Google Helpful Content Update: What You Need to Know

Google recently announced the launch of a new algorithm update called the Helpful Content Update. This update is designed to tackle content that is primarily created for the purpose of ranking well in search engines and earning revenue from ads.

The update will ensure that low-quality content generated using AI, or over-optimized for SEO and not that useful for the actual visitors, is removed from the search rankings. According to Google, it will improve the search results related to online education, tech reviews, art, shopping, and entertainment content.

For example, if you search for tech product reviews on Google, you will often find that all the websites have the same type of reviews. Site owners are just copying reviews from other websites and not adding their own perspectives on those topics.

Google Helpful Content Update 2023: What You Need to Know
Google Helpful Content Update 2024: What You Need to Know

In that case, Google will target those sites in this update and lower the ranking of those sites that are just copying content from other sites without adding any additional value to the readers.

So, the main purpose of this new Google’s Helpful Content Update is to refine the search and show unique results. “More content by people, for people in Search” is the motto of this update.

According to the official page,

The helpful content update aims to better reward content where visitors feel they’ve had a satisfying experience, while content that doesn’t meet a visitor’s expectations won’t perform as well.

Google Search Console, Google Helpful Content Update

How to prepare for the Google Helpful Content Update

Here are some guidelines that you can follow to prepare for the Google Helpful Content Update:

  • Focus on building a targeted and specific audience. Who are you writing for? What are their needs and interests? Once you know your audience, you can create content that is tailored to their specific needs.
  • Make sure you have enough experience on the topic you are writing on. Don’t just write about something because you think it will rank well in search engines. Write about things that you are passionate about and that you know something about.
  • Define the primary purpose of your content. What do you want your readers to take away from your content? Once you know the purpose of your content, you can make sure that everything you write is relevant to that purpose.
  • Cover the topic in-depth so that users don’t have to find the same query anywhere else. Provide your readers with everything they need to know about the topic, and more.
  • Don’t post all sorts of topics or niches on a single website. Stick to a specific niche or industry, and become an expert in that area.
  • Avoid creating content for search engines, instead, you should focus on solving the user’s problem. User satisfaction is the most important ranking signal for Google.
  • Don’t unnecessarily increase the word count just for a better ranking in search. Always try to cover the topics in detail, but that doesn’t mean you should unnecessarily stretch a short topic just to maintain some word count.
  • Don’t publish any content which you will not be sure about. For example, you are writing about an upcoming exam, and the final date of the exam is not yet declared. If you still give the user a date promised a fake date or share content with insufficient information, in that case, your website may be affected by this “Helpful Content Update”.

Conclusion

The Google Helpful Content Update is a positive step towards improving the quality of search results. By following the guidelines above, you can ensure that your content is rewarded by Google and that you are providing your readers with a positive experience.

What is the Google helpful content update?

The Google helpful content update is an algorithm update that aims to reward content that is created to be helpful to users, and demote content that is created primarily for search engines.

What is the next Google search update in 2024?

Google has not announced any specific future search updates for 2024, but it is likely that they will continue to release updates throughout the year.

What is Google’s helpful content system?

The Google helpful content system is a set of guidelines that Google uses to evaluate the quality of content on websites. These guidelines are based on the principles of EAT (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).

What is the helpful content update impact?

The impact of the helpful content update is still being felt, but it is clear that Google is now taking the quality of content more seriously than ever before. Websites that produce high-quality, helpful content are more likely to rank well in Google search results.

What is the helpful content algorithm?

The helpful content algorithm is a complex algorithm that Google uses to identify and reward high-quality content. The algorithm takes into account a variety of factors, including the EAT of the website, the quality of the writing, and the helpfulness of the content to users.

My name is Megha, A computer science student with a passion for digital marketing and SEO, enjoys helping beginners build impressive WordPress websites.