So, this time we have something ‘helpful’ for those that have original content to offer to the online audience and not so ‘helpful’ for websites that do not bother to put much effort into their content.

Some might think it is ok to go with AI-generated content and Google won’t know the difference. But, think again! Google always has a way to ensure that its visitors receive a good experience each time.

In August 2022, Google came up with a new Google algorithm in the form of updates for its search engine to ensure better exposure to quality content retaining its focus on a healthier user experience.

Thus, it can be said that Google Helpful Content Update is a technique to assess the usefulness of content. It is simple, if it is not useful to the audience, then Google will keep it at the bottom of the search engine results list.

So, to keep up with Google and its expectations, let us know about the Google update in detail.

 

Explanation of Google Helpful Content Update

Google always had its bull’s eye on user experience. It would penalize anything that would harm its user experience, mostly in terms of low search engine rankings. Its new content update is all about picking up the useful ones while discarding the garbage, i.e., content of less relevance or no value to a particular set of audiences.

The update, known as Google Helpful Content Update, is an automated system of algorithms aimed to influence search engine rankings to reward helpful content. The helpfulness is evaluated based on its value and relevance to the users, and the reward is in the form of a higher website ranking.

This latest update assures that the Google search engine ranks websites with original and high-quality content higher. The update is designed to enhance user experience in terms of ‘helpfulness’.

The latest Google update also assures that the visitors are saved from ‘unhelpful content’, mostly designed by content creators to trick the search engines into ranking higher in Google search results, without adding much value to the user experience. Often content creators use manipulative techniques to uplift their content, for example, keyword stuffing.

The update can also be seen as a push to the websites for producing more informative content. As the algorithm is a site-wide signal, it not only affects the individual URL of the low-quality content but can also deem an entire domain to lower ranks if a large number of articles on the same domain are identified as ‘unhelpful’.

At present, the update targets only the content in English but soon will also have an impact on other languages as well.

Related: Content Marketing Automation: A Comprehensive Guide to Follow

 

How to Prepare Your Site for Helpful Content Update

If your content is original and serves purpose to your visitors then you need not worry about its website ranking. But every time you create content you need to keep a check for the parameters defined by the Google Helpful Content Update.

This will help you to keep your content away from unhealthy competition and retain your high ranks for the Google search engine.

 

1. Know your target audience

To convince the Google algorithm that you have helpful content, the first thing you need is to know the kind of audience you are targeting. You must know their needs and the solutions to make the content relevant to them.

You must look for the visitors who view your content, things they are searching or navigating, their buying patterns, etc. to know about them. This can be done with the help of Google Analytics.

You must also keep a tap of your customer details, like gender, age, and other statistics so that you can customize your content accordingly.

 

2. Define and show your purpose

To show that your content is capable of adding value and purpose to your audience’s searches is not an easy job. You are not the only one who is targeting those audiences. Your competitors are targeting the same set audience and can take them away in no time.

So, the trick to make your website stand out and retain your customers is to define and showcase your value proposition. You have to find and stick to niche content that will be in alignment with your business and serve some purpose to your audiences.

Developing content on one subject area will help you to address the needs of your target audience.

 

3. Improve your information gain scores

Engage your users, that must be the hook of your content. How? Well, just give them some engaging content that will solve their problems and they will feel satisfied with your content. You can give this satisfying experience to your readers if you can come up with a high information gain score with each piece of content.

The information gain score is the measure of the amount of relevant data gained by your users without any space for duplicate content. The data must help your users gain valuable buyer knowledge and make important purchase decisions.

 

4. Demonstrate your first-hand expertise

According to Google, content is helpful if it is unique and original. The uniqueness of content can only be assured when the content is created by subject matter experts with first-hand experience with your products or services.

Google gives importance to first-hand experience even if your content is loaded with collected data. Gathering information about a subject from the web may help you to write unique content but it will not demonstrate your first-hand experience on that matter.

For example, if you are writing about a newly launched gadget, then you must be aware of each and every feature along with the first-hand experience of using it. That will help your audience have a better user experience and Google to trust your words more.

So, a first-hand experience will help you to showcase your authoritative understanding of the subject and thus help you to rank higher.

 

5. Stick to SEO best practices

All things said and done, if your target audience is not able to find your content then all your efforts are hardly of any use. Google is telling you to create original content and not to write for search engines. But that doesn’t mean it is invalidating any of the SEO best practices.

To retain your online visibility on the search engine results pages, you must adhere to the SEO best practices. This means that even if your content satisfies the Google Helpful Content Update, you need to optimize your content for SEO to keep your website afloat.

 

Conclusion

Now that you are aware of the latest Google Helpful Content Update and how it can impact your website rankings, you can rest assured that your hard work to create an original piece of content will not go to the waste bin.

On the other hand, if your content has taken the hit due to this update, you need not worry as just by adhering to the guidelines you can easily take your content to the highest ranks on Google SERPs.

To be on the safe side, consider opting for credible SEO services like that of Dignitas Digital. Our SEO experts work with you to develop a successful content strategy for your business.

Get in touch with us, or shoot us an email at hello@dignitas.digital