In the past, we have discussed how link building is critical when attempting search engine optimization. While backend metrics will always be vital, Google has been refining its helpful content system over the past years. Here is how Google defines helpful content and what every entrepreneur should have covered when writing online.
The September 2023 helpful content update is rolling out with an improved classifier. It will take about two weeks to complete. We’ll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/hgjEkfpbA2
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) September 14, 2023
The Helpful Content System
Besides its baseline content policies, Google tracks content against its helpful content system. This is a system for determining the quality and usefulness of content online, where the best is more likely to reach the top of search results. Naturally, judging quality using algorithms is a challenging prospect, which is why the system received important updates in 2022 and 2023.
Put simply, the system aims to make people-friendly content rank higher than its low-effort counterparts. It’s essential to put good content front and center, especially for online businesses. It also takes context into account – pages with less written content aren’t punished if they don’t need it. For example, iGaming is a large online industry that offers casino games. Its pages are segmented to show off different games or live blackjack lobbies. Google’s state-of-the-art machine learning model is trained to determine user intent and context, so pages formatted to offer playable content won’t get knocked for lacking the written content expected from a news blog.
If the page is a review or a news report, the helpful content system prioritizes those that are well-formatted and written by verifiable experts in the field. Sites are judged holistically, so a good site with no unhelpful content will theoretically rank higher than a good site with little unhelpful content, all else being equal. Per Google’s own dev documentation: “Removing unhelpful content could help the rankings of your other content.”
People-First Content
If you’re an entrepreneur working online, it helps to keep up with our business wisdom catalog where more tips and resources can be found.As said before when asked about AI, content created primarily for search engine rankings, however it is done, is against our guidance. If content is helpful & created for people first, that’s not an issue.https://t.co/3rs3Yrrrk1https://t.co/TlFEbdXGAphttps://t.co/Yl9XWr5CAN pic.twitter.com/gFTE2C2wq1
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) January 12, 2023
Writing Helpful Content
As for writing helpful content yourself, it’s best to ask yourself clarifying questions during the creation process. Then you can edit your work to better adhere to Google’s standards, without losing your signature tone and brand voice.
Let’s end with some example questions:
- Is your content free from spelling, grammar, and structural issues?
- Is your content original, unique, and insightful into the chosen topic?
- Does it draw on other reliable sources without plagiarizing them?
- Are headings descriptive of the body content?
- Does your main heading avoid exaggeration or shock appeal?
- Would you share this page with someone interested in the topic?
- Is your work better than other keyword competitors?
