Think back to December 2022. While we were all busy on last-minute Christmas content and preparing our ecommerce sites for the January sales, Google was releasing the first of its Helpful Content updates. Fast forward nearly two years later and the search giant is still focussed on rewarding quality content written by real people for real people.
Google released its latest core update in August 2024. The update aims to promote quality websites and target low-value SEO content. While the full rollout may take a while to complete, some websites are already seeing the results of this in their traffic stats.
While these core updates are always an unsettling time for many, here at The Content Marketing Team, we are champions of high-quality website content, and so we’re feeling pretty positive about the latest changes. After all, we’re always banging on about the need for copy that’s engaging and useful for users!
If you’re feeling confused about the helpful content updates, there’s no need to worry. We’ve put together this handy guide to help you create helpful content that Google will love and reward with better rankings. Read on to find out more.
What exactly is the latest Google update?
According to a Google Search Central post on social media network X, the August 2024 core update “continues our work to improve the quality of our search results by showing more content that people find genuinely useful and less content that feels like it was made just to perform well on Search.”
Put simply, the update aims to further what Google started in 2022 – to show users content that is genuinely helpful to them rather than content that has been written purely for SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
How to rank well with the Helpful Content update
Well, to achieve high-ranking pages in the SERPs following the latest update, you’ll need to create helpful content that does exactly what it says on the tin. While this might sound simple, you’ll need to plan to achieve this.
To help you know what they’re looking for, Google have created a framework in the form of memorable acronym E-E-A-T which stands for:
- Experience
- Expertise
- Authoritativeness
- Trustworthiness
5 tips to help you write more helpful content
Here are 5 useful tips to help you write more helpful content:
1. Write for people first
Forget everything you know about writing for SEO the old-fashioned way. Keyword stuffing is out (was it ever in?), and writing copy for your audience should be central to everything you do. If you’re struggling to identify your audience, then it’s time to go right back to basics and identify your buying personas. Additionally, a deep dive into your Google Analytics will help you to identify who is already accessing your website and what kind of content they’re interested in.
Personalise your content and make sure it speaks to your target audience. Think about where they live, how old they are etc. and create content which is relevant and relatable.
The content should look to answer questions that your audience are searching for and provide relevant information.
2. Don’t forget about page experience
When you think about SEO and page optimisation, it’s all too easy to focus on the copy – and we love to focus on the copy! While obviously the on-page content is essential, it’s important not to forget about page experience as well.
There are a few ways you can make sure that your page experience is up to scratch, including:
- Mobile-friendly: is your website design responsive and able to be viewed on a mobile device? Around 92.3% of web users access the internet using a mobile device (source: Exploding Topics), so if you still haven’t sorted your site for mobile, definitely prioritise this
- Ads and popups: avoid overuse of ads and popups on your site that can irritate stop people accessing your content easily
- Page load speed: with attention spans getting shorter and shorter, it turns out that we just cannot wait for pages to load anymore. Optimise images and leverage browser caching to help improve your site’s speed
- Keep your website secure: using HTTPS is recommended to keep your website secure
3. Make sure your customers are satisfied
Every time you create a new piece of content, you should be aiming to delight your users. Add a step to your editing process to pause and reassess whether your users will be left feeling satisfied after reading your content.
For example, a dog trainer may write an article about toilet training a new puppy. If the article is helpful, then it will teach readers some new techniques for training their puppy, and the reader will be left feeling content (even if the methods don’t necessarily work!).
An article which could be considered unhelpful might be one which is poorly written and talks about having a new puppy but then omits to give information about toilet training. These articles are unlikely to perform well in search following the updates and can also be extremely frustrating for readers.
4. Avoid clickbait
While we’re not denying the importance of a well-written headline, there’s a fine line between a genius title and one that’s pure clickbait, designed to promise way more than your content can deliver.
Showbiz websites are excellent examples of this, with headlines that often hint at revealing gossip when in truth, the story just isn’t that juicy. Not only is this frustrating for readers, but it can also lead to a higher bounce rate when they don’t get what they were looking for.
5. Niche down
Ever heard the phrase ‘jack of all trades, master of none’? Google likes websites that focus on one topic and do it really well rather than sites that try to cover a bit of everything. A well-defined niche means writing specialist content focusing on one area rather than writing reams of articles on unrelated subjects in the hope they’ll rank for something…or anything!
For example, someone with an interior design website may wish to concentrate on a certain room or style rather than covering all aspects of the home.
By following these guidelines and principles, you’ll help to increase your chances of achieving great results on the SERPs. As well as adhering to Google’s E-E-A-T framework and guidelines, you’ll also build a loyal and engaged audience who will come straight to you next time they’re in need of your services.
Want a hand creating helpful content?
Here at The Content Marketing Team, we love nothing better than generating content which delights and informs. So if you need to rank better for your chosen area with content that packs a punch, then get in touch.
