Google’s Content Update: What You Need to Know

As of August 2022, Google holds more than 90 percent of the world’s total search engine market share. If you want to get ahead, your content needs to rank high in search results. High-value content is one of the most effective ways to increase brand awareness and visibility, grow audience reach, drive organic website traffic and boost impressions and conversions.

Google’s Newest Update in 2022

According to the newest algorithm update, “Helpful Content” now rules the SERP. Google will prioritize content written for humans, not search engine bots. What does that mean for you? Compelling, informative, entertaining and valuable content will rank higher against competitors. SEO still matters, but audience expectations should come first.

To help build a content marketing plan that converts, here’s what you need to know about the Google update for 2022:

High-Value, Human-First Content

To optimize your content for this latest Google update, first, you must understand who the target audience is. What are their specific needs, interests, challenges or expectations? What queries do they search regularly? What type of content do they consume most? Once you know the audience’s online preferences and behaviors, you can create content through a more authentic lens.

Google rewards this effort, too. When visitors have a satisfactory experience interacting with your content, your position in the SERP index will increase. This approach not only boosts content ranking but also scales brand recognition. You can benchmark a satisfactory user experience by:

• Total Number of Views: how many consumers click on the piece of content organically to read, watch or interact with it;
• Average Dwell Time: how much time consumers spend on the content page (an optimal dwell time is between 2 – 4 minutes);
• Number of Repeat Visits: how often the same consumer will return to your website and view more of the content you offer and;
• Total Actions Taken: how often consumers follow the call-to-action or engage with the piece of content in some way (i.e., comment on the post, click over to the main website or share on social media).

How to Craft Helpful Content

Not all content is created equal—and it’s essential to walk into your blog post or landing page with a strategy. Ask yourself these questions to ensure your content gives value to the audience, aligns with SEO best practices, and doesn’t come across as spammy: 

• Who are you directing this piece of content to? What do they care about and want to know?
• Are you making sure this content offers original, actionable information shared from an innovative and fresh point of view?
• Does this content establish you as a knowledgeable authority on the subject? Do you have credible, data-backed expertise?
• Will the audience walk away from this piece of content feeling informed, qualified or enriched? Will it ultimately create satisfaction?
• Does this content motivate consumers to explore your website, learn more about your brand, or take further action steps?

These questions will help you form a strategy around your content to meet Google’s latest algorithm.

Essential Content Mistakes to Avoid

The Helpful Content update discourages a search engine-first approach. Since we already covered a few questions to help you get on the right track, we have a few others to consider that will keep you from going off the course. Common content mistakes go beyond grammar errors but can come in our overall approach:

• Is your main goal for this piece of content to boost traffic and page views rather than to create authentic value for your target audience?
• Do you choose trendy subjects or have a high search volume instead of topics you can speak on with legitimate authority?
• Are you throwing in “fluff” sentences or paragraphs to reach a specific word count? (FYI: word count is essential, but make sure all the information you include in the piece of content serves a valuable and relevant function.)
• Is the piece of content full of keyword stuffing in an attempt to bolster its SEO ranking?
• Does this content just summarize what other websites are already talking about without offering any new and unique spin on it?
• Is this content clickbait? Does it claim to have the answer to a question or the inside scoop on information it never reveals?
• Will the audience walk away from this piece of content feeling like they need to continue searching for another, more valuable resource?  

Use Google Updates to Inform Your Content Marketing

As Google rolls out its new Helpful Content update in 2022, let the specialists at 10x digital build an effective, customized strategy that will take your business’s content marketing to the next level. We’ll show you how to create the type of content that real humans want to consume while increasing brand awareness, website traffic, and conversion rates. Contact us to start working on a plan to deliver Helpful Content to your target audience.