What is Google Discover?

Google Discover is one of the hottest tickets in the SEO community this year. 

It’s earned a place in the Google Search Console. It’s been mentioned hundreds of times on Search Engine Journal.

And, best of all, Google Discover delivers my RV-niche website millions of clicks.

Did I pique your interest yet? 

Where Does Google Display Discover Results?

Google Discover results are displayed as a personalized feed on mobile devices (smartphones & tablets). Accessed by scrolling down through the Google app, the results appear as image-heavy cards with minimal text.

Here’s an example of my Google Discover feed on the iPhone. Notice the large images and curated topics.

It’s my theory that Google’s “Interesting Finds” section of mobile search is also counted as Discover traffic in the Google Search console. 

Google hasn’t officially stated this; however, many tests I’ve run have lead me to this hypothesis. Here’s what “Interesting Finds” looks like in the search results.

The rumor is that Discover will eventually be displayed on desktop devices.

How Does Google Curate Discover Results?

Google keeps tabs on you. With their extensive tracking data, they present Discover articles based on two primary factors.

Your Search History

Google uses your search history, first and foremost, to curate your Discover feed. 

You can run a test yourself quite easily. Search for a few topics that are unlike your previous search history. Over the next few days, you will be, no doubt, delivered articles that relate to your test search.

Lumped into the search factor, we also include your web history. If you’re using Chrome browser, Google likely uses your online traffic history as a way to curate Discover as well.

Your Location

Google Discover also displays local news based on your location. I’ve personally found this curation to be very useful.

Google is working simultaneously on an initiative to uplift local news sources. I wouldn’t be surprised if this aspect of Google Discover is part of that initiative.

How to Get Your Articles Discovered?

It’s pretty easy to get your articles into Google Discover. 

Here’s the reason; Google is excellent at showing readers articles related to their interests. This means the more niche your content, the better.

In this Google Discover Strategies article, we dive into the three types of content best suited for Discover optimization.