Do Spelling or Grammar Influence Rankings at Google?

• Is it true that Google has a filter that analyzes a page for proper grammar and misspellings? Is a well written page likely to rank higher in the search results, while a page with poor grammar or misspellings gets penalized? Does this mean that attracting search traffic through common misspellings can trigger some kind of spam filter and get a site penalized?

Answers: No, no, and no. We view these rumors in the same light as legends of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. All three are based on conjecture and lacking in facts. So, although we can't be totally sure about Sasquatch, we do not believe any such Google filters exists. However, that doesn't mean that good content isn't indirectly more favored by Google than content littered with misspellings and poor grammar.

Other sites tend to link more readily to good content. Google likes links. Therefore good content that garners links is indirectly favored by Google because of those links—not because all of the words are spelled correctly nor because the grammar is pristine. Therefore it generally makes sense to proofread, spell-check, and polish the grammar on your pages to match the expectations of your audience.

In regards to intentional misspellings; when doing PPC marketing, we believe there are instances where it is advantageous to optimize for common misspellings. But intentional misspellings and incorrect grammar usages on your pages optimized for organic SEO is usually not such a great idea.

With only occasional exceptions, you should endeavor to make sure that your good content is grammatically correct and easily readable for the user. Here are seven great tips you should keep in mind:

1. Write content for the reader, not for the search engines.
2. Make sure that content is both relevant and interesting to the reader.
3. Use a spell checker and a proofreader.
4. Use bullet points whenever necessary to ensure easy communication of multiple topics.
5. Avoid lengthy sentences or the overuse of technical jargon in your descriptions.
6. Include links at appropriate intervals to more resources, but don't clutter the page.
7. Update your site consistently by adding new pages ...