A recent deep dive published by Leadership in SEO provides one of the clearest explanations to date of how Google Discover chooses which articles, videos, and pages to show users. Unlike traditional Google Search, which relies on explicit queries, Discover is a personalised feed that predicts what users want to read before they even search.
(Source: Leadership in SEO – How Google Discover Really Works)
According to the analysis, Discover behaves more like a recommendation engine than a search engine. It prioritises topics, formats and sources based on what a user has previously consumed or expressed interest in. This means that the ranking signals for Discover differ significantly from traditional SEO rules.
Discover is powered by user interest profiling
The report highlights that Discover relies heavily on understanding user behaviour, including:
- What topics users click on
- How long do they stay on those pages
- Whether they engage with similar content
- What type of media formats they prefer (articles, videos, visuals)
This behavioural profile enables Google to build an interest graph and serve content aligned with each user’s preferences, even if the user isn’t actively searching at that moment.
In practical terms, the content that appears in Discover is not necessarily the best-optimised piece; it is the one Google believes a specific user will find the most compelling.
E-E-A-T plays a central role in Discover visibility
Leadership in SEO explains that Discover is especially sensitive to E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Since Discover pushes content proactively, Google needs to be confident that the recommended pages come from:
- credible authors
- reputable websites
- trustworthy sources
- content with clear expertise and accurate information
This makes author profiles, publication history, topical consistency and brand authority critical for Discover performance.
Freshness and relevance heavily influence Discover selection
The article notes that fresh content is more likely to appear in Discover than evergreen content. Google tends to boost:
- newly published posts
- trending topics
- timely news
- recently updated articles
- content aligned with current user interest patterns
This creates an opportunity for publishers and brands that produce frequent updates, provide timely insights, or respond quickly to emerging industry topics.
High engagement signals speed up visibility
Leadership in SEO research suggests that Google monitors early engagement to determine whether a piece should be widely promoted in Discover. Signals include:
- click-through rate (CTR)
- scroll depth
- dwell time
- repeat visits
- return impressions
If the initial response is strong, Google is more likely to push the content to a wider audience. If engagement drops, visibility can decline just as quickly.
Visual optimisation is essential for Discover performance
Because Discover is a visually-driven feed, strong imagery matters. SEOs have long noted that content with high-quality images tends to perform better. The analysis reinforces:
- Large, high-resolution featured images
- Unique and original visuals
- Properly labelled images with schema and alt text
- Avoiding stock photos that look generic
Google Discover often displays content as image cards, so the visual appeal significantly impacts clicks.
Content topics must match user interest patterns
Discover rewards content that aligns with what users continually consume. According to Leadership in SEO, this means:
- staying consistent within a topical niche
- avoiding random or unrelated topics
- producing content pillars that reinforce expertise
Websites that try to publish “everything for everyone” rarely perform well in Discover.
Discover traffic is volatile, and that’s normal
The article also highlights that Discover traffic often fluctuates dramatically. It is normal for publishers to see:
- Sudden spikes
- Periods of inactivity
- Inconsistent impressions
This volatility results from the personalised nature of the feed and the short life cycle of published content.
What brands and publishers should do next
Based on the findings shared by Leadership in SEO, websites wanting to improve Discover visibility should prioritise:
1. Strong E-E-A-T foundations
Real authors, real expertise, and topic authority.
2. High-quality visuals
Large, engaging, original images.
3. Timely and relevant publishing
Fresh perspectives, trending topics, updated content.
4. Deep topical consistency
A clear focus on specific themes that users follow repeatedly.
5. Engagement optimisation
Titles, thumbnails, open loops, and UX improvements that boost dwell time.
The insights compiled by Leadership in SEO provide valuable clarity on how Google Discover operates. Rather than relying on traditional keyword-based ranking, Discover selects content based on interest profiling, authority signals, freshness, engagement and visual appeal.
For brands, publishers and SEO professionals, understanding these elements is crucial to building a sustainable presence in Discover, a platform where high-quality, relevant content can earn significant visibility when aligned with user interests.
