We have another Algorithm Update! The giant Google modified its guidelines and basics again. Here, it focuses on higher ranking in its search engine via suitable content. Regardless, Google is still the search engine market leader, with over 80% of the market share. Hence, if you care about your site's traffic, you cannot ignore these guidelines!
These updates, nonetheless, have their share of negative impacts. This edge hits especially those focused on optimization beyond value. Further, the update can affect website rankings that rely on AI tools to create text. Google tailors all updates to improve user experience. As a result, updates seek higher relevant and more helpful insights.
This article will talk about the essential SEO aspects to consider. There are two major updates: EETA and Helpful Content. Buckle up to take the most advantage of Google's new features!
In Aug 2022, Google published a new update impacting its quality raters' guidelines. In case you don't know, these guides assess how well search engines give content to users. In other words, these explain how Google evaluates a page's quality.
Some pages manage to rank pages with little value to users. These sites focus on optimization via high-volume keywords. But, these may not even relate to the content's topic. And, of course, that creates an awful user experience!
Helpful Content's update provides content creators with meaningful insights. As a result, these can create concepts to meet real users' needs. This update ranks higher pages that give users a pleasant experience. This update is part of another comprehensive guide. In there, Google explains its process to ensure users get valuable results.
In the update, Google gives several tips to upgrade your helpful game. Further, it focuses on a people-first approach. Its documents state that you are likely on the right track if:
● The site has a purpose.
● Your audience finds it valuable.
● It reflects your expertise on the topic.
● Its insights give its visitors a pleasant experience.
● Visitors leave your site feeling they've learned enough.
Also, Google specifies that you should avoid a search traffic focus. Instead, it encourages user-focuses sites and pages. The less experience you have on a topic, the more unhelpful content you'll have.
● Writing about numerous unfamiliar topics.
● Using extensive automation to create content.
● Creating pages only due to keywords' volume.
● Making users search again to get better information.
Remember to follow Google Search Essentials to create successful projects! This platform has some technical requirements. Some enclose ensuring indexability, not blocking Googlebot, and successful HTTP responses. Other factors include spam policies and best SEO practices.
Neil Patel, the SEO expert, also has some tips based on Google feedback for Helpful Content.
● Update your content whenever it's pertinent.
● Ensure it's actionable and executable.
● Focus on a specific niche to present yourself as an expert.
● Add some personal input based on both research and expertise.
● Keep it fresh and relevant in weeks and months-terms!
Given this list of advice, there are some highlights to notice. First of all, all pages must lead to tangible actions. Avoiding users leave with a feeling of not knowing what to do is vital. Further, put all your experience on the table beyond research. If you only recap what others say, your product has no value.
Focus on your core value proposition to make helpful content for your audiences. Following this path, focus on tackling your users' questions and needs. Further, it would also help if you could speak your users' same languages. This scope applies from slang to common expressions! While this process may take extended research, it'll be worth it for more insightful perspectives. All these approaches must relate to search intent.
Search intent is one of Google's ultimate goals! Further, it's the number one reason users search with particular keywords. Let's say someone learning about software development googles TypeScript vs. JavaScript. In this scenario, they want to know which works best. This search has many elements: convenience, practicality, requirements, etc.
An easy way to ensure you're on the right path is to Google the concept yourself. There, you can see SERPs and competitors' insights and ranking orders. Analyzing first-page results gives powerful insights into search intent.
Also, paying close attention to content type, format, and angle is essential. In our previous example, the type is a blog post, and the format is a comparison. Further, the angle relates to what users pay the most attention to. In this case, the angle is understanding the differences between languages. This angle provides answers to the users' original questions.
EETA's Core Update involves how often you update your site with fresh and helpful content. It's about more than adding new blog posts or lots of content. It's also about making sure your site's existing content is up to date! It includes updating info, fixing typos, and ensuring all relevant links are valid. Yet, it also extends to efforts to improve readability and usability.
As we mentioned, EETA was an update to the quality user guidelines of Google. In the beginning, Google created an acronym for its three central values for site quality. ETA stands for Expertise, Trust, and Authoritativeness. Now, Google added an extra E to the equation, meaning Experience. The company made this update for relevant and reliable content to rank higher. Like Helpful Content, EETA's Update relies on the core value proposition. Let's explore each aspect of EETA!
Most of the time, the experience gets mixed with expertise. Yet, there's a broad difference. One thing is to have vast knowledge about a topic; another is to have hands-on experience. This distinction depends, of course, on the topic's subject.
Let's take this idea to reality and imagine you'd like to read about Computer Science. You'll most likely want it to be from -or validated by- someone with a background in the field. Hence, getting meaningful insights from experts helps increase quality. Some things may be hard to find through research. If you have experience-based knowledge on a topic, sharing it provides unmeasurable value.
In simple terms, expertise is the creator's insight to make content on a subject. Some topics need a much higher level of real expertise than others. That's why the research steps are vital for an idea before publishing.
Most of your insights should be about your areas of expertise. It can also be around topics you are very enthusiastic about. In this scenario, working closely with field experts is vital. Do you provide Software Development services with a strong UX Design focus? Your content should focus on your first-hand expertise! This example applies to basically every writable topic.
The core and most important component of EETA is Trust. In fact, Google puts it overlaying the rest of the elements as the main focus of a Venn diagram. A site is trustworthy by its accuracy, honesty, reliability, and security. This part highlights the safety-related elements of a site. For instance, SSL certificates, terms and conditions sections, and contact forms.
Citing and linking to high-authority sites is crucial when making critical statements. This edge is even more important if you're writing about a topic in the YMYL category. Further, it's essential to avoid overloading your site with unhelpful content. Trust is also vital for online stores or eCommerce sites. Don't worry! We'll discuss YMYL later on.
A website has high authority when it's a great source of information. In this context, Google pays attention to other sites linking content to your site or product. Those links to your site as known as backlinks or inbound links.
Backlinks are among the most important ranking factors. Sources like Ahrefs, MonsterInsights, and NeilPatel confirm this. They're so crucial for SEO that 90.63% of websites have no traffic due to lacking backlinks. Further, FirstPageSage studied the most important ranking factors for 2023. Its research conclusion put backlinks as responsible for 15% of a site's traffic.
Focusing on building backlinks boosts authoritativeness and improves SEO rankings. Yet, the backlink quality and the web authority are also important factors. Websites authoritativeness is also known as Domain Authority (DA). Further, DA can predict "how likely a website is to rank in Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs)."
YMYL stands for Your Money or Your Life. Yet, it's not as menacing as it sounds! The idea is also part of Google's quality rate guides. It encloses topics that could harm readers' health, well-being, or finances. It also involves matters that could affect public interest issues.
According to Google, there are two main reasons to fall into this type. First, the topic itself is harmful or dangerous. Second, the subject could cause harm if the content is not accurate and trustworthy. Some examples of YMYL topics include websites that deal with delicate issues. These can go from politics, legal issues, and health to drugs, investment, and banking.
With the addition of Experience to ETA, some new keynotes appear. Most relate to the Experience and Expertise levels needed to create YMYL content. What does the site aim to do? Ensure helpful information, offer advice, share experiences? Experience is valuable when users search info about difficult situations or challenges. While a high level of expertise may be enough, YMYL pages need first-hand experience. This boundary protects users' expectations and actions with the received content. Further, writing about YMYL content without knowledge can harm organic traffic and rankings due to unhelpful content.
Let's see how Helpful Content Updates impact content written by AI Tools like ChatGPT. These writing platforms use solid ML, AI, and NLP algorithms. AI-written content can be catchy and engaging, with excellent tone and grammar. But it's doubtful that Machine-Learning Models follow all of Google's guidelines. That's why we recommend editing and fact-checking all content!
Beyond Google's guidance, there are other tools to ensure avoiding spammy AI content. For example, OpenAI has a tool to know the probability of your text being AI-written. Check it out! AI writing tools help a lot when creating valuable and relevant content. Besides speeding up content creation, these can assist with headlines and templates. But, as we know, AI-written content can't replace human copywriters or creators. Further, there are a few cases in which Google can tag AI content as spammy. Take a look at some actions you must avoid!
About the EETA update, the answer is much more straightforward. AI tools can't create trustworthy content providing valuable sharing of life experiences. While these can provide info on specific topics, they can't communicate emotions. Thus, withhold from writing that content using AI tools. Besides Google's guides, you should focus on the content value itself.
EETA and Helpful Content are now two pillars to consider for high-quality content. The logic behind Google's updates is to give users the best possible experience. That's why you must focus on users and the value you can provide. Check your content quality several times to ensure you deliver all they need when visiting your site. Since Experience is an added factor, you'll have to be careful about your topics. In other words, make search intent your priority!
