Google has released the September 2023 Helpful Content Update, which is designed to reward content that is helpful to users. The update is still rolling out and should be complete within two weeks.
Google’s Helpful Content System is a machine learning model that identifies and ranks content that is created primarily to help people, rather than to rank well in search engines. The Google September 2023 update includes a number of improvements to the Helpful Content System, including:
- An improved classifier that can better identify content that is helpful to users.
- A greater focus on content with unique expertise and experience.
- A new section in the Helpful Content Update guidance that advises website owners to be careful about hosting third-party content on their main site or subdomains.
“The helpful content system aims to better reward content where visitors feel they’ve had a satisfying experience, while content that doesn’t meet a visitor’s expectations won’t perform as well.” – Google says
The September 2023 helpful content update is rolling out with an improved classifier. It will take about two weeks to complete. We’ll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/hgjEkfpbA2
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) September 14, 2023
Google has also provided some tips for website owners on how to create content that is more likely to be ranked well in search engines under the Helpful Content Update:
- Focus on creating content that is helpful to your target audience.
- Write content that is informative, comprehensive, and well-written.
- Make sure your content is accurate and up-to-date.
- Avoid creating content that is primarily focused on ranking well in search engines.
If you are a website owner, it is important to be aware of the Google September 2023 Helpful Content Update and to make sure that your content is helpful to users. If you are unsure whether or not your content is helpful, you can review Google’s guidance on creating helpful content.
Here are some additional tips for creating helpful content:
- Answer your audience’s questions.
- Solve their problems.
- Provide them with value.
- Be original and authentic.
- Write for humans, not search engines.
By following these tips, you can create content that is more likely to be ranked well in search engines and to provide value to your audience.
Image Courtesy: Google Play