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📲 Google Discover Traffic = Explosive Growth — Are You Ready?

📲 Google Discover Traffic = Explosive Growth — Are You Ready?

If you’re not on Discover, you’re missing mobile traffic. This is how to fix that.

Shane Barker
May 20, 2025

In partnership with

Disclosure: This content may contain few affiliate links, which means if you click on them, I will get a commission (without any extra cost to you).

📲 Want to Get Featured in Google Discover? Here's How to Make It Happen

Hey marketers,

Think of Google Discover as your algorithmic golden ticket.

Unlike search, where you optimize for keywords and rank based on intent, Discover chooses you. Your content doesn’t just show up — it gets recommended.

So if you're not seeing your blog posts or guides in Discover feeds, it’s not because they’re bad. It’s because you haven’t aligned them with what Discover’s algorithm actually wants.

Today’s newsletter breaks it down:

✅ What Google Discover is
✅ Why it matters for traffic
✅ How to optimize for it (hint: E-E-A-T is just the start)
✅ How tools like push notifications can give your content a second life

Let’s get into it.

📖 What Is Google Discover?

Google Discover is a personalized mobile content feed that shows users articles, videos, and updates based on their interests — no search required.

It’s Google’s answer to TikTok’s For You Page or Facebook’s newsfeed — but built into Android and the Google app, meaning extensive organic reach for the right content.

But here’s the catch:

👉 You don’t rank in Discover
👉 You get selected

That means no amount of keyword stuffing will help. You need algorithm-friendly signals instead.

🔎 What Signals Help You Get Featured?

Here’s what really matters for Discover visibility:

✅ E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust)

This factor is foundational. Google won’t push content that feels thin, spammy, or fake. Your content must come from a credible voice.

✅ High Engagement Metrics

You’re more likely to show up in Discover if your content gets:

High click-through rates
Long on-page time
Return visits

In short, Google wants to see that people care about what you publish.

✅ Strong Visuals & Headlines

Discover is highly visual — think bold images, clean layout, and scroll-stopping headlines.

Use large images (at least 1200px) and the following tag in your <head>:

And, avoid boring stock photos or using your logo as the hero image.

✅ Mobile Optimization & Site Performance

Discover is mobile-only. Your content must:

Load quickly
Render beautifully on phones
Avoid pop-ups and intrusive ads

Structured data helps too — especially Article, NewsArticle, and VideoObject.

✅ Freshness & Topical Relevance

New content performs better, but so does updated content. The algorithm loves:

Trending topics
Evergreen content that’s been refreshed
Guides tied to seasonal spikes (Google Trends helps here)

🔁 How the Discover Loop Works

You publish high-quality content.
Google Discover surfaces it to users with similar interests.
They click, read, and spend time on the page.
Google sees strong engagement signals.
Your content gets recommended to more users.

Rinse, repeat, grow.

This loop is why some articles spike for 48 hours and disappear, while others build momentum over time.

📣 Want to Boost That Loop? Use Push Notifications

If you already get some Discover traffic, push notifications are a cheat code.

When you notify readers about new content:

You drive immediate engagement.
You boost CTRs and on-page time.
You signal to Google that your content is worth discovering.

Modern tools like RollerAds help you send both editorial and promotional notifications without being spammy.

Hybrid push formats give your posts a second wave of attention — and that’s when Discover tends to notice.

🧪 What Works Well in Discover?

📍 News & Current Events
📍 Educational Guides
📍 How-To Content
📍 Lifestyle Blogs (fitness, travel, fashion)
📍 Product Roundups (especially seasonal ones)

According to multiple studies:

Most Discover traffic happens within the first 48 hours
46% of Discover URLs come from news sites
44% come from ecommerce or product-based content

So, if you’ve got a timely angle, don’t wait. Publish it, promote, and monitor your results in Google Search Console (look under the “Discover” tab).

📈 Real Discover Wins

One Seer Interactive client tripled clicks after optimizing an article for Google Discover.

How?

Updated content to match current trends
Used structured data
Swapped in large, high-quality imagery
Sent targeted push notifications

Small tweaks. Big traffic.

🚀 Final Takeaway: Don’t Wait for Discover — Design for It

Discover isn’t random.

It’s a powerful curation engine. But it rewards content that earns attention, not just content that exists.

So here’s your mini checklist:

✅ Clear headlines that match your content
✅ Original imagery + large preview meta
✅ Fresh, helpful content with real expertise
✅ Push alerts to spark engagement
✅ Mobile-first formatting
✅ Structured data and internal linking

You don’t have to chase trends. But you do have to give Google a reason to recommend your work.

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Looking for more in-depth strategies and exclusive content?

Check out my Gumroad page for courses, guides, and tools that can help take your digital marketing to the next level. Whether you're looking to master SEO, influencer marketing, or content strategies, I've got resources to get you there. Plus, you'll find some free content to help you get started right away!

Visit my Gumroad page and explore everything I have to offer!

📰 In the News This Week

‘We’re not in our consumers’ heads 24/7’: Heineken’s Rebecca Haigh on brand reality checks

Heineken UK’s director of innovation, insights and strategic planning tells Tim Healey why marketers need to stay grounded, listen closely and never overestimate the role their brand plays in people’s lives.

www.thedrum.com/news/2025/05/20/we-re-not-our-consumers-heads-247-heineken-s-rebecca-haigh-brand-reality-checks

5 years of media evolution provide few answers to brands’ chaotic 2025

Planning around tariff disruption echoes the pandemic, a moment the industry did not always meet with agility or savvy investment decisions.

www.marketingdive.com/news/5-years-of-media-evolution-provide-few-answers-to-brands-chaotic-2025/746742

Does Google's AI Overviews Violate Its Own Spam Policies?

Google's AIO not only shows spam but also rewrites content without adding analysis or insights, which are hallmarks of low-quality content

www.searchenginejournal.com/does-googles-ai-overviews-violate-its-own-spam-policies/547020

1. Found the insights helpful? Forward this email to help fellow business owners or marketers.

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If you have any specific questions or topics you'd like us to cover in future newsletters, please feel free to reach out. We'd love to hear from you!

To your content marketing success,
Shane Barker