Helpful Content: By People, For People

Learn more about Google's "Helpful Content" updates so you can give your readers (and the algorithm, while you're at it) what they want. 

We've all searched for something online only to wade through article after repetitive article that somehow managed to rank highly without actually containing the information we were looking for. Google periodically rolls out updates to its algorithm aiming to battle that "search fatigue" and provide people with a better shot at finding the articles they want. The latest and most impactful batch is Google's Helpful Content updates.

What Is Google's Helpful Content Update?

In summer 2022, Google rolled out a major update, the helpful content update, with a second round in December. Another update is expected in 2023.  Your clients are always working to evolve their content strategies, which means their expectations for the content they're publishing will continue to shift. Writers need to keep up with the changing rules to keep playing the game, but in this case, it's almost like Google made this update just for writers. Creating helpful content for your readers is all you've ever wanted to do, right? Wouldn't it be great if that ranked higher than the stuff that caters only to the invisible whims of some search machine? Google thinks so too. 

Helpful Content Core Concepts

Multiple factors influence the final outcome when search engines determine how to rank content. Some of them affect digital content strategies at a higher level than you can solve for in an individual article — things like domain authority, ad density, backlinks, mobile device display, and more. Still, there’s a lot you can do to help ensure your content is what people want to read, which will help ensure search engines show it to your (and your clients') target audience. 

Following Google's tips for creating helpful, reliable, people-first content should feel like second nature, but here's a quick review of the core concepts: focusing on people-first content, avoiding search-engine first content, self-assessing your content, getting to know how E-E-A-T signals work, and asking "who, how, and why."

Focusing on people-first content

Our writers should follow Google’s best practices for creating helpful, reliable, people-first content. We help our clients keep content accurate and up to date. Content is thoroughly researched and comprehensively covers the topic, aiming to be a better resource than what’s already out there. We thoughtfully consider each brand's target audience and content to strike the right balance of technicality and clarity. A few questions to consider as you craft each piece:

• Who's the intended target audience? As in, which sort of real human person do you imagine might read this article? Would they find it helpful?

• Does your piece demonstrate a genuine depth of knowledge or firsthand experience? Have you used the product?

• Will the reader finish your content feeling satisfied, like they've learned enough to accomplish their goal? Do they have a clear sense of closure on the topic at hand or next steps toward problem-solving? (Think about how your call to action can motivate specific behavior that helps people take the next step.)

Avoiding search-engine-first content

Gone are the days of overt keyword stuffing (thank you, Panda!), and she who has the most keywords shoehorned in no longer gets the last laugh. But that doesn't necessarily make SEO irrelevant. It's still important to know what people are searching for, so that you know what content to create. In fact, a little light research can make your content even more helpful — think about the useful tactic of checking out the "people also ask" questions to see if you can broaden your piece to cover multiple related questions in one go. 

Some warning signs that Google might think you're only writing for the algorithm include:

• Summarizing existing articles without adding much unique value 

• Using automation that also works on rehashing and mish-mashing to produce content (hello, ChatGPT) 

• Promising to answer questions you can't answer

• Writing in a niche topic area without any real expertise

Self-assessing your content

Let's assume you're not writing content you don't feel confident is helpful and reliable. But neither the algorithm nor the real human readers know you and your good intentions. Google advises brands to regularly self-assess their own content, looking at drops in traffic, and requesting audits or second opinions from trusted third parties. Writers can self-assess their content on an article-by-article basis, too — and editors offer a built-in second opinion. 

Consider some of these questions, straight from the Google's mouth:

• Does the content provide original information, reporting, research, or analysis?

• Does the content provide a substantial, complete, or comprehensive description of the topic?

• Does the content provide insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond the obvious?

• If the content draws on other sources, does it avoid simply copying or rewriting those sources, and instead provide substantial additional value and originality?

• Does the content provide substantial value when compared to other pages in search results?

• Does the content have any spelling or stylistic issues?

• Is this content written by an expert or enthusiast who demonstrably knows the topic well?

• Does the content have any easily-verified factual errors?

• Is this the sort of page you'd want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?

Getting to know how E-E-A-T signals work

Compose.ly trains our writers in best practices that help send strong E-E-A-T signals to search engine ranking systems.

Carefully evaluating and including sources

For research-based content, our writers know which sources to rely on — primary, relevant, recent, non-competitor —  and they cite them accordingly. Our editors watch out for factual errors and help verify sources to ensure we’re providing up-to-date information. 

Providing clean and clear presentation

Our writers take care to avoid spelling, punctuation, and stylistic errors that can harm a page’s credibility. Our editors carefully review each piece for these issues in addition to assessing the content, confirming it directly addresses the reader’s intent in choosing to read a given piece.

Thoughtfully organizing the content

We follow best practices not only when writing but also when organizing and formatting pieces. We aim for a clear heading structure highlighting relevant keywords where appropriate while avoiding the kind of “click-bait”-style titles and shock-value attention grabs both readers and search rankers alike have come to distrust. 

Building trust through substantial real-world experience and credentials

Readers want to know who created the content to assess its trustworthiness. Our writers are experts or enthusiasts who can demonstrate their familiarity with topics in their niche. They’re pleased to put their name on their work, allowing our clients to publish bylines and providing brief bios that give readers a strong understanding of their background and relevant expertise. Our writers bring relevant education and years of career and research experience in their areas of expertise. 

For topics that impact health, financial well-being, and the overall stability of people or society, we follow Google’s best practices related to “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL), carefully vetting writers in these fields for relevant expertise and writing ability. We also offer a secondary review by credentialed experts in some areas, such as medical review by doctors for health-related content.

Asking "who, how, and why"

Google's algorithm is asking the same questions any discerning reader with a modicum of information literacy should be asking: who created this content, how did they create it, and why did they publish it?

• Who. The who question aligns with E-E-A-T concepts, and that's why more and more clients are asking to run your byline with your articles. People want to know who wrote your articles and whether they should trust you. That should be good news — more credibility and visibility for your work makes you a more valuable player. It comes with a little added responsibility, too. You always create good work, but especially if your name's going on it. 

• How. The how question aims to let readers peek behind the curtain and see the wizard at work (you are the wizard). You're likely seeing fewer asks from clients for product reviews of products you've never used (Top 10 Chainsaws of 2021, anyone?). You're likely seeing more headings like "How We Chose [These Products to Discuss]," paired with more robust sourcing and citation guidelines. The editors among us are likely seeing more fact-checking to be done (dear writers, make it easy on them). This question also encourages publishers to disclose the use of generative AI. If they used it, how did they use it, and why? (Just one more reason our services agreement disallows the use of generative AI — it's not necessarily that we hate robots, but we and our clients know what good writers we have, and there's no good "why" AI content could be more useful than yours.)

•  Why. Look, we get it — you're writing on assignment. Who knows why some clients ask for the articles they ask for. (Well, hopefully they do.) At the end of the day, when you sit down to write, as long as your own personal "why" is "to write something useful for people to read," you're on the right track.