Google has released new guidelines for website owners and creators. These new practices aim to provide users with original and beneficial content. The Helpful Update encourages content creators to invest more time and effort in creating quality content.
This update has been compared to previous preview algorithm updates, such as Panda and Penguin. These updates caused SEO experts to change their strategy.
What does change for SEO and marketing professionals in practice? Google said content creators must focus on the people, not search engines. Let’s get started!
What does Google mean when it says “people first” (people before profits)?
Google’s new guidelines emphasize that content should be written for people and not just for search engines. Content that puts people first is about answering readers’ questions and satisfying them.
Helpful Content Update avoids non-original pieces, which only summarise what other creators have to say without adding anything new or valuable.
SEO professionals may be familiar with the following strategy: The content creator selects a critical word they wish to rank high in search results. They then “mix” the content from the top three sites in an unoriginal piece of text, a rewriting designed to attract Google’s algorithm but often adds no value to the reader.
Google will also review all your content.
A traditional SEO tactic was to publish large volumes of content, using the tactic I described above of rewriting existing content and then trying to rank only for a few. You will need help if you continue to rely on this tactic.
Google will not rank content based on each post. Instead, it will analyze all of your posts as a whole. It will look at all your content and give you a signal based on all your domains.
Even if you produce high-quality content, if the majority is of low quality or is only for search engine tools, then it is likely that you will lose some valuable positions on SERP.
How do you recover them from Google? You must remove all the low-quality content from your website and wait a few months before Google understands your domain’s new tactics. This is another characteristic of the Google Helpful Content update: the algorithm will now continuously analyze the content in real-time, not only at launch.
How can you strategize content in the future?
Now let’s get to the tactics. I have some tips to help you improve your content quality while always keeping the user in mind.
Back to the “basis.”
Any marketing strategy requires a thorough analysis of the target audience. This will not change. In our work, we are often asked to research our personas.
Double-checking our buyer persona before using the Helpful Content update is applicable.
If you still need to do so, check your Empathy Map to see if the content you are creating meets your personal needs.
Only rely on AI a little.
Content generation with AI is an innovative way to produce many articles in less time. You should reconsider if artificial intelligence can create the content. Human editing can make a difference if they help optimize your content.
You can also use tools like a
that show common queries and needs about any topic. You can use tools like Question The Public and the SERP features to show common questions and needs on any topic.
You can only add value to your work.
As I have said, Google prioritizes content written clearly and first-hand by the author, demonstrating a depth of knowledge.
Not only Google. This is also important to your readers. People who visit your website or blog are interested in what (or your brand) has to say on a particular topic.
Online, there is a lot of information about the same subject. How will you make your website stand out?
Avoid publishing generic content in mass.
Focus on creating better content for your readers that will satisfy them and provide important information and answers. It takes planning and time to complete.
Ask yourself, “How can I add more value to this topic?” Before you look at the keywords positions you’d love to have on SERPs. You will avoid being tempted to create a large volume of generic, low-quality content.