Google is basically a fickle landlord. One day it loves you and gives you the penthouse suite on Page 1; the next, you’re evicted to Page 10 because a core update decided your "vibe" was off. If you’re trying to figure out the features that rank on Google and appear in Google Discover, you have to realize they aren’t the same thing, even if they share the same DNA. Search is about intent. Discover is about interest.
You’re here because you want traffic.
SEO is the long game. Discover is the dopamine hit. Most people think they can just sprinkle some keywords, add a "featured image," and wait for the millions of clicks to roll in from the Chrome mobile app. It doesn’t work like that. Honestly, the barrier to entry has never been higher, especially with Google's SGE (Search Generative Experience) and the 2024-2025 updates that absolutely gutted "niche sites" that felt like they were written by robots.
The Search Side: What Actually Ranks Now?
Search is intent-driven. Someone asks a question, and Google wants to provide the most authoritative, helpful answer. But "helpful" isn't a vague feeling anymore. It's measured by something Google calls E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
If you’re writing about how to fix a leaky pipe, Google wants to see that you’ve actually held a wrench. This is why "Experience" was added to the acronym. Google's Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines—a massive 170-page document that real humans use to grade websites—explicitly state that for many topics, the "who" behind the content matters as much as the "what."
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The Death of "Good Enough" Content
Back in the day, you could rank by being "good enough." Not anymore.
Google’s Helpful Content System is now integrated into the core ranking algorithm. It looks for signals that a page was created for humans, not for search engines. What does that mean in practice? It means if your article looks like a generic summary of the top five results already on Page 1, you’re doomed. Why would Google rank you if you aren't adding anything new to the conversation?
You need "information gain." This is a concept from a Google patent that basically measures how much new info a page provides compared to what’s already out there. If you have unique data, a contrarian opinion based on evidence, or actual photos you took yourself, you’re winning.
The Technical Table Stakes
We can’t ignore the boring stuff. Core Web Vitals are still a thing. If your site takes five seconds to load on a 4G connection, users leave. If users leave, Google notices. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) are the metrics that matter. INP replaced First Input Delay (FID) recently, focusing on how responsive your page feels when someone actually tries to interact with it.
Mobile-first indexing isn't a suggestion; it's the law. If your site looks like trash on an iPhone, you won't rank on a desktop either.
The Discover Side: A Different Beast Entirely
Google Discover is that feed you see on your phone when you open the Google app or swipe right on your home screen. It’s "query-less" search. You didn't ask for anything, but Google thinks you’ll like this article about the new Season of The Bear or a breakdown of the latest NVIDIA GPU.
The features that rank on Google and appear in Google Discover overlap, but Discover is much more visual and topical.
It Starts with the Image
In Discover, your headline and your image are 90% of the battle. Google's documentation specifically says you need large, high-quality images that are at least 1,200 pixels wide. They also recommend using the max-image-preview:large setting in your robots meta tag. If you use a tiny, blurry thumbnail or a generic stock photo of people high-fiving in a boardroom, you’re invisible.
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Discover likes "newness," but it also likes "evergreen interest." It’s a recommendation engine. It’s more like TikTok than it is like a library.
The "Interest Graph" vs. The "Knowledge Graph"
While Search relies on the Knowledge Graph (facts, entities, relationships), Discover relies on your personal Interest Graph. If you’ve been Googling "best marathon running shoes," Discover will start feeding you articles about marathon training, hydration salts, and maybe a profile on Eliud Kipchoge.
To get in there, your content needs to be "highly engaging." This is where things get tricky. Google officially says to avoid "clickbait," but Discover is fueled by curiosity gaps. You need a headline that makes someone stop scrolling without being deceptive.
The Overlap: Content That Hits Both
If you want to dominate both, you have to nail the intersection of authority and engagement.
- Entities over Keywords: Google doesn't just look for the word "Paris." It looks for the relationship between "Paris," "Eiffel Tower," "Travel," and "France." Using entity-based SEO—where you cover a topic deeply and mention related concepts—helps Google understand exactly what you’re talking about.
- Structured Data: Use Schema.org markup. It’s like giving Google a map of your content. Article schema, Video schema, and FAQ schema help your content appear in "rich results" (those fancy boxes on the search page) which also boosts your visibility in Discover.
- User Behavior: This is controversial in the SEO world, but "pogo-sticking" (when someone clicks your link and immediately hits back to find a better result) is a clear signal that your page didn't satisfy the user. If you want to rank, you have to satisfy the click.
Real World Examples of What’s Working
Look at sites like The Verge or NYT Wirecutter. They don't just list specs. They tell you what it’s like to actually use a product. They use high-res, original photography. They have clear author bylines that link to bios showing why that person is qualified to talk about the subject.
On the flip side, look at the recent "Product Review" updates. Google hammered sites that just scraped Amazon reviews. Now, if you aren't showing "evidence of products being physically tested," you’re going to struggle to rank for "best" keywords.
Common Myths That Will Sink You
"Word count matters." No, it doesn't. A 500-word answer that is perfect is better than a 3,000-word fluff piece. Google doesn't have a "long-form is better" button. It has a "did this help the user?" button.
"Backlinks are all that matter." Links are important—they are the "votes" of the internet—but they can't save bad content. In 2026, a site with a few high-quality, relevant links and incredible content will outrank a site with a million spammy links every day of the week.
"You need to post every day." Frequency is a myth. Consistency and quality are the reality. If you post three times a week but it’s all low-effort AI-generated junk, you’re just creating digital noise that Google will eventually filter out.
Actionable Strategy to Win in 2026
If you want to see your content in the search results and the Discover feed, you need a cohesive plan. It’s not about "hacking" the system; it’s about being the best result.
1. Audit Your Authorship
Stop using "Admin" as your author name. Create real author pages. Link to their LinkedIn, their other work, and explain why they are an expert. If you’re writing about health, you better have a medical professional reviewing that content. Google takes YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics incredibly seriously.
2. Focus on "Originality Signals"
Add something that doesn't exist elsewhere.
- Conduct a survey.
- Create a unique infographic.
- Provide a personal case study.
- Take your own photos.
3. Optimize for the "SGE" Snippet
Google’s AI-generated summaries at the top of the page often pull from the highest-ranking, most structured content. Use clear headings (H2s and H3s) that directly mirror the questions people are asking. Use a "TL;DR" (Too Long; Didn't Read) summary at the top of long articles.
4. Fix Your Visuals for Discover
Go through your top-performing pages and ensure they have a 1200px wide image. Make sure the Open Graph tags are set correctly so that when the page is shared (or picked up by Discover), the right image shows up. Use descriptive Alt Text—not for SEO "stuffing," but for accessibility and context.
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5. Monitor Search Console Like a Hawk
The "Performance" report in Google Search Console has a specific tab for Discover. Look at which pages are getting "impressions" but no clicks. Usually, that’s a headline or image problem. If a page gets clicks but has a low "average position" in search, that’s a content depth or authority problem.
Getting content to perform across both platforms requires a shift in mindset. You aren't just writing for an algorithm; you're writing for a person who is either actively looking for an answer or passively looking to be entertained. If you can bridge that gap with high-quality, high-E-E-A-T content, you’ll find that the "features" you’re looking for aren't secrets at all—they’re just the hallmarks of good publishing.
To move forward, start by checking your site's mobile speed using PageSpeed Insights and then pick your three most important articles to update with original photos and updated author bios. This immediate injection of "Experience" and "Technical Health" is the fastest way to signal to Google that you belong at the top of the feed.