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Google has recently announced a new update to their search engine algorithm – the Helpful Content Update. This update is designed to help users find the most helpful content on the web. So, what does this mean for your website? How will it impact your content? Let’s take a look!
What’s the Helpful Content Update?
The Helpful Content Update is a change to Google’s search algorithm that will prioritize content that is deemed helpful by users. This means, to rank well in Google, your content must be useful and relevant to users’ needs. Among other things, it means that the search engine continues its shift from being a primarily keyword-based system to one that understands the user’s intent.
Many years ago, Google’s ranking algorithm was based primarily on keyword density – that is, how often a particular keyword appeared on a page. This led to a lot of low-quality content being produced, simply to stuff keywords in and hope for a good ranking. Google has since moved away from this approach, but the need for quality content has only increased.
What Does This Mean for My Website?
The first thing to understand about the Helpful Content Update is that it is not a penalty. Google is not punishing websites for having low-quality content. Rather, this update is designed to reward websites that have high-quality, helpful content.
With this in mind, there are a few things you can do to make sure your website excels after the Helpful Content Update:
- Make sure your content is well-researched and informative. If your content is short and without much substance, it’s unlikely to rank well after the update.
- Write for your audience, not for search engines. This might be a hard habit to break, but it’s important to remember that Google is looking for content that is helpful and informative, not keyword-stuffed. If you write for your audience, you will naturally include valuable keywords anyway.
- Structure your content in an easy-to-read format. If your content is difficult to read or understand, it’s not likely to rank well. Breaking your content up into smaller paragraphs with headings and subheadings can help make it more digestible for both your audience and Google.
- Use images, videos, and other multimedia to supplement your text. Once again, this will make your content more enjoyable to read and also help break up big blocks of text. Google can also index images and videos, so including them can give you an extra boost in the search rankings.
- Regularly update your content to keep it fresh and relevant. Rather than one post every six months, try to post at least once a week or even better, multiple times per week. This will keep your content fresh in Google’s eyes and also give your readers something to look forward to regularly.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your website provides helpful, high-quality content that will help you rank higher in the search engines and attract more visitors. Keep up the good work and your website will reap the rewards. So long as you’re answering questions and offering high-quality content, you’re on the right track.
If you’re stuck after this update, contact a local SEO agency in Bowling Green because they can help you determine which content needs to be updated on your website and they can also help with other SEO tasks. Content is still king, so make sure that yours is high-quality and helpful. With a little help, you can ensure that your website is ranking higher than ever before.