Keywords driving traffic to websites that are not relevant to main content can confuse Google Search and possibly have negative impact on SEO.

I tried to understand how to make quality score Google consider in order to improve my overall website traffic and be found more on Google search, and this is what I found on my recent research. I hope this piece of puzzle can help anyone trying to enhance websites traffic.

Ranking for irrelevant keywords, such as "cat fish" when your restaurant does not serve catfish dishes, can have mixed implications for your SEO. Here are some key points to consider:

1. Traffic vs. Relevance

• Traffic Generation: While having traffic from the keyword "cat fish" may seem beneficial, it does not necessarily translate into meaningful engagement or conversions for your restaurant. Visitors looking for information about catfish may leave quickly if they don't find what they are looking for, leading to a high bounce rate.
• User Intent: Search engines like Google prioritize user intent. If users land on your site expecting to find catfish dishes but find nothing relevant, it can signal to Google that your site does not meet the needs of those searchers.

2. Impact on SEO

• Dilution of Topical Authority: Ranking for irrelevant keywords can dilute your website's topical authority. If Google sees that your site is associated with unrelated terms, it may struggle to categorize your site effectively, which can impact your rankings for relevant keywords.
• Potential Negative Effects: If a significant portion of your traffic comes from irrelevant keywords, it could negatively affect your overall SEO performance. Google may interpret this as a sign that your content is not aligned with user expectations, potentially leading to lower rankings for relevant searches.

3. Quality Score and Engagement Metrics

• Quality Score: Although the concept of a "quality score" is more commonly associated with paid advertising (like Google Ads), similar principles apply to organic search. High bounce rates and low engagement from irrelevant traffic can lead to a lower perceived quality of your site by search engines.
• Engagement Metrics: Metrics such as average session duration and pages per session are important indicators of how well your content meets user needs. If visitors leave quickly after arriving from irrelevant searches, these metrics will suffer, which can further harm your SEO.

4. Recommendations

• Content Alignment: Focus on creating content that aligns closely with the services and dishes you offer at your restaurant. This will help attract the right audience and improve engagement.
• Keyword Strategy: Regularly audit your keywords and ensure they reflect the primary focus of your website. If you find that you are ranking for irrelevant terms, consider optimizing existing content or creating new content that better matches user intent.
• Monitor Performance: Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to track which keywords are driving traffic to your site and assess their relevance to your business goals.

In summary, while having traffic from irrelevant keywords may initially seem beneficial, it can lead to negative consequences for your SEO strategy in the long run. It's essential to focus on attracting the right audience by aligning your content with relevant keywords and user intent.