Why Have My Website Rankings Dropped Since Google’s Helpful Content Update?
To comprehensively address this question, we first need to understand what kind of content Google considers "Helpful."
Our Take:
For many years, Google has prioritised websites and webpages that offer uniquely written, original, and insightful information. Such content should guide users through their website, answering the types of questions users ask every day. This emphasis on high-quality, informative content is particularly crucial for SEO agency London, ensuring their websites rank well in search engine results pages and attract relevant traffic effectively.
Given that different types of content serve various purposes, it can be challenging to determine whether your marketing team or agency is creating the best possible content that Google will: a) Crawl, b) Index, and c) Rank.
What Defines "Helpful" Content?
Uniqueness and Originality
- Content should be uniquely crafted for a specific audience, addressing the needs identified in keyword searches. Original content sets your website apart and engages users more effectively.
Alignment with User Intent
- The content must align closely with the search intent of the keywords used. This means understanding and addressing the specific questions and needs of your target audience.
Credibility and Research
- Helpful content is well-researched and credible. It should be free of factual errors and spelling mistakes, backed by reliable sources, and include up-to-date information.
E-E-A-T Principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Experience: Demonstrates firsthand experience with the subject matter.
Expertise: Shows deep knowledge and understanding of the topic.
Authoritativeness: Comes from a recognized authority in the field.
Trustworthiness: Builds user trust through transparency and accuracy.
By ensuring your content meets these criteria, you enhance its chances of being crawled, indexed, and ranked by Google. Your marketing team or agency should focus on creating content that is not only informative but also engaging, authoritative, and tailored to the specific needs of your audience.
How Can I Create Helpful Content on my Website?
Audience Targeting:
Who Are You Creating Content For?
To create truly effective content, start by understanding your target persona. Your content should be tailored to meet their needs and facilitate the interactions they seek when visiting your website. Whether it's making a purchase, asking a question, searching for information, or reading specific details, your content should be:
Persona-Focused: Know your audience deeply—what are their goals, challenges, and preferences? Create content that speaks directly to their needs and interests.
Valuable and Unique: Provide unique insights and valuable information that set your content apart from competitors. This not only engages users but also builds trust and authority.
Action-Oriented: Design your content to guide visitors towards their desired actions, whether that's completing a purchase, finding an answer, or consuming specific information.
By focusing on these aspects, you can ensure that your content is not only relevant and helpful but also drives meaningful interactions and fulfils the purposes your audience has when they visit your website.
Search Intent:
To achieve content utopia for your website, it is crucial to understand the search intentions that your target customers have when they conduct searches on Google. Here are the main types of search intents you should consider:
Informational: "I want to learn some background information."
- Users are seeking knowledge or answers to questions. Provide detailed, well-researched content that satisfies their curiosity.
Navigational: "I want to find more on this subject."
- Users are looking for specific information or a particular website. Ensure your content is easily navigable and helps users find the exact information they seek.
Commercial: "I want to know more details before making a purchase or taking an action."
- Users are in the research phase of the buying cycle. Offer comprehensive product comparisons, reviews, and detailed descriptions to assist in their decision-making process.
Transactional: "I want to make a purchase or take a conversion action."
- Users are ready to buy or convert. Optimise your content for seamless transactions with clear calls to action, easy navigation, and trust signals like testimonials and secure payment options.
By aligning your content with these search intents, you can effectively guide your target audience through their journey, from initial research to final conversion, ensuring that your website meets their needs at every stage.
Keyword Targeting:
Next, create a keyword matrix based on the search intent levels outlined above and align it with the keywords you want to target for your website. Your keyword matrix should naturally integrate with your on-site metadata, including the Title Tag, Description Tag, and H1-H6 tags.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Keyword Matrix:
Identify Keywords for Each Search Intent:
Informational: Keywords that focus on background information or answers to common questions.
Navigational: Keywords aimed at helping users find specific information.
Commercial: Keywords that assist users in comparing options or finding detailed information before making a purchase.
Transactional: Keywords intended for users ready to take action.
Construct the Keyword Matrix:
Create a table with columns for Search Intent, Keywords, Title Tag, Description Tag, and H1-H6 tags.
Fill in the matrix with appropriate keywords and metadata for each search intent.
Aligning with On-Site Metadata:
Title Tag: Ensure that each page's title tag includes the primary keyword for that page and aligns with the search intent.
Description Tag: Craft meta descriptions that summarise the page content, include the primary keyword, and entice users to click through.
H1-H6 Tags: Use header tags to structure your content, with the H1 tag reflecting the primary keyword and main topic, and H2-H6 tags breaking down subtopics and supporting points.
By following this approach, you can create a keyword matrix that not only targets the right keywords based on search intent but also seamlessly integrates with your website's metadata, enhancing your SEO efforts and improving user experience.
Content Strategy and Creation:
Then, you can plan out the type of content you want to create and align it with your target keywords and your audience's search intent. This way, your organic search engine optimization strategy is focused and structured around the goals of your business.