We take it for granted that Google’s ‘job’ is to provide the most relevant information possible to the person searching for it. It sounds obvious, but whenever we search on Google, we’re looking for the most helpful answer they can provide .
From time to time, Google releases algorithm updates designed to make sure that their search engine evolves and aligns with modern search trends and requirements.
And on this basis, last week they released what they are calling the ‘helpful content update’, which strives to ensure that people will see more original and helpful content when searching.
The naming of the update is a little on the nose, but should yield better results for searchers.
So when creating content for your website, you should absolutely keep this update in mind going forwards.
So what is the main drive of the new update?
People-first content
This approach does not go against all of the previous SEO focussed updates, but it does look to ensure that the content that ranks highly is the content that is built to create satisfaction within its visitors.
So how can you ensure that your content is satisfying and successful?
- Your content must clearly demonstrate first hand expertise of the product, place, service, or topic that you are writing about.
- Your site must have a primary source / focus
- After reading your content, will the reader feel that they have learnt enough to achieve their own goal?
- Will an individual be satisfied with the content given, rather than just a search engine?
These People-first initiatives will have to be used alongside long standing SEO best practices to create the most successful pieces of content.
What does the update do?
The update will start to consider content that seems to have little value, or is not particularly helpful to the search term to be detrimental to the site’s SEO.
Any content determined to have high amounts of unhelpful content is less likely to rank highly, assuming that there is information elsewhere on the web that is more relevant.
For this reason, removing ‘unhelpful’ information could improve your site, as the update is ensuring that more refined and concise pieces of information will rank higher.
For the best effect with your SEO strategy, ensure you have removed any unhelpful content, and are following all of Google’s guidelines.
This update will only affect English searches globally to begin with, Google plans on expanding these updates to other languages in due course.
To summarise
Google is cutting the chaff. If the information on your page is not answering the visitors’ question, you may be penalised for it.
Got some questions re the above?
Book in a meeting with me now and we can review your SEO strategy together.
Thanks,
Jacob
