In digital marketing, staying ahead of Google updates is crucial for maintaining visibility. One such update that website owners and content creators need to be aware of is September’s Google Helpful Content Update. This update aims to reward websites that provide helpful and valuable content to users.
Learn more about:
- What does this update do
- How will this helpful content update affect every website
- How can you prepare for the update
Table of Contents
September 2023 Google Helpful Content Update Overview
Google has pushed out an update to its helpful content system. The update started in September and should take about two weeks to fully roll out.
This is the second helpful content system update this year, following the December 2022 Helpful Content Update.
In X, Google Search Central has announced this update, saying:
Photo/Screenshot from X
Let’s go over to some of the quick facts about this update.
| Name | Google September 2023 Helpful Content Update |
| Launched | September 14, 2023, at 4:20 pm ET |
| Rollout | It may take up to two weeks. |
| Targets | It looks at the content that is written for search engines rather than for humans. |
| Penalty | Google didn’t mention the penalty. Yet this update does seem to be a penalty for sites that are hit by it. |
| Global update | It impacts all languages and is global. |
| Sitewide | This is a sitewide algorithm. Expect that the whole site will be impacted by this update. |
| Promotes | This update promotes truly helpful content. But soon, it will remove unhelpful content. |
| Impact | Google has not yet mentioned the percentage of searches/queries to be affected. |
| Core Update | Many say that it’s a core update, but it’s not. |
| Discover | This impacts Google Search and also Google Discover. |
| Recover | If this hits you, then check your content. Optimize your content by following Google's advice. |
What to Expect from the Update
The September 2023 Helpful Content Update brings several key changes that website owners and content creators should be aware of.
- First, Google will prioritize websites that provide comprehensive content.
- Second, user engagement signals will play a greater role in determining rankings.
Google has not provided many details. But they did say that the update includes an improved classifier.
According to Google, this classifier process is automated, using a machine-learning model. It’s not a manual or a spam action. Instead, it’s one of the signals Google evaluates to rank content.
Tips to Optimize Your Content
To optimize your content creation for the update, focus on creating helpful content that aligns with users’ search intent.
Some best practices to follow:
Conduct thorough keyword research.
This is to understand the topics and questions that users are searching for. Use tools to identify relevant keywords and phrases.
Know your readers.
Identify their pain points and create helpful content that addresses issues in a comprehensive and informative manner. Use credible sources and get accurate information that adds value.
Focus on user experience and engagement signals.
Ensure that every web page is easy to navigate and loads quickly across different devices. Encourage user engagement by incorporating interactive elements. You can use videos, quizzes, and surveys. Use also pictures, videos, and infographics.
Create comprehensive and high-quality content.
Remember to answer users’ questions in a clear and concise manner. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points. Organize your content. It’s to make it easy to read and understand.
Regularly update and refresh your content.
It’s to ensure its relevance and accuracy. Outdated or low-quality content can harm your website’s credibility.
If you want to keep updated with the latest Google Algorithm, it’s best to partner with an SEO expert. SEOLeverage helps you generate actionable insights to improve your content optimization efforts.
With their framework, they analyze your website’s performance and track rankings. Their team can help you implement effective SEO and content strategy.
How to Monitor the Performance of Your Optimized Content
After implementing the necessary optimizations, monitoring and measuring your optimized content's performance is crucial. This will help you identify improvement areas and track your optimization efforts' effectiveness.
Here are some key metrics to consider:
- Organic traffic: Monitor your website’s search traffic to measure the impact of your content optimizations. Track how many visitors, page views, and time spent on your optimized pages.
- Keyword rankings: Check on your keyword rankings to ensure that your optimized content is ranking higher in search results. Partner with SEOLeverage to track your keyword positions.
- User engagement: Measure user engagement metrics. This includes bounce rate, average time on the page, and social shares. It’s to gauge how effectively your content is engaging your audience.
Wrap-Up
Optimizing your content for Google’s September 2023 Content Update is essential to stay on top of the game in the world of SEO. Remember to identify areas for improvement to maintain long-term success.
With the help of an expert like SEOLeverage, you can optimize your content. Plus, they help to rank your website higher.
Ready to optimize and create content? Remember, if you need assistance in optimizing your website and content for Google's helpful content update, SEOLeverage can help you rank.
Contact SEOLeverage today!
