It's no secret that Google is always changing and updating its algorithms. In fact, Google makes around 3,200 changes to its algorithms every single year!
Sometimes these changes are small and unnoticeable. But other times, they can dramatically impact how we find information online. So, what exactly is this Google's helpful content update?
Google Helpful Content Update August 2022 Quick Facts
Google has provided some quick facts about the update, such as:
| Update Release Date | The scheduled update goes effective on the 25th of August, 2022. |
| Deployment Process | Google took up to two weeks before everyone had access. |
| Completion | Successfully rolled out Google's content update on the 9th of September, 2022. |
| Goal | The content update will help to surface more helpful and informative articles. And it will push low-quality content down in the search results. |
| Search Only | In search-only mode, users will only see results from Google Search. This feature allows you to see your history and bookmarks when searching. |
| Penalty | Google hasn't officially announced the details of the update. But they're cracking down on low-quality content. |
| Sitewide | The latest update is a sitewide algorithm, which means that this change will impact the whole site. |
| Not a Core Update | Google has confirmed that they are rolling out a new algorithm update. But they have stressed that this is not a core update. |
| Language Expansion | Google is expanding its reach and now moving into language expansion. That said, the search engine can now understand content in multiple languages. |
| Effects | Google didn't specify what percentage of affected queries or searches. And yet, they did say it would be "meaningful." |
| Recovery | Take a look at your content and see if there's anything you can do to improve it, according to Google's advice. |
| Refreshes | Google refreshes its scores constantly. But a timeout and validation period can take several months to recover from. |
What to Expect from Google's Helpful Content Update
Google plans to release an update focusing on rewarding helpful content. Here's what you can expect:
- A new classifier detects unhelpful content. Search engines can identify not just unhelpful content but also outdated pieces. And so, that content will be less likely to appear in search results.
- Helpful content will receive a boost in search results. If your content falls under Google's new standards, it will perform well in search.
- "How-to" articles and videos will be especially favored. If you have helpful how-to content, ensure it's well-optimized for Google search engines.
- There will be more emphasis on topicality. Google will consider whether your content is helpful and how topical it is.
- Quality will matter more than ever before. With the new update, Google will emphasize quality more than in the past.
- There's no preferred word count. In the past, longer pieces of content seem more helpful than shorter ones. But with the content update, Google will focus on comprehensiveness and coverage.
- Google's search traffic will continue to grow. Search Engine Land predicts that search traffic will reach nearly 60% of all web traffic by 2022.
- There will be international support for the update. With this content update, Google plans to roll out support for multiple languages.
The Purpose of Google's Helpful Content Update
Many are savvy in using search engines, but there's always room for improvement. That's why Google updates its algorithms, aiming to…
- Improve the quality of search engines' results. By emphasizing helpful content, Google may improve the quality of search engines. This, in turn, could result in more people using Google as their primary search engine.
- Better match search engines' results to user intent. The update ensures that search results better match the user's intent. For example, someone searches for "how to fix a broken faucet." Then, Google will show results that are relevant to that query.
- Compete with other search engines. Keep in mind that Google isn't the only search engine. So, by focusing on helpful content, Google will differentiate itself from its competitors.
- Drive traffic to websites. When users see that a particular website always provides valuable information, they're likely to visit it in the future.
- Improve existing or intended audience satisfaction. Google is possibly looking to improve user satisfaction with its search engine. If users are happy with their results, they're more likely to continue using Google.
5 Tips for Creating Google-Friendly Content
Picture out that you're searching for a particular product on Google. And you come across two articles, both talking about the same thing. One is well-written, while the other one is difficult to understand. Which article are you going to click on?
Like most people, you'll probably choose the first option. And that's exactly what Google is trying to encourage with their content update. In a nutshell, this update will penalize unhelpful content while boosting concise articles.
And so, how can you ensure that your content falls into the latter category? Here are a few tips:
- Keep it short and sweet. Google has no particular word count. But it wants content that is easy to read and digest. So, stick to shorter sentences and paragraphs, and use subheadings to break up the text.
- Make sure your content is expert-level. This update is about giving users helpful info, so your content needs to be top-notch. If you don't have the expertise yourself, consider partnering with someone who does.
- Avoid unhelpful content. That means no fluff, no filler, and no self-promotion. Every bit of your content should focus on providing value to the reader.
- Be creative with your presentation. Google wants easy-to-digest information, so get creative with presenting your data and ideas. Use images, infographics, and videos to break up your text and make your point convincing.
- Keep an eye on the competition. As with any Google update, it's vital to stay on top of what your competitors are doing. They may be ahead of the curve, so use them as a resource and inspiration for your work.
Preparing for Google Helpful Content Update
Google's new update can be challenging for SEOs and content marketers trying to keep up. The good news is that there are some things you can do to prepare for Google's upcoming update, like:
- Monitor newly launched sites. If you see sites identified that aren't providing helpful content, make a note of it.
- Check your site for unhelpful content. Are there any articles or pages that need improvements?
- Work on building up your knowledge, for example, expertise in your chosen field. The more you know, the better able you'll be to create helpful content.
- Understand your existing audience. Who are they? What do they want? What kind of content will your target audience respond well to? Answering these questions will help you know what content will be most helpful to your audience.
- Leverage your SEO knowledge. Make use of the power of SEO to your advantage. Make sure your content is keyword-rich and well-optimized. Doing so will help you rank higher in search engines and reach a wider audience.
Remember, the new update will reward well-optimized articles for organic search. But if you're unsure where to start, use the SEO Leverage app as your guide.
It has an Update Impact Report feature, which lets you know how to optimize your content according to the latest Goole Helpful Content update.
You simply have to select the Google update you want to analyze, then the app will show you the affected pages and their change in search engine rankings.
You can also check out the queries — for which queries did you get more traffic? Which ones got you less traffic after the update had finished rolling out?
Book a consultation with SEO Leverage, and take your optimization to the next level.
