All You Need to Know about the Helpful Content Update Released by Google

Google has confirmed that the helpful content update has started rolling out on 25th August 2022 and the complete rollout will be over in not more than two weeks.

On August 25th, Google started rolling out the helpful content update. The algorithm will reward content that is people-focused and devalues search-engine-focused content. If we look at the official page of Google’s search rankings update, the search giant has confirmed the content update’s release on the 25th of August.

Last week, it was announced by Google that the new update would be released soon. It also recommended ways through which users can ensure that the content they post online meets the “people-first” criteria.

Do you think this update will benefit readers who look for quality content online? Do you think it will be more challenging for writers to compose relevant content that delivers quality and value to readers? Let us understand and discuss what all you need to bear in mind to create people-first, quality content, as per the guidance shared by Google.

Do you want to attract intended or existing audiences to your website/ business by posting content that engages them and makes sense to your business?

This is what Google says to all the content creators and businesses operating online. I believe this advice from Google indicates that content must revolve around the main topic itself and not something that is distantly connected or unconnected to the main idea of the content. When you create search-engine-focused content, you may create and publish articles that fall outside your niche. For example, you own a salon but because you spotted an opportunity for taking advantage of a high-volume meditation website. By doing so, you may succeed in creating some useful posts about meditation and peace of mind but will it be of any use to those who look for hair care tips in your posts? Google, therefore, advises all content creators to ask themselves:

• Are you posting content to attract search engine users to your website or do you want humans to take away valuable information from your content?
• Do you follow the trends and start writing anything that everyone else is writing about? Or, do you care about writing something your existing audiences want to read?
• Are you planning to write about a topic you don’t specialize in just because it will help you attract more visitors to your website/ online business?

Do your articles showcase firsthand knowledge and experience? For example, would you write about a place you have never visited or start writing about a movie you didn’t watch?

This is how Google is trying to ensure that people write about things they know and have experienced personally instead of reading about someone else’s experiences and framing similar posts.

When you create content specifically for search engines, it is possible that you would end up writing about something that you have not used or experienced firsthand. Such articles usually carry affiliate links that fetch a commission to the author.

Now because the author lacks firsthand experience about what he/she writes, the content may not have soul in it and would hardly serve any purpose to the reader. On the other hand, when you write about the products, services, places, or things you have used or visited personally, the impact is high as the readers get to read real content with real images.

Other than this, Google has advised content creators to ask themselves:

• Do you usually summarize others’ opinions or information without making sure that the content has some value too?

What is the primary focus or purpose of your website?

Google wants to ensure that all websites have a specific niche and that a website cannot be everything for everyone. A website with too much information about almost everything may turn out to be too confusing – for the visitors who look for something specific as well as for search engines that try to understand the website. Google suggests that a website should be built around one particular subject. However, if needed, you may have different websites to share different types of content about various topics.

Furthermore, Google has advised content creators to think about this:

Are you developing a lot of content on various topics hoping that at least some of the content may perform well across search results?

Will your readers find your content useful and helpful in achieving their goals?

By emphasizing this, Google suggests that the content should be able to help users achieve their goals or accomplish a task that the content is guiding about. In other words, content should be informative and rich in knowledge for humans.

Creating search-engine-focused content means that there will be a lot of content with little to no value in it. On the other hand, when writing for humans, you need to focus on helping address their questions and resolve their concerns – the very reason why they landed at your website.

• Does your article provide the information readers were looking for or do they need to search again for more relevant information on the topic they searched for?
• Do you consider stretching or shrinking your content to a specific word count only because you are told that Google prefers a specific word count? If you thought so, please be informed that it is not the case.

Will your content provide readers with value and adequate information about what they were looking for?

Google advises people to focus on the overall reading experience. Quite possibly, your content fails to deliver a satisfying experience despite meeting all the recommended criteria. Now think of a situation where you post a product review of a product without its video or image. It is possible that readers will like the text but the overall experience will enhance when videos or images are added to the review. What do you think,” says Naresh Chauhan – Digital Marketer, SEO Trainer, and Founder and CEO of NCSofttech.

In short, make sure you supply all the information related to their search queries in one article and that your readers are satisfied with no need for further reading or research.

Are you trying to answer a question that actually has no definite answer? For example, can you suggest the time of the year when the share market will go up for sure? No. So don’t guess.

This is how Google says content creators need to avoid making claims that have nothing to do with reality. Explain to your readers if your article is about rumoured or unsure information.

Ignoring Google’s guidelines about core updates, product reviews, etc. may be harmful to your content’s health.

Google has said that content creators should bear in mind the guidelines Google keeps issuing about its core updates, product reviews, etc.

The helpful content update from Google has started to roll out and you just need to stay informed and up to date about what it has for content creators in store. It is said that the update will have an impact on English searches and will cover other languages too in near future. Also, Google may continue to roll out such updates in future as well to ensure quality content rules the web.