Google Helpful Content Update – August 2022 Updates
The Google Helpful Content algorithm update – August 2022
While many tried to sneak in a last-minute summer vacation, the team at Google was finishing up a significant product review update and rolling out a helpful content update. Never fear if you missed these two algorithms updates. We are here to provide you with an overview of both of them.
On August 18, 2022, Google launched its helpful content update, which you need to pay attention to as the company continues to focus on helping its customers first. Google says that you should also put a minor focus on using sound search engine optimization practices.
Six Key Questions to Ask to Determine Helpful Content
Google has supplied webmasters with six key questions they should answer when creating new content or refreshing their pages. They are:
- Do you have a target audience who will use the site?
- Do you show that you have first-hand knowledge or that you have visited a place?
- Is there an easily identifiable site focus?
- Do you provide users with a satisfying experience?
- Are you practicing good search engine optimization techniques and following the best practices when creating product reviews?
Product Review Update
On August 2, 2022, Google finished rolling out their product reviews update. Like the Helpful Content update, Google provided guidelines to help webmasters focus on the most important factors. Their guidance includes:
- Product reviews written from user’s perspective
- Prove that you are an expert
- Use visuals or other means to prove you have first-hand experience with the product.
- Provide measurements showcasing how the product stacks up against similar products.
- Use quantitative data whenever possible.
- Offer consumers data on other products to consider.
- Describe key characteristics in-depth that make the product different and explain why those characteristics matter.
- Link out to information users find helpful when comparing products.
- When giving your opinion on which option is best, support your ideas with evidence and data.
- Each post should stand independently, even if you link to more in-depth data.
While we have only given you a brief glimpse into these two updates, we have the expertise you need to apply these Google algorithms updates to your site. Reach out to us today.
What’s Coming Next?
It’s only speculative, but Google rolled out a core algorithm update on September 12th that we think may have something to do with the helpful content update. We will be watching carefully to see what this does to rankings.
References:
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/ecommerce/write-high-quality-product-reviews
