Google Core Update
Google Core Update: A Quick Guide to understand What is Helpful Content
The rollout of the Google Core Update for September is complete. Now the impacts of this Google Core Algo Update are visible on websites’ global rankings. If you are keeping track of Google’s Core updates, I am sure you have heard about “Helpful Content”.
A lot has been heard, said & written about Helpful Content in the past couple of weeks. So much information is floating around on this topic that it can often be confusing. As a website owner, you must understand the factors affecting your website’s ranking. Helpful Content is one such critical factor.
So I decided to develop this simple guide on Helpful Content according to Google to give you a better picture.
But to get the context right, let’s understand first why Google is hell-bent on this Helpful Content.
Google Core Update: Why Google wants Helpful Content on your website?
Since its inception, Google has evolved from a Search Engine to one big answering machine. People use Google to find solutions for their problems or to satiate their needs. So just like a “Helpful Organisation”, Google wants more and more Content on the top that addresses specific problems & needs of its users.
Google Core Update: What's wrong with the current algorithm?
As per Google, they want their users to get the most helpful information via Google searches. Right now, there are some hurdles. For E.g. you might have noticed some crappy results pop up on Google’s top results when you search for something. The information available here is absolutely useless & sometimes spammy.
The reason is that some website owners have found a way around Google’s ranking algorithms. They craft Search-engine focused Content, fooling Google’s crawlers to get on the top. This leaves a bad taste in the mouth of its users & Google wants to stop this immediately.
Why? It’s pure Business. The more useful information people get from Google, the more they use Google & more Google can earn via ads!
So the more Helpful Content you have on your website, the better your ranking on Google based on the latest Google Core Update.
Google Core Update: What is Helpful Content according to Google?
Yup, I know this is what you are here for & you don’t want some technical gibberish. So I’ll keep it simple.
Helpful Content is user-focused Content crafted by humans & addresses a specific issue the user faces. A lot of SEOs try to go with the flow & craft content on topics out of their scope. Google wants to end this too.
So to identify whether your Content is Helpful or not in the eyes of Google, here is a small checklist that can come in handy:
- Is your Content targeted toward a specific audience?
- Is your Content meets the need of the searcher
- Do you have expertise in the topic that you are addressing?
- Is your Content crafted for humans and not Search Engines?
- Does your Content offer real value to the reader?
- Does your Content ensure a searcher finds a solution to their problem?
- Does your Content address a specific question & offer answers?
- Is your Content Credible & Reliable?
If you have a “Yes” to all these questions, Google will probably flag your Content as Helpful Content.
And if you have a “No” for even a single question, you might want to recreate your Content.
Parting thoughts
Google never clearly states what & how Google Core Updates will impact your website’s ranking. And for obvious reasons! So website owners should track what Google has to say in the matter & optimise their strategies accordingly. Even better, hire an agency specialising in SEO that can do all the heavy lifting.
I hope this quick guide to Helpful Content has answered many of your questions. In case you need any further assistance, feel free to reach out.
Experts at Web99 will be happy to help.
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