On August 18, 2022, Google announced its “helpful content update” to weed out low-quality content that focuses on search engine optimization (SEO) tactics instead of providing value to the reader.
This change means that marketers must shift their focus from creating large quantities of content to producing high-quality content tailored for users.
Google says that people-first content enables the users to have a satisfying experience on your site while also implementing the best practices for SEO.
What does this mean for digital marketers? How will SEO change? What other areas of digital marketing are affected by this update?
When it comes to rolling out algorithm updates, Google seems to be vague and mysterious about the changes. The helpful content update is no different. However, we do have some information to go off of.
Their system automatically identifies content that is not helpful or has little to no value to the user. This can be things like clickbait, content that is difficult to understand, or just plain low-quality.
Since this is a site-wide algorithm, individual URLs with poor content will impact the entire domain. If you have one low-quality blog post, it could hurt your whole website’s ranking.
In the past, SEO was all about creating as much content as possible and using the right keywords to rank in Google. However, this update is changing that. Marketers now need to focus on quality over quantity regarding their content.
This means creating content for users — not just search engines. SEO should still be a priority, but it’s important to create engaging, informative, and easy-to-read content.
The content update seems to target the AI-created content used by many digital marketing companies. Since Google’s algorithm can now identify low-quality content, this could mean that AI-created content that has low quality will not rank as high as it used to.
However, this does not mean that Google is explicitly against AI-created content. It simply means that content created by humans and AI tools like Jasper and Copy.ai — which do not bring relevant user experience — will likely be weeded out by Google.
Content creators and digital marketers should not be discouraged by this update. In fact, it could be used to improve the quality of content overall. Focusing on SEO and creating helpful and satisfying content for users can make a better experience for everyone involved.
Don’t be discouraged by Google’s update! There are still plenty of ways to produce high-quality content that will satisfy users and search engines.
Here are some tips.
Most of the time, digital marketers create content outside of their area of expertise to capitalize on a high-volume keyword. However, this does not seem to be helpful for users or Google.
It’s essential to focus on your niche and produce content you know a lot about. Not only will this be more interesting for users, but it will also show Google that you’re an expert in your field.
Before you start writing or creating content, you must understand what the user is looking for. What are they trying to accomplish?
By understanding user intent, you can create content that is more likely to satisfy them. This will also help your SEO efforts since you can use keywords that are relevant to what users are actually searching for.
Since Google wants to bring users the best possible experience, answering the reader’s questions or addressing their needs will help your ranking.
If you haven’t already, start including some first-hand experience or expertise in your content.
For example, if you’re writing about a beauty product review, you must be able to use the product yourself. This will give your content more authority and make it more trustworthy for users.
Including first-hand experience can be helpful for any content, whether you’re writing about a new software update or a how-to guide.
Mainly summarizing it will eventually lead to a loss in ranking.
If you have low-quality or outdated content on your website, it’s time to get rid of it. Google’s update targets this kind of content, so it’s not doing you any favors if you keep it around.
Content that’s no longer relevant or helpful can hurt your SEO efforts, so removing it or updating it accordingly is best.
You can use tools like Moz or Screaming Frog to help you find any outdated or low-quality content on your website.
SEO should still be a priority, even after Google’s update. It’s more important than ever to focus on SEO since low-quality content will now be weeded out.
Instead of focusing on keywords and backlinks, shift your focus to relevance and intent. Also, think about how you can improve user experience on your website.
What does this all mean for content creators and site owners?
It means that we should be focusing on creating quality content that satisfies users. This isn’t really anything new, but it is a good reminder of the importance of putting people first.
As always, Google is leading the way with its updates. Make sure your website is up to date and start producing great content that will keep people coming back for more.
If you need help with your content creation, SEO, and digital content strategy, we'd love to help! We can discuss the specific strategies that would be beneficial for your business. Contact us to get started.