Google Discover has quietly become one of the biggest traffic machines on the internet. For many news websites, it now outpaces even traditional Google Search—and the man who’s been decoding it since the beginning is John Shehata, the founder of NewzDash and GD Dash.

In a recent presentation, he broke down how Discover really works and how you can position your content to ride the algorithmic wave.

What Makes Google Discover Different?

Google Discover is a recommendation engine—think of it as Google’s version of a social feed. It doesn’t wait for user input. Instead, it delivers content based on:

  • What users search and read
  • App activity across Android
  • Location history
  • Explicit feedback (likes, follows)
  • Device-level engagement signals

Roughly 80% of what you see in Discover is personalized, making it radically different from search.

Why Should Publishers Care?

Because Discover is exploding—and fast.

  • For some publishers, it drives over 65% of total traffic
  • Click-through rates can reach 9% or higher
  • It often outranks Google Search in both volume and ROI

John shared examples where one publisher’s Discover traffic made up 99% of all visits. Scary? Yes. Powerful? Absolutely.

The Inner Mechanics: How Discover Decides What to Show

Google Discover hinges on two core ingredients:

  1. Entities — Names, locations, events, organizations (e.g., “Tom Cruise,” “Oscars”)
  2. Categories — Thematic content buckets like Sports, Health, or Food

These are matched to each user’s evolving interest profile.

Google tracks what people engage with across its ecosystem—including Chrome, YouTube, and even other Android apps. From there, it constructs interest patterns and surfaces content that aligns with that profile.

The Path to Visibility in Discover

  1. Your content is crawled and indexed
  2. Google classifies its topic via NLP into entities and categories
  3. The system observes how users interact with it (via Chrome data, push notifications, social buzz)
  4. If it gains traction, it’s matched with similar users and featured in their Discover feed

10 Tactics to Grow Your Discover Reach

1. Analyze Top-Performing Entities

Use NLP tools to extract and rank the entities most commonly associated with high-traffic articles on your site. These tell you what Google associates you with—and what it rewards.

2. Shift From Clicks to Impressions

Clicks tell you if your headline worked. Impressions tell you if Google even bothered to show your article.

If “Barbie” is trending, and your site covers interior design, write about “Barbie Dreamhouse Decor.” You don’t have to be on-topic to be relevant.

4. Headline Psychology Matters

Winning headlines are:

  • Curiosity-driven
  • Celebrity-related
  • Emotional or shocking
  • List- or question-based
  • First-person narratives

Avoid clickbait that fails to deliver.

5. A/B Test Your Headlines with OG Titles

In many regions, Discover prefers your OG (Open Graph) title over your main headline. Test and track different variations.

6. Refresh Underperforming Articles

Publishing a slightly modified version with a new URL can help older articles re-enter Discover feeds—especially for time-sensitive content.

7. Avoid Thin Content Bait

Publishing low-quality, keyword-stuffed content for quick Discover hits may kill long-term visibility. Don’t do it.

8. Monitor Your “Unsafe” Score

Inside Google Search Console, apply the filter safe=active to estimate how much of your site is excluded from Discover due to policy violations.

9. Push the Right Visuals

Best-performing images:

  • Feature faces, especially close-ups
  • Use high contrast and bright backgrounds
  • Are large (minimum 1200px wide)

Use Discover trend tools or panel data to identify what’s gaining momentum. Timing matters—especially in news and entertainment.

Discover’s Secret Sauce: Audience Velocity

Google uses real-time signals from:

  • Reddit upvotes
  • Chrome browsing
  • Social shares
  • Push notifications

The faster your article picks up traction, the more Discover will promote it.

Which Content Wins? Surprising Trends

Here’s how different types of content typically perform in Google Discover:

  • Adult-styled (SFW) – ~13% average CTR
  • Sports News – 10% to 14% average CTR
  • Evergreen Trends – 9% to 10% average CTR
  • Business News – 2% to 3% average CTR
  • Antiques – Less than 2% average CTR

👉 Notice how emotional, visual, or timely topics outperform niche or low-interest categories.

What to Avoid in Discover

  • Clickbait with weak content
  • Off-topic posts
  • Mobile UX issues
  • Poor-quality visuals
  • Accumulating “unsafe” content

Final Thought: Don’t Build on a Wobbly Platform

“Treat Discover like a booster, not your main engine,” says Shehata.

Use it to test ideas and reach new audiences—but don’t become dependent.

Key Insights

  • Discover uses entities and categories to personalize feeds
  • Impressions > clicks when judging content strength
  • Headlines, images, and trending relevance are core levers
  • Social momentum and Chrome data matter
  • Don’t let Discover become your only traffic channel

FAQs

No. Discover is proactive and personalized. Search is reactive and query-based.

How can I boost my visibility in Discover?

Align content to high-performing entities, improve headlines and visuals, and publish timely, relevant pieces.

Is Discover available on desktop?

Yes, though limited. Some GSC data revealed its presence before being pulled.

What tools help analyze Discover traffic?

GD Dash, NewzDash, and your own setup using Google NLP and BigQuery can help.

Should I rewrite content for Discover?

Yes, but with caution. Refresh underperforming pieces thoughtfully—especially in fast-moving verticals like news or entertainment.