In the world of content marketing, there are times when you’re swimming in the pool of information and when the water can feel like ice-cold seawater.
Google rolled out its Helpful Content Update recently, which will help the search engine determine if our contents are “people first,” and it caused some waves among content marketers who hadn’t prepared their websites for this type of change.
This new algorithm change, which will help prioritize content that can genuinely help people, is another important step in Google’s ongoing efforts to provide its users with the most helpful and relevant search results possible.
But don’t worry! If you read this helpful blog post about Google Helpful Content Update, you’ll be ready to go swimming in no time!
We will share eight things you need to know to ensure your website complies with Google’s new guidelines.
What Is This Google Helpful Content Update?
The update will only affect sites with either thin or very low-quality content. Google intends to weed out these websites and reward those worthy of being ranked highly on search engine results pages.
An algorithm change such as this should be expected in optimization practices, but not an event that is ignored or shrugged off.
Site owners need to pay attention to get a jumpstart on any changes they may need to make before it’s too late. They need to know what this means to avoid penalization, make necessary changes, and plan.
How does it work?
It may not be easy for people to understand what’s considered helpful, but a general rule is that people-first content is in the form of guides and explanations, not just articles.
As such if you think this update has impacted your site? You should consider cleaning up old blog posts, website copy, and product descriptions.
There is no way to know which sites will be affected by this algorithm change, but it’s always a good idea to aim for high-quality content.
We recommend updating your website with higher-quality, helpful content and checking back in a few weeks to see if this update has impacted your site.
How Will Google’s Helpful Content Update Affect Me?
You should create people-first content if you want to be a successful blogger.
With Google’s latest content update rolling out, it’s more important than ever to ensure your content is original and valuable.
Google has taken things a step further with their update, as they have now set up systems that penalize poor quality websites from showing up on their search engine results pages (SERPs).
So whether you’re an individual blogger or running a business blog, there are some easy steps to follow to help ensure that your site doesn’t get penalized by this new algorithm change.
8 Things You Need To Know To Ensure Your Website Is Compliant
1. Don’t Diverge Too Far From Your Main Topic.
Google might be trying to tell us that we shouldn’t stray too far from what we are good at.
Producing content for search engines can often lead us to publish content outside our area of expertise – let’s say you’re a blog about cooking, and there is an opportunity to capitalize on a popular topic within skin care.
While the article may provide some value, it will unlikely appeal to your existing audience who come looking for recipes.
In addition, it can be important to ask yourself these related questions if you’re going to publish any content online:
- Is the content mostly targeted at search engine algorithms instead of human readers?
- Are you writing about topics because they’re popular instead of what interests you or you normally share with your existing audience?
- Have you ever entered a niche topic area without real expertise just because you thought you would get a higher ranking in search engines?
2. Know Your Niche
Google warns people against writing about something they have not personally experienced. Without prior knowledge of this topic, the content is not as useful as it could be.
Search engine content first involves discussing things you may or may not have personally experienced. Provide an original photo or insight for an enlightening description if you have had experience with the product, service, or place you are writing about.
More so, you can ask yourself this related question: Am I just summarizing what others have to say without adding anything of my thoughts or opinion?
3. You Should Never Place Multiple Topics On One Website
Google suggests that websites should have a specialization. If they cover too many bases at once, it becomes difficult for visitors and search engines alike to grasp what the business offers fully.
Build your website around one topic. Though you may want to make many sites for different subjects, Google recommends asking yourself this question: Do I produce lots of content on many topics?
4. Providing Answers To Searchers’ Questions
Google says people should focus on the quality of their content when creating it.
Content is helpful if it teaches someone something or helps them complete a task. When writing for search engines, some creators find themselves stuck in a rut where they’re forced to write a lot without saying anything valuable.
However, when you are crafting content for people – make sure you are helping them answer questions or solve problems they had before they found your website and not just wasting time trying to get rankings on google searches.
5. Pay Attention To Your Reader Experience
With this tip, Google reminds readers to consider how the content makes them feel when they read it in its entirety.
It can meet all the above criteria and still not satisfy a searcher’s desire.
For example, say you read about a product on a website without photos or videos accompanying it. You may find that text alone does not satisfy your quest for information.
6. Do Your Research Before Answering or Anticipating Your Reader’s Questions
To maintain the trust of its readers, Google is warning websites against posting claims that cannot be substantiated.
In addition to following these updated guidelines, this advice can help establish an online reputation quickly and efficiently.
7. Ask Yourself What You Want Your Visitors To Do After Reading Your Content.
Google would like you to anticipate what you would like your visitors to do after reading your content.
The ultimate goal of any content should be to drive action and convert clicks into leads or sales, so keep this in mind as you write or edit content.
8. Consider Paying Attention To Google’s Recommendations.
Google advises that this information also applies to the Helpful Content Update.
If you’re following Google’s advice for Updates and Reviews, chances are you’ll be prepared for the Helpful Content Update too.
Conclusion
No matter your content strategy, it’s important to understand how Google ranks your content.
Starting with this update, a website’s search ranking will be affected by time spent on the site, several pages per visit, and how often people return to their site in 30 days.
If you want more traffic from Google searches, you must make your website about people instead of search rankings.
Create helpful content for your readers, provide useful information and share insightful knowledge.
Don’t worry if it takes time to change how you’ve been doing things; these changes could help you get ahead of competitors who haven’t made any updates.
