In August 2022, Google made changes to the algorithm that determines how websites rank in search results. If you are a business owner, content creator, or website manager, keep reading to learn how to make this update a positive one for your business.

This update, which Google refers to as the “helpful content update,” was launched to ensure that the information showing up in people’s search results is fresh, original, and, above all, helpful, and that it was written by a human rather than an AI-driven bot.

In order to write content that ranks well under this new update, here is what to focus on when you’re planning and writing.

Write for people, not search engines

You’re a person, so write for other people. It may sound simple, but there is a lot of content floating around on the Internet that was written for the simple purpose of improving the searchability of a website instead of providing knowledge to readers. Don’t do that. Instead, write content that provides value to the reader – content that answers the question that people are turning to search engines to ask.

Wondering how to do this?

It’s simple:

• Before you write, define the audience you’re targeting – the group of people your content is meant to help. Then, make sure that every sentence you write is written specifically for this group.
• When choosing your topics, avoid subjects that you already have content to cover. Some creators will write about a single topic from many angles in hopes that some will perform well in the search engines.
• Choose topics that you know something about. Avoid choosing topics just because they’re popular.
• Highlight your first-hand experiences in the area you’re writing about in order to showcase yourself as a subject-matter expert.
• Take a new angle, or a fresh perspective when you write your content, rather than simply re-writing what’s already out there.
• Ensure your website has a clearly defined subject or focus.
• Write content that teaches people something – ensure that after reading your content, people walk away having learned something about a particular topic. They turned to a search engine because they had a question. It’s your responsibility to answer it.
• Stay up to date on Google’s core updates and product reviews and integrate any information that’s relevant to your work.

If you’re ready to review your content strategy and talk to the experts about how this update will impact your business specifically, call our team at Vitamin D Marketing & Design today. We’ll schedule a consultation to review the current status of your website and content, and work with you to build a content strategy that works for your unique business objectives.