Google Search is continuously evolving. What many creators and website owners fail to remember is that Google does not exist to rank websites. Google exists to provide searchers with the best information.
The latest algorithm update serves to do exactly that.
Google’s ‘helpful content update’ rewards high-quality, informative, original content made by people, for people. This means that websites with content written for search engines, rather than searchers will likely suffer.
Here are four ways to ensure that your site is rewarded with better rankings following the latest algorithm update.
1. Be Factual, Not Fluffy
Ahrefs finds that the top-ranking page on Google only gets the most search traffic 49 percent of the time. Why? Because the top ranking page has not always included the most relevant information. The new algorithm update looks to fix that.
It is simply not enough to quickly draft an article and stuff keywords throughout. This practice serves no purpose for the human searcher. When drafting SEO content, remember to be factual, not fluffy.
Including well-researched facts and statistics and connecting them to your product or service can help searchers make more informed decisions. Not only does this benefit the searcher, but it also benefits your business. Why wouldn’t you want your potential customers to be equipped with the knowledge you provide them with to make a purchase?
2. Be an Expert in Your Industry
Does your website convey that you’re a subject matter expert? Does it provide well-written and in-depth thought leadership content?
More than half of all shoppers report conducting research before making a purchase. This is why it’s so important to position your brand as an expert.
Be sure that every piece of blog content teaches your reader something new. Think about why your reader is on your site, and cater your content for them specifically. Prioritizing valuable information like how to use your products, the unique benefits of your services, and other helpful insights shows readers that your brand is an industry leader.
Consider including step by step how-to’s, listicles of best practices, and any other information that your searcher will benefit from. Not only will this motivate readers to engage and convert on your website, but it will also keep them coming back for more.
3. Be Consistent and Remove Unhelpful Content
With every new algorithm update, consistency is still key and content will remain king! What does this mean for your site?
If you have previously enlisted the help of AI to draft your blog content, or published content that was specifically designed to manipulate rankings rather than help a searcher, consider removing this content from your site. While this content may be years old, it could still cause your rankings to take a hit.
Google suggests removing any low quality pages, merging or updating the content of individual pages into more relevant and helpful pages, or moving low quality pages to a different domain.
As you begin creating higher-quality content, the work doesn’t end there. Remaining consistent will show Google that your site is an authority in its industry, and will help increase your rankings.
4. Enlist the Help of Boost by LEVERAGE™
Algorithm updates can often spark uncertainty, have undesirable effects on your rankings, and ultimately impact your business. With a solution, like Boost by LEVERAGE™ (our premium SEO program for brands that want to dominate the first page of Google), you can rest easy knowing that your website’s SEO follows best practices and may actually benefit from these updates.
Over the last fourteen years, we’ve developed SEO campaigns for hundreds of clients, and we know what works and what doesn’t. Let us help you gain a competitive edge and take the guesswork out of navigating this new ‘helpful content update.
Want to learn more? Let’s talk!
