Google has released a brand new update to their algorithm in the last few days, known as the Helpful Content Update. Unlike some of their other algorithm update names, this one is rather self-explanatory as to what it is focusing on; making sure that the content and webpages that Google serves in the results are actually helpful to the user.
But what exactly do we know about the Helpful Content update so far, and how is it affecting Search Results since its release?
What Is the Google Helpful Content Update?
Let’s start by actually looking at what the Google Helpful Content update is and what it’s supposed to do. In short, it reviews and analyses a website as a whole rather than on a page-by-page basis, like other algorithm updates. From there, it evaluates the quality of the content provided by the website as a whole and determines the value of that site.
If the overall content of the site is of low quality or is deemed unhelpful or unsatisfying, then the website will start to lose rankings in Search Results. On the other hand, if a website is found to provide high-quality content that is useful, that site will start to rise in the rankings.
The key aspect of this is that the algorithm is a site-wide analysis. This means that it will look at all of the content on your site, including blog posts. So, if you have blog posts dating back 8 years that haven’t been optimised or were written poorly, they will be negatively affecting your ranking potential.
What Has The Google Helpful Content Update Changed?
So far, we are still in the rollout phase of the algorithm, as the rollout started on August 25th and is set to take about two weeks. As such, the volatility of Search Results rankings will be increasing in the next few days.
With that in mind, we won’t know the full extent of how the Google Helpful Content Update changes the SEO landscape for about a week or so. We will be keeping an eye on how volatile the rankings become and will update this article with more information once it is available.
How Can You Optimise For The Latest Google Update?
This is really the question on everyone’s mind, isn’t it? And the answer is actually pretty simple; make sure your content is useful to users.
Now is the time to start going back over your old content, if you haven’t already, and improving the quality of it. Go back all the way to the start of your blog, reviewing each article to see whether the article is still needed. If it is, take the time to read through it and see how you can improve the quality of it for the user.
- Does it read well?
- Does it answer the question that the user would have when landing on the article?
- Does it provide useful information?
Do this for every article on your site, and you should start to see that the Helpful Content Update will actually benefit your rankings!
On a Final Note…
If you’re still struggling with your SEO – we can help. Creating and updating content, as well as solving and updating technical issues, are all part of an SEO strategy that requires time, effort, and experience.
Our SEO experts are always on hand to help you take advantage of the possibilities and grow your business. Contact us today, and we’ll shine a light on your digital solution.