives closely.

Below are the key findings and thoughts on that.

What Is the Perspectives Tab?

As Google states on its blog, Perspectives aims to help users 'learn from others' unique experiences.'  And they consistently emphasize “human experience” whenever discussing this feature.

Keep this in mind:

if you plan to optimize for the Perspectives tab, your content should focus on how you 'touched and tested' the topic, rather than just generally covering it.

I'll delve more into optimization strategies below.

Now, let's return to the essence of Perspectives.

The idea behind this filter is to uncover "hidden gem" content, which may not be easily found online, and bring it to the forefront of search results.

In fact, the Perspectives tab is a response to a particular user search behavior known as the “Reddit trick.” This involves users adding 'Reddit' to their queries to bypass unhelpful SEO-optimized fluff and find valuable human insights.

So now, with Perspectives, users have access to such insights shared beyond just Reddit.

Visually, the tab resembles a Pinterest board linking to various types of content and channels: YouTube and TikTok videos, forums (Reddit and Quora), personal blogs, and websites.

IMO, it somewhat resembles an online casino. Though this is subjective.

So far, Perspectives is only available on mobile devices, but Google plans to introduce it on desktops soon as well.

The Key Benefit of the Perspectives Tab for Brands and Content Creators

Ranking on Perspectives can propel your content onto Google's first SERP (search engine results page), sidestepping the traditional SEO grind.

That’s what I believe is the main value in showing up on this filter.

Here's how it works:

Google plans to integrate top Perspectives content directly into the main organic search results. This will create a dedicated section on the SERP, aptly named… Perspectives 😂.

Here’s what Google says about it:

You can access this content (i.e., Perspectives filter) through a dedicated Perspectives section that may appear on the results page. By tapping the “See more” link, you can access the full page of Perspectives content that you would by using the filter.

Feeling a bit lost in this 'Perspectives kaleidoscope'? 🥴

That's understandable.

Initially, there was even a third type of Perspectives, but it seems to have been phased out for now.

To simplify, let’s differentiate between the two main types: The Perspectives Tab (or filter), which we’ve already explored, and the Perspectives Carousel, which appears directly on the SERP.

Perspectives Tab vs Perspectives Carousel - What’s the Difference?

I asked the SGE bot, the main hero of Google's upcoming AI Search transformation, for clarification.

It responded 🤖:

From this AI's typical fluffy answer, combined with what I've gleaned from Google's blog, it's evident that both the Perspectives Tab and Carousel serve the same purpose: showcasing human-generated, experience-rich content.

However, the key difference is where and how they’re nestled on the search page.

Take the Perspectives Tab.

It’s a small blink filter (see the screenshot above) that sometimes pops up front and center above the search bar, other times tucked away at the far right.

Finding and tapping it requires extra effort from a user.

In our fast-paced, easily distracted world, it's not the most attention-grabbing feature.

But Perspectives Carousel is a different story.

When top results from the Tab suddenly pop up in the Carousel, they're hard to miss (see the gif below).

Here, content is showcased prominently, making it a potential hotspot for traffic.

That is why this whole Perspectives game is worth the effort.

Here’s what the Carousel is supposed to look like on SERP (still in testing).

Next, onto the optimization part.

How to Optimize for Google Perspectives?

Launched in June 2023, Google Perspectives is still pretty new. Apparently, there isn't much data yet to discuss the best strategies.

However, this doesn't stop us from exploring and understanding its nuances.

After testing out Perspectives myself, below are some thoughts on how to approach it effectively.

1) Ensure Your Content Aligns With ‘Eligible’ Queries

In my tests, I've noticed that the Perspectives tab usually pops up for most queries, but with some exceptions. Let’s call them 'non-eligible' queries.

They tend to fall under the Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) topics, as outlined in Google's E-E-A-T guidelines (more on E-E-A-T is detailed below).

But with a surprising carve out, that IMO goes against logic.

Let me explain.

Google defines the YMYL topics as those that could significantly impact health, financial stability, safety, or societal welfare.

Because of this exact impact, Google demands sources covering these topics to demonstrate heightened trustworthiness compared to non-YMYL content.

So I’ve explored how the Perspectives tab responds to every YMYL category. Here’s what I found:

a) The entire health domain, including unconventional healing, doesn't appear on the Perspectives tab

No matter how hard I went on tweaking my queries.

Here's an example of how Perspectives rejects my timeless weekend health query:

Understandable. The impact of bad advice can be really detrimental.

BUT

b) Money-related queries, such as those about crypto, passive income, quick profits, and other scam-prone topics, are frequently featured on Perspectives**

This is perplexing 🤔

Following the YMYL narrative, apparently money content shouldn’t be there.

What’s more, while scrolling through ‘crypto and profits’ perspectives, I came across a bunch of dudes barely in their 20s.

Some of them claim to have 'REAL experience' in successful investing and creating multiple passive income streams.

How does Google ascertain the credibility of such experiences?

c) The remaining YMYL topics - such as stability, safety, and societal welfare (including politics) - don't feature in Perspectives.

I won't delve deep into these, as they're seldom the focus of brand or creator promotions. My checks confirmed their absence.

So, to summarize: Perspectives seems to largely bypass YMYL topics, except the ‘your money’ ones… Which is weird.

2) Audit the Top-Ranking Content on Perspectives Around Your Niche

Suppose you're promoting a ghostwriting service.

Start by searching for a broad term like 'ghostwriting' to spot the top-performing subtopics.

You will see subtopics:

• How to start
• How to make money
• How to hire, etc.

It’s noteworthy that some of the top-ranking perspectives don’t necessarily boast high engagement (like a significant number of likes or views).

To optimize, focus on these popular subtopics.

Your goal should be to craft content that is more in-depth, refined, and updated than what's currently ranking.

In marketing, it's always beneficial to draw inspiration from successful examples and then enhance upon them.

3) Identify Relevant Channels

Using our ghostwriting example - most top-ranking perspectives appear on platforms like Quora and YouTube.

Therefore, it makes sense to focus your efforts on these platforms.

For other niches, channels might be different.

So, the goal here is to identify which channels frequently appear in Perspectives for your targeted queries and publish your content exactly there.

Demonstrate E-E-A-T in Your Content

Simply put, E-E-A-T  is a set of Google’s principles to define the trustworthiness of content, so it may rank it.

The letters stand for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

Now, let’s break them down, and see how you could demonstrate them in your content.

Experience

Refers to the author's direct, hands-on familiarity with the subject.

To showcase this, illustrate in your content how you've personally tested the product or service in question.

Share stories of attracting a group of testers and their feedback.

Support your narrative with relevant images and videos that evidence your practical engagement with the topic.

The key is to underscore that you've really practiced your subject, rather than just learning about it from books.

Expertise

Represents the author's depth of knowledge and skill in a specific area.

To demonstrate expertise, reference authoritative sources and highlight the thorough research behind your work.

You can further enhance your credibility by obtaining a 'reviewed' tag from an established expert or by collaborating with them on your content piece.

Authoritativeness

Authoritativeness is about being recognized as a go-to source for a particular topic.

To achieve this, it's crucial to consistently focus on and produce content related to that topic, talking about it extensively.

This is why the current trend of an anti-niche strategy might hinder your ranking in Perspectives.

I personally love the anti-niche, but Google doesn’t.

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is the cornerstone of the E-E-A-T framework.

It implies the credibility and reliability of both the content and the content creator. Trustworthiness underscores the necessity of presenting information that's accurate, free from deception, and transparent.

To showcase it, be open about your background, share your personal stories, and provide contact details (excluding your home address, of course).

Introduce your team and ensure easy ways to connect.

Transparency is a sure sign that you’re trustworthy.

Another key element is how you handle user feedback.

Encourage it, engage actively, and address both compliments and critiques thoughtfully.

Responding considerately to criticism demonstrates that you're attentive, mature, and committed to getting things right.

5) Avoid Being Overly Controversial (Yeah, That’s Weird)

As someone who still harbors a teenage rebel's spirit at 36, I personally hate this tip.

But unfortunately, Google’s algorithms don’t care much about our individual preferences.

To rank well on Perspectives, content should be accurate and align with Google's standards.

This often means corroborating your views with authoritative sources and experts.

When your take is too far off the mainstream, backing it up becomes challenging, affecting both credibility and social engagement metrics (likes and shares).

So, the trick is to strike a balance: be unique and original, but not too fringe.

On the other hand, Perspectives isn't the only way to reach your audience.

There are plenty of alternative paths to find your audience without compromising your strong distinct identity.

6) Optimize Your Visuals and Thumbnails for the Platforms Where You Create

This is self-evident. But throwing this one for the completeness of the checklist.

7) Promote and Cross-Promote Your Content

Another piece of clear-cut wisdom: The more social signals (likes, shares, comments) your content generates, the more it's favored by algorithms.

Wrapping It Up

I firmly believe that brands and content creators should seriously start tapping into Google Perspectives.

Its potential to catapult your content to the front page of Google - the heart of global organic traffic - makes it an opportunity too significant to ignore.

Plus, moving up in the Perspectives rankings doesn't involve the usual intensive SEO hassle typical of Google.

More visibility with less effort – an offer too tempting to pass up, right?

More on the future of search in the next issues of my newsletter, AImplifier. If you enjoyed it, make sure to sign up.

Feel free to share your thoughts or correct me. And if you're interested in collaborating on the next piece, I'm open.

I'd also love to connect on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Thanks for reading! Your time and attention are priceless. ❤️