Google’s Helpful Content Update

In this guide, we’ll cover what Google’s Helpful Content Update is, why it was introduced, and how it impacts SEO. You’ll also learn practical tips to create people-first content that performs better in search and avoids penalties from low-quality pages.

What Is the Helpful Content Update?

In 2022, Google began rolling out a series of updates known as the Helpful Content Update. The goal of these updates is to reward high-quality, user-focused content and to demote low-quality pages created primarily to rank well in search engines.

This update changed the game for SEO. Instead of focusing on technical tricks and keyword stuffing, the update put the emphasis on creating content for people. The key is to produce original, valuable, and comprehensive information that genuinely helps a user, rather than content that feels like it was written by an algorithm.

How Google’s Helpful Content Update Affects SEO

The Helpful Content Update affects SEO in a few key ways.

• It prioritizes people-first content: Pages that directly address user intent and provide comprehensive answers will likely rank higher. A person should feel like they had a satisfying experience and that they didn’t have to go back to the search results to find what they were looking for.
• It penalizes thin content: While AI is not banned outright, content must be high-quality, edited by humans, and provide unique value to rank well. If a search engine determines that a lot of your content is unhelpful, your entire website could see reduced visibility in search results.
• It emphasizes expertise: Google favors content created by people with first-hand experience or deep knowledge of the topic. This is where E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust) comes into play.

How to Create Helpful, People-First Content

The best way to adapt to the Helpful Content Update is to focus on creating content that your audience will love.

Write for Your Audience

You should always write with your audience in mind. You should be able to answer the question, “Who is this content for?” Your content should be tailored to your audience and should address their specific needs and questions.

Be Straightforward and Provide Answers

When people use a search engine, they are looking for answers. You should be straightforward and provide direct answers to their questions. You should avoid clickbait headlines that promise an answer but don’t deliver. You should also avoid adding irrelevant content just to meet a word count.

Provide First-Hand Experience

A search engine loves content that is written by an expert with first-hand experience. This can include your own research, surveys, and polls. If you are writing a product review, you should have actually used the product yourself.

Keep Your Content Fresh

A search engine loves content that is fresh and up-to-date. You should regularly update your content to ensure it remains relevant. When you update your content, you should update statistics, incorporate recent developments, and include new insights.

Make Your Content Stand Out

You can make your content stand out by organizing it so that it is clear and concise. You should use headings, bullets, and images to break up your text and make it easy to read. A tool like our AI Rewording Tool can help you ensure that your content is always fresh and readable.