What’s New With Google’s September 2023 Helpful Content Update?

Google’s latest Helpful Content Update, which debuted on September 14th, 2023, is now in full swing across Google search. This update sets its sights on rewarding content designed for humans rather than catering to engine algorithms. However, it has prompted a significant response from niche-site owners who have been hit with a substantial drop in their traffic, leading them to clamor for Google to consider the update despite the tech giant’s unwavering commitment to implementing it across its search platforms.

So, the burning question remains: How should marketers and publishers adapt and bounce back after this transformative update??

Highlights of Google's Latest Helpful Content Update?

A shift in perspective on AI-generated content

One of the most notable shifts within this update is Google’s reevaluation of machine-generated content.?

The previous guidance emphasized:

“Google search’s helpful content system generates a signal used by our automated ranking systems to better ensure people see original, helpful content written by people, for people, in search results.”

However, the updated guidance now reads:?

“Google search’s helpful content system generates a signal used by our automated bringing systems to better ensure people see original, helpful content created for people in search results.”?

Source: Forbes?

With the new update, we can see that the prior emphasis on content generated by humans is now taking a back seat. The phrase “written by people” has been excised, indicating Google's willingness to consider machine-generated content that meets specific quality and relevance criteria.?

The Dilemma of Hosting Third-Party Content on Main Website or Subdomains

While the practice of hosting third-party content on the main section of a website or subdomains has been around for a long time, the new Helpful Content Update now introduces a change that could have adverse effects on websites employing this strategy.?

Source: IMPACT Branding & Design?

The new guidance specifies:

“ If you host third-party content on your main site or in your subdomains, understand that such content may be included in site-wide signals we generate, such as the helpfulness of content. For this reason, if that content is largely independent of the main site’s purpose or produced without close supervision or the involvement of the primary site, we recommend that it should be blocked from being indexed by Google.”?

Even though Google doesn't state the forbiddance of hosting third-party content on subdomains, it is still advisable for marketers to take this guidance to heart, especially the part regarding the content's relevance to the main site’s purpose and whether it was created with close supervision.?

How does this update impact content performance?

With the latest update, it is all about giving a big thumbs up to content that’s genuinely helpful and innovative. In simple terms, if your content is all about scoring high on search results and not much else, your business might be in for a bumpy ride with this update.?

Source: People First Content?

Now, let's talk numbers.?

A bunch of niche-site owners and affiliate website operators spilled the beans, saying they've seen their traffic take a downturn of between 20 and 80%? due to this new update. Even tech giants like Amazon have seen organic search visibility go down because of this Google shake-up. However, it’s important to note that, up to this point, this trend has primarily affected the US market. Interestingly, in Vietnam, the impact on traffic performance appears to be negligible, with little to no significant change reported.?

In the meantime, e-commerce websites and major sites such as Reddit and Quora have struck gold, with a surge in organic visibility and keyword rankings in Google Search. Specifically, Reddit gained a significant 3 million keywords and grabbed 96,300 top 3 positions, followed by Quora with an extra 1.5 million keywords in its arsenal and 49,200 top 3 positions.?

Source: Instapage?

When asked about whether one can prevent its website from traffic loss during a new site revamp, Google’s senior search analyst, John Mueller, was straight up to say “No” - there is no magic trick to prevent traffic from going haywire.?

According to Mueller, when you make changes to your website, search engines will react, and it could go either way - up or down. The fact is, once you make those changes, there is no going back to the good old days. So, if you're planning to give your website a facelift, just know that your rankings will be in for a rollercoaster ride.?

How to recover from the new Helpful Content Update

Despite the complaints, Mueller has made it clear that the rolling back of the September 2023 Helpful Content Update is unlikely to happen. In this case, what should marketers do to deal with the potential traffic loss?

Let's dive into some strategies.?

Prioritize People-centric Content

In the good old days, many marketers pumped out countless articles, all in the quest for those coveted top spots in search engine results.?

The work becomes more about stuffing a word into a piece as many times as possible rather than delivering real value to readers. Sure, you can sprinkle in keywords naturally, but the real star is the human element, not just SERP rankings.??

Source: Work Design Magazine?

To be labeled as top-notch, content must be informative, well-crafted, and most importantly, valuable to the reader. This update is Google’s way of dealing with the flood of low-quality content out there. With this update, they are essentially saying, “If you want to shine in our search results, you've got to deliver helpful content to the readers.”?

Share your Expertise First-hand

When it comes to creating useful content, nothing beats having first-hand expertise.??

In other words, don't just recycle stuff you’ve read elsewhere. While AI can help generate content, it is still a good idea to blend your personal experiences and insights with existing knowledge.?

Give Old Content a Fresh Makeover

Here's a pro tip - take a good hard look at your content, especially the stuff that's not exactly wowing the crowds. It's time for some TLC.?

This could mean sprucing up what you've got or even tossing out content that no longer cuts it in terms of Google's quality and relevant standards. By doing this, you're taking steps toward regaining lost traffic and leveling up your search rankings.?

Closing Thoughts?

Google’s September Helpful Content Update is no small try; it’s a game changer for your SEO efforts,? determining the traffic and ranking capability of your website.?

To stay on Google's good side,? you've got to get what they’re after when it comes to helpful content. The era of writing just to please an algorithm is in the rearview mirror; now, it’s all about writing for real people.?

So no matter which corner of the internet you call home, remember this: your content should always be a boon to your audience, first and foremost.