So, it’s now October 2023 and Google has finished (apparently) rolling out its new Helpful Content update. This update purports to be more accepting of AI-generated content and raises concerns about third-party content on main sites or subdomains. Additionally, there’s advice for sites seeing a traffic drop post-update.
Main Points:
- Helpful Content System: Google says its system now boosts quality content and reduces less beneficial content’s visibility.
Update Details: Three primary changes:
- A relaxed stance on AI content.
- Concerns about third-party content.
- Tips for traffic-dipped sites.
- AI Content: Google is now (finally) recognising AI’s potential… for the time being at least.
- Third-Party Content: New guidelines could challenge sites hosting third-party content. If it doesn’t align with the site’s main purpose or lacks oversight, it’s best left out.
- Self-Assessment Tips: Content should be expert-reviewed, and misleading updates are discouraged. In other words, don’t change content just for SEO.
- Micro-Sites Insight: Some sites lease subdomains to third parties without proper oversight, leading to skewed search results.
- Recovery Advice: For affected sites, the advice is to modify or remove unhelpful content. Google has provided evaluative questions to help.
Key Questions:
- How will AI content’s acceptance reshape future content creation?
- What’s the strategy for third-party content now?
- How on earth do you meet Google’s benchmarks when it comes to content creation?
Like all of Google’s updates; only time will tell