Google’s new Helpful Content update, launched on August 25, aims to cut down on poor quality, untrustworthy information. Instead, Google will prioritise “original, helpful content written by people, for people,” so that searchers can quickly and confidently access the right information.
Websites with low quality content will be downgraded
Content that is AI generated or created purely for SEO purposes or simply summarises what others have said without adding value will be downgraded. If Google’s new algorithm determines that a website has a large amount of unhelpful content, the whole site could be penalised, and rankings will plummet.
How can you make sure your content ranks highly with Google?
Your website content should:
- Be useful to your audience and meet the needs of the searcher
- Be well-researched, accurate, and cover all essential points
- Be easy to read and understand
- Be original with insights or information that offer a unique value to visitors
- Be trustworthy and credible with evidence of expertise such as an About page.