Update: On August 25, Google announced the rollout of the “Helpful Content Update” has begun. The rollout may take up to two weeks to complete. More information available via Google’s ranking updates page.
Google announced a new algorithm update for the coming week.
Next week, we will launch the “helpful content update” to better ensure people see more original, helpful content written by people, for people, rather than content made primarily for search engine traffic. Learn more & advice creators should consider: https://t.co/fgf2TPNIqD pic.twitter.com/xOuX2iVk2d
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) August 18, 2022
According to Google, the start and end of the rollout will be published via its Twitter account. A two-week duration is expected.
With the Helpful Content Update, Google introduces a new ranking signal to evaluate the quality of website content across all pages. Initially, the update will be rolled out for English search engine results pages (SERPs), with other languages to follow.
This algorithm update prioritizes content that is primarily written for readers and meets their information needs. Content that is perceived to be written for search engines and does not offer users any value will be devalued.
“The helpful content update aims to better reward content where visitors feel they’ve had a satisfying experience, while content that doesn’t meet a visitor’s expectations won’t perform as well.” – Google
The new ranking signal is weighted and affects websites differently. Websites that are impacted by the update can expect to see that impact for months. If your website is impacted, Google recommends removing the low-quality content.
The Helpful Content Update is part of a comprehensive Google project to get website owners to focus on helpful, user-centric content.
Content types rated as valuable by Google
With its Twitter announcement, Google is also releasing a blog article that shares more details of the update and helps you spot valuable content. The following bullet points can help you gauge which content is valued by Google.
- The existing or intended audience of your business or website would find this content useful.
- Your content clearly demonstrates your expertise, first-hand.
- Your website has a primary purpose or focus.
- Users have learned ample information, after reading your content, to achieve their goal.
- Readers feel they have had a satisfying experience.
- You follow the guidelines for Core Updates and Product Reviews.
E-A-T is increasingly important: 5 tips for implementation
With the E-A-T principles, Google has been focusing on high-quality content since 2018. The three evaluation factors: expertise, authority and trustworthiness also seem to play an essential role in the upcoming Helpful Content Update.
What is the best way to implement E-A-T?
1. Focus on your core topics
Are you an expert in a particular field? Then you should choose your topics precisely and cover them thoroughly. Create specific and unique content that offers your users real added value. This way, you will distinguish yourself as a reliable and relevant source of information that users trust.
2. Answer your users’ questions
Users come to your site looking for answers to a problem or question. Be responsive with your content and provide the answers that will help your users.
3. Focus on quality & timeliness
High-quality content is essential for achieving good rankings. However, it is just as important to keep your content up to ****. Therefore, check your content regularly and set the **** of the last update.
4. Strengthen your brand
Building your brand in a long-term and sustainable way is a trust-building signal. Strategic content and media sites with a high reputation or established industry authorities are good ****** for strong brand profiles.
5. Build trust
Adding seals of approval or quality to your website (such as journalism or trade association certificates), integrating social media channels, specific contact persons and using HTTPS encryption creates trust among your users.
If you want to learn more about E-A-T, read our blog article.
Quality content wins again
Once again, a Google update shows that those who rely on high-quality content rank well. Valuable content that inspires users and offers them an ideal experience generates more traffic, more sales and strengthens the success of your entire company.
Support is only a conversation away. Let us know if you need help with your content strategy, web-based tools for content creation and analysis, or data that shows exactly what users are looking for.
