3 Proven Tips for Boosting Website Traffic with Google Helpful Content Update
In the ever-evolving world of SEO, one topic has been making waves in the community lately – Google’s Helpful Content Update. With the rollout now complete, there have been noticeable fluctuations in search rankings for many websites. This update introduces important changes to its guidelines regarding AI-generated and third-party content. This update is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to prioritize user-centric content and improve the quality of search results.
However, I’m here to share some valuable insights and tips that helped me maintain and even double my traffic even before this update.
3 Tips for Boosting Website Traffic with Google Helpful Content Update
Tip 1: Content Cleanup
The first step in optimizing your website for the Helpful Content Update is to clean up. Google’s update targets content that doesn’t provide value to users. To ensure your website isn’t adversely affected, it’s essential to remove irrelevant or outdated content. This includes checking the performance of your pages over the last three months, which can be easily done using Google Webmaster Tools. You may choose to delete content entirely, set it as a 404 error page, use canonical tags, or redirect it to your homepage. The key is to get rid of content that doesn’t serve a purpose.
Tip 2: AI-Generated Content with a Human Touch
While AI is a valuable tool for content generation, it’s crucial to remember that it should be a starting point, not the final product. Before publishing AI-generated content, take the time to review and refine it. A helpful trick is to use AI for feedback on your website’s SEO. Imagine using a tool like Chat GPT to ask for advice based on Google’s rules. This helps make sure that your content is not just good for search engines but also gives valuable information to people who visit your site.
Tip 3: Keep it Simple
When it comes to website design and optimization, simplicity often wins. Avoid the temptation to over-optimize your site with excessive keywords or flashy elements. Google’s algorithms appreciate clean, user-friendly designs. A cluttered website can confuse search engines and make it difficult to recognize. For example, portfolio websites are designed with simplicity. Flashy HTML elements might look great, but they might not be recognized effectively by search engines.
Key Changes in the Google’s September 2023 Helpful Content Update:
- Adjusted Guidance on Machine-Generated Content: Google’s stance on machine-generated content has evolved. While previously emphasizing a preference for human-created content, the updated guidelines now offer a more balanced view of AI-generated content, aligning it with broader principles of creating valuable material.
- Revised Rules for Hosting Third-Party Content: The update addresses the practice of hosting third-party content on a website’s primary domain or subdomain. Google advises caution in this regard and suggests blocking indexing for third-party content that lacks a clear connection to the site’s main purpose or lacks proper oversight.
- Updated Self-Assessment Guidance: Google’s Self-Assessment guidance for Helpful Content has been refreshed with new insights. This includes a stronger focus on the review process, warnings against making false updates to pages, and a reminder to avoid making arbitrary content changes solely to appear “fresh” in search rankings.
Understanding the What is Helpful Content Update:
- Google’s main objective with this update is to reward websites that provide valuable and helpful content to users. If your website consistently offers high-quality information, you’re on the right track.
- Google has published guidelines on creating helpful, reliable, people-first content. These guidelines can help you understand what Google looks for when evaluating your website’s content.
- The September 2023 Helpful Content Update, which began on September 14 and concluded on September 28, represents a significant shift in Google’s approach to content evaluation.
- Google’s Helpful Content System plays a crucial role in ranking websites based on the relevance and quality of their content.
- The latest update has brought about noteworthy modifications to the guidelines and documentation of the Helpful Content System, along with valuable advice for those who have experienced traffic declines.
The completion of the September 2023 Helpful Content Update signifies Google’s commitment to enhancing the quality and relevance of search results. Website owners and SEO experts should adapt to these changes, ensuring their content aligns with Google’s evolving guidelines and prioritizes user-centric content for improved search rankings.
Elevate Your SEO Game
The Google Helpful Content Update presents both challenges and opportunities for website owners. By following these three tips, you can not only navigate this update successfully but also improve your overall search ranking.
