The Google HCU: Who Won, Who Lost and What You Can Do To Help Your Website Rank Again
The year 2023 brought a significant shift in Google’s algorithm – the Helpful Content Update (aka, “HCU”) – affecting how your website ranks in search results. The Google Helpful Content Update aimed to promote content that is genuinely “valuable” to users by prioritizing high-quality, user-first material and de-emphasizing content created solely for search engine optimization.
In March 2024, Google announced that the Helpful Content System had been incorporated into its core ranking systems. This significant change means that helpfulness is now a more integral part of Google’s overall ranking algorithm, rather than a separate system.
So who’s world got rocked the hardest by the HCU?
Travel publishers: According to the analysis of 671 travel publishers, 32% (213 sites) lost more than 90% of their organic traffic after the HCU. These were described as sites that “used to enjoy millions of sessions every month being reduced to pretty much nothing.”
Affiliate sites: Many affiliate marketing sites, especially those focused primarily on product reviews and comparisons, saw significant traffic drops. While not as explicitly “wiped out,” these sites experienced severe declines.
Information and research sites: The search results mention a category of sites providing online tools, calculators, converters, and aggregated data. Some sites in this category saw their visibility decline to zero or nearly zero after the March 2024 Updates, following initial declines from the September 2023 HCU.
Content farms: While not explicitly named, the search results imply that sites producing large volumes of thin content primarily for search engines rather than users were heavily impacted.
Micro-sites: Google’s Gary Illyes highlighted issues with micro-sites hosted on subdomains or subdirectories without proper oversight (which is..?), which often aimed to manipulate search results. These were likely severely impacted by the update.
It’s important to note that while many sites were significantly impacted, the data from Mediavine showed that only 5.8% of their represented sites (607 out of 10,302) were negatively impacted by the HCU. This suggests that while some sites were indeed “wiped out,” the majority of quality sites managed to weather the update.
Then again, the “majority” of sites on the internet don’t receive any Google traffic.
Either way, let’s face it: you probably wouldn’t be reading this if your rankings were rockin’! So let’s get your rankings back ASAP.
Google’s “Helpful Content Update” is an algorithm update that aims to promote high-quality, helpful content in search results while demoting low-quality, unhelpful content. This update rewards websites with helpful content and provides searchers with a better experience. Websites that are affected negatively should review their content for quality and relevance to match the needs of their target audience.
Understanding Google’s Helpful Content Update
Google’s Helpful Content Update aimed to prioritize content created primarily for helping and informing users rather than just boosting search engine rankings.
This update marked a shift towards promoting people-first content and demoting material written solely for search engine optimization purposes (oh, c’mon, who would do that?)
The update was applied site-wide, impacting the visibility of websites across various industries on Google’s search engine result pages.
The September 2023 iteration of the Helpful Content Update brought several key changes to the Helpful Content System designed by Google to rank websites based on the quality and usefulness of their content.
One notable adjustment in this update focused on machine-generated content guidelines.
Previously, AI-written content faced scrutiny due to concerns about its reliability and accuracy. However, Google saw the way the wind was blowing and took a softer stance toward AI-generated content, aligning it with other recommendations for creating helpful material.
In fact, they even changed their language around AI, saying they want to rank “content written for people” vs. the old phrasing “content written by people”.
Another important change introduced in the update was in relation to hosting third-party content. Website owners are now advised to exercise caution when hosting third-party content on subdomains or primary domains, as it could negatively impact their website’s rankings. To mitigate this risk, Google recommends blocking indexing any third-party content unrelated to the main site’s purpose or produced without direct oversight.
Google also highlighted the issue of micro-sites hosted on subdomains or subdirectories without proper oversight. These sites often manipulate search results instead of providing valuable content. The update emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all content associated with a website is valuable and aligned with its intended purpose.
For instance, let’s say a website hosts user-generated reviews but fails to monitor or moderate them effectively. If these reviews contain irrelevant or misleading information that compromises the helpfulness and accuracy of the overall content presented, it may adversely affect how Google assesses the website’s value.
To recover from a Helpful Content Update, website owners and SEO experts must identify and eliminate or replace unhelpful content. It is crucial to reevaluate the purpose and quality of the content produced, ensuring that it genuinely meets users’ needs.
Now that we have a better understanding of the Helpful Content Update and its overarching goals, let’s dive deeper into the key changes and aims behind this update.
- Since the rollout on September 14th, 2023, there has been an average of a 30% drop in impressions for websites affected by the update, indicating alterations in traffic patterns.
- As per data from SEMrush, almost 60% of websites have seen changes in their ranking since the introduction of Google’s helpful content update.
- It’s estimated that nearly 75% of well-established websites that once had featured snippets have also disappeared from the first page results after this update.
Key Changes and Aims
The primary aim of Google’s Helpful Content Update is to promote high-quality, helpful, and reliable content on the web. It seeks to ensure that the information presented to users aligns with their search intent, providing valuable resources that help them navigate their queries or challenges.
One of the notable changes in this update focused on refining guidelines for machine-generated content.
Previously, there were concerns about the reliability and usefulness of AI-written material. However, Google has recognized the improvements in AI technology and acknowledges its potential value in creating helpful content. This change signifies that AI-written content can now be considered as part of a website’s repertoire if it adheres to quality standards and genuinely assists users.
Another significant change relates to hosting third-party content. Google advises website owners to exercise caution when hosting such content on their domains or subdomains. The update encourages site owners to ensure that any third-party content they host is directly relevant to their site’s purpose and offers genuine value to users. By doing so, websites can maintain a higher level of user trust and provide a more helpful experience.
Overall, these key changes reflect Google’s ongoing efforts to refine its algorithms and ranking systems to prioritize user-focused content over manipulative tactics aimed solely at search engine optimization. The Helpful Content Update encourages website owners and creators to adopt an approach centered around providing valuable experiences for users rather than simply chasing higher rankings in search results.
Rollout Date and Initial Impact
The September 2023 Google Helpful Content Update began its rollout on September 14th and completed on September 28th, taking a total of 14 days. This update specifically targeted SEO-first content and had a more significant impact on the SEO industry compared to average website owners.
Interestingly, this update primarily focused on content that was designed to rank well in search engines rather than providing useful information for human readers.
Well, Google, sometimes it can be both these things.
During the initial rollout period, many SERP tracking tools showed an unusual calmness, making it difficult to gauge the immediate impact of the update.
However, as time progressed, website owners and SEO professionals started noticing significant changes in their rankings and traffic levels. The effects were particularly visible for websites with low-quality, unhelpful, or poor user experience (UX) content.
For instance, imagine a website that was solely focused on generating high traffic through keyword stuffing and shallow content. With this update, such a site would significantly drop its rankings and organic visibility.
On the other hand, websites that prioritized creating valuable content for users would be rewarded with higher rankings and increased visibility.
It is important to note that Google has no plans to reverse this update and is actively working on improving (some would quarrel with this characterization!) future versions.
This means that website owners must adapt to these changes and evaluate their existing content based on Google’s advice.
That is if they want their websites to be visible in Google searches.
Recovering from the impact of this update can take several months as it requires thoroughly evaluating and improving the quality of content across the entire site. Website owners need to focus on creating helpful and informative content that truly benefits their target audience rather than solely catering to search engine algorithms.
Now that we have explored the rollout date and initial impact of the September 2023 Google Helpful Content Update, let’s dive into its specific impact on different types of web content.
Impact on Different Types of Web Content
It is estimated that the September 2023 Google Helpful Content Update will have a meaningful impact on various types of online content, including:
- Educational materials
- Entertainment
- Shopping sites
- Tech-related content
These types of content are particularly at risk of losing their rankings because they are often written with a focus on search engine optimization rather than providing value to human readers.
YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) sites dealing with health, finance, and legal topics were particularly affected by this update. According to a study by Sistrix, YMYL sites saw an average visibility decrease of 30% after the update. Google places a higher emphasis on the accuracy and quality of content in these sensitive areas, making it crucial for YMYL sites to ensure their content is reliable and trustworthy.
Affiliate marketing sites, especially those with thin content focused primarily on product reviews and comparisons, also saw significant traffic drops. This indicates Google’s push for more comprehensive, value-added content, even in commercial niches.
Websites need to evaluate the quality of their existing content and ensure it aligns with user intent and provides genuine value and unique insights.
For example, educational websites offering informative articles or tutorials that genuinely assist learners will likely see positive effects from this update. On the other hand, websites offering thin or generic content lacking substantive value might experience a decline in rankings.
For example, educational websites offering informative articles or tutorials that genuinely assist learners in acquiring knowledge would likely see positive effects from this update. On the other hand, websites that merely offer thin or generic content lacking substantive educational value might experience a decline in rankings.
Similarly, e-commerce sites that prioritize providing detailed product information, useful buying guides, and customer reviews are more likely to benefit from this update.
Conversely, websites that focus solely on keyword stuffing and shallow descriptions or reviews may find their rankings negatively impacted.
Let’s consider an entertainment website that publishes timely movie reviews written with a focus on keyword optimization rather than offering insightful analysis. With this update, such a site might observe a drop in visibility as Google aims to promote high-quality reviews created by experts or professionals in the field.
Having explored the impact of the September 2023 Google HCU on different types of web content, it is clear that website owners must prioritize creating valuable and user-centric content to maintain or improve their rankings in search results.
High-Authority Sites
High-authority sites have always held a prominent position in Google’s search rankings, and the Helpful Content Update has further emphasized their importance. These sites tend to have a strong online presence, delivering authoritative, expert-driven content that users find reliable.
As a result, they naturally rank better in search engine result pages (SERPs) compared to smaller or newer websites.
But building authority takes time and effort.
It requires consistently publishing high-quality content that not only addresses users’ needs but also demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—elements now emphasized by Google as E-E-A-T.
Each of these components is critical to how Google assesses the credibility and usefulness of content.
Experience
With the latest update, Google has added “Experience” to the traditional E-A-T guidelines. Content that shows first-hand experience is now rewarded more heavily, especially for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics, such as health, finance, and legal matters. This means that demonstrating direct experience with a product, service, or topic gives content an edge over material that lacks personal insights. For instance, a health article written by someone who has undergone a particular medical treatment is seen as more valuable than content that lacks this lived perspective. This addition of “Experience” means that content creators must strive to share personal anecdotes, case studies, and detailed firsthand reviews to align with Google’s expectations.
Expertise
Expertise refers to the depth of knowledge presented in your content. Google is placing even greater emphasis on the qualifications and credentials of the authors, particularly for YMYL content. According to Search Engine Watch, websites that prominently feature author bios and credentials have seen better performance post-update. Demonstrating expertise not only involves having qualified authors but also showcasing that knowledge through well-researched, detailed content that truly addresses users’ questions.
Authoritativeness
To establish authoritativeness, content needs to come from a credible source that is recognized as an authority in the relevant field. High-authority sites typically have numerous quality backlinks from other reputable sites within their industry. However, backlinks alone are not enough. Authority is increasingly about providing comprehensive, useful information that other websites trust enough to reference. Author bios, external references, and endorsements from recognized experts all contribute to a site’s perceived authority.
Trustworthiness
Trustworthiness involves transparency and reliability. Trust can be built through accurate information, clearly cited sources, and user-focused features like detailed privacy policies or contact information. With Google’s Helpful Content Update, content that instills trust by being honest, transparent, and accurate will be rewarded. Especially for YMYL content, users must feel confident that the information is reliable and safe to follow.
Google’s expansion of E-E-A-T to include Experience makes it clear that the best content is not just knowledgeable but also genuine and relatable. Websites that incorporate first-hand experiences and demonstrate expertise through qualified authors will continue to thrive in this evolving SEO landscape. By focusing on creating content that authentically addresses user needs—whether through personal anecdotes, expert advice, or both—you can improve your site’s credibility and overall authority in your niche.
To succeed post-update, high-authority sites must leverage backlinks and author credentials and share real experiences that resonate with their audience.
Authority today is a combination of lived experience, specialized knowledge, credibility, and transparency. Websites that master these aspects of E-E-A-T will not only rank higher but also foster stronger trust with their readers.
But backlinks just happen naturally when you write great content, right?
Not often enough.
Rise of “People Also Ask” Results
Since the rollout of the September 2023 Helpful Content Update, there has been a noticeable increase in “People Also Ask” (PAA) boxes appearing in search results. This suggests that Google is increasingly prioritizing content that directly and clearly addresses user questions.
The “People Also Ask” feature often appears in response to broad informational queries, providing users with a quick way to find answers to common questions. Websites that have content well-optimized to answer these frequently asked questions are finding it easier to rank in these boxes, which can significantly enhance visibility and drive more organic traffic.
For instance, if a user searches for a topic like “breast augmentation options,” they may be presented with related questions such as “What types of breast implants are available?” or “How long is the recovery period?” in the PAA boxes.
Sites that provide clear and concise answers to these types of questions are more likely to be featured, and thus, stand to gain valuable SERP real estate.
This growth in “People Also Ask” results reflects Google’s focus on user intent and satisfying direct questions more efficiently.
To benefit from this trend, content creators should focus on structuring content that provides straightforward answers to common user queries.
Using headings or FAQs that directly align with user questions can help improve your chances of being featured in these boxes. Additionally, it’s beneficial to identify the kinds of questions users commonly ask related to your content and address them explicitly within your articles.
According to Search Engine Roundtable, this rise in PAA boxes indicates a broader effort by Google to prioritize helpful, question-based content over generic SEO-focused pages. Websites that effectively use structured data and content formatting—such as bullet points, numbered lists, or concise sections under appropriate headers—are also more likely to be highlighted in PAA boxes.
To adapt to the increased importance of “People Also Ask” features, it’s crucial to understand what users are asking and to provide clear, detailed responses. The better you align your content with user questions, the more likely you are to benefit from this change, which will not only boost visibility but also improve click-through rates from organic search.
Product Pages and Definitions
When it comes to product-related searches or queries that revolve around definitions, Google has made significant changes through its Helpful Content Update. The algorithm now places greater emphasis on clear and concise information provided on product pages as well as well-structured definitions.
From an SEO perspective, this highlights the importance of optimizing your product pages and incorporating accurate definitions.
Whether selling physical products or offering services, ensuring that your product pages are comprehensive, informative, and credible is key to ranking well on SERPs.
Let’s say you operate an online store specializing in athletic footwear. To align with Google’s Helpful Content Update, your product pages should not only include detailed descriptions, high-quality images, and customer reviews – but also provide additional relevant information such as shoe size conversions, material details, and performance characteristics.
This combination of thorough content ensures that users find your website valuable and helpful.
In terms of definitions, Google aims to deliver clear and concise explanations directly in the search results, reducing the need for users to click through to other websites.
As a website owner, this means providing well-crafted definitions within your content can assist in capturing users’ attention while increasing your chances of appearing in featured snippet positions.
Google’s Helpful Content Update places greater importance on clear and concise information provided on product pages and well-structured definitions. Optimizing product pages and incorporating accurate definitions is crucial to ranking well on SERPs, ensuring they are comprehensive, informative, and credible. Additionally, providing well-crafted definitions within website content can help capture user attention and increase the chances of appearing in featured snippet positions. Keeping up with Google’s evolving search landscape is essential to successfully adapt content strategies.
Adapting Your Content Strategy
Okay, so I think we all realize now that simply producing content for the sake of having it on your website is no longer sufficient.
You must focus on creating high-quality, user-focused content that provides genuine value and meets the needs and expectations of your target audience.
So, how can you adapt your content strategy to ensure that your website ranks well in light of this danged HCU?
First and foremost, it’s important to understand your audience. Take the time to conduct thorough research and gain insights into their interests, preferences, and pain points. This will enable you to tailor your content to their specific needs and ensure it resonates with them on a deeper level.
Once you have a solid understanding of your audience, prioritize depth and accuracy in your content. Gone are the days when surface-level or keyword-stuffed articles would suffice (ah, the good old days!) Instead, strive to create comprehensive and insightful pieces that provide real value to readers. This could include in-depth guides, case studies, expert opinions, or thought-provoking analysis.
Updating your content regularly is also essential. Freshness and relevance are key signals that Google looks for when evaluating content quality. That COVID article I wrote back in 2020? Yeah, not moving the needle in Google search.
In fact, Google deindexed it. Bah, humbug!
Keeping your website up-to-date with accurate information and timely insights sends a positive signal to both users and search engines.
For instance, if you run a financial blog, regularly publishing articles on topics like tax updates or investment strategies will help establish your website as a reputable source of information.
When optimizing for search intent, focus on providing answers and solutions rather than simply targeting keywords.
Think about what users are looking for when they enter a specific query and ensure that your content directly addresses their needs. This will improve user satisfaction and increase the likelihood of ranking higher in relevant search results.
Encouraging user engagement is another aspect to consider in your content strategy.
Prompt readers to leave comments, ask questions, or share their experiences. Yeah, blog commenting! Seriously Google? It’s 2023!!
If blog commenting did ever happen, it might foster a sense of community and provide valuable feedback that could help you further refine and improve your content.
I think I’ve had a total of 5 non-spam comments on my blog since 2020. And my content has been stellar! Well, maybe Google would beg to differ.
Finally, make judicious use of visuals to enhance your content. Incorporating relevant images, infographics, or (especially!) videos can help break up the text and make your articles more visually appealing and engaging.
Visual elements can also aid in conveying complex information in a more digestible format.
Now that we’ve explored how to adapt your content strategy, let’s dive into the next step: assessing and improving content relevance.
Assessing and Improving Content Relevance
One key factor that Google’s Helpful Content Update emphasizes is content relevance.
Your website’s rankings will be influenced by how well your content aligns with users’ search queries and interests. Therefore, continually assessing and improving your content’s relevance is crucial.
Start by conducting keyword research to identify the terms and phrases that are most relevant to your target audience.
Put yourself in the shoes of users searching for information related to your website’s niche. Which keywords would they likely use?
Look for long-tail keywords (multi-word phrases), which are more specific and have less competition, as they can be valuable in driving targeted traffic to your site. At least, before the HCU. We’ll see how that one shakes out.
Once you have identified the relevant keywords, review your existing content to see if it adequately addresses those topics or queries. Consider whether any gaps exist that need to be filled with new or updated content. This could involve expanding on certain topics, providing fresh perspectives, or incorporating additional details or examples to enhance the reader’s understanding.
For instance, imagine you have a technology blog and notice that there is increasing interest among your audience in artificial intelligence (AI). You may decide to publish an in-depth article exploring the impact of AI on various industries and provide practical insights for businesses looking to implement AI technologies.
Another aspect to consider is the quality and credibility of your content. Is it supported by reputable sources or expert opinions?
Linking an Author byline to a bio page on your website that is supported by social media links or other authoritative external resources can go a long way towards establishing credibility.
By incorporating external references and citing credible sources, you enhance the authority of your content and provide users with valuable resources for further exploration.
Regularly monitoring user engagement metrics, such as time on page, bounce rate, and social shares, can provide insights into how well your content resonates with your audience. Analyzing this data can help you identify areas where improvement is needed and guide you in making data-driven decisions to optimize your content further.
Think of assessing and improving content relevance like tending to a garden. Just as a gardener continuously evaluates the health of their plants and makes adjustments to ensure optimal growth, you must consistently assess the relevance and quality of your content to thrive in the evolving digital landscape.
Debate and Controversies Surrounding the Update
Even since the HCU update, various debates and controversies have surrounded its impact on website rankings.
Some website owners have witnessed significant improvements in their search visibility, while others have experienced a decline. This has led to a heated discussion among SEO experts and webmasters about the effectiveness and fairness of the update.
One common point of contention concerns Google’s emphasis on helpful content. While many applaud this focus on providing quality information to users, some argue that it introduces subjectivity into search rankings.
Critics claim that determining what qualifies as “helpful” content is subjective and can lead to biases in the algorithm. They argue that this might favor certain websites or perspectives over others, potentially limiting diversity in search results.
Let’s consider a travel blog that provides insightful tips and recommendations for popular destinations. Under the new update, this blog might see an increase in rankings if its content aligns with Google’s definition of helpfulness.
However, suppose there is another lesser-known blog by locals that offers unique insights into offbeat destinations. Despite being valuable and informative to a niche audience, it may not receive the same recognition due to Google’s criteria for helpfulness.
On the other hand, proponents of the update highlight the importance of user experience and relevance in search results. They argue that prioritizing helpful content ensures that users find accurate and trustworthy information when searching.
By promoting high-quality content, they believe that websites with genuine expertise on a topic will be rewarded, enhancing the overall search experience.
In truth, finding the right balance between relevance and subjectivity is undoubtedly challenging. While Google aims to improve search results by promoting helpful content, it must also consider how factors like diversity and different perspectives play into delivering comprehensive and unbiased information.
Moreover, another aspect that has raised concerns is the reliance on AI-generated or machine-produced content. Google’s removal of the phrase “written by people” from its guidelines implies that machine-generated content can still be helpful. This has sparked debates about the potential implications for human-authored content and the future role of artificial intelligence in determining search rankings.
It is essential to acknowledge that no algorithm update can satisfy everyone, and there will always be differing opinions and perspectives.
However, as webmasters and SEO professionals, we must adapt to these changes and ensure our content is helpful and valuable to users.
The debate surrounding Google’s helpful content update centers on the potential subjectivity of defining “helpful” content and concerns regarding AI-generated material. While some question its fairness and implications for diversity in search results, others applaud the focus on relevance and user experience.
Just be glad you weren’t trying to make a living as a travel blogger in the post-HCU world.
What prompted Google to release this content update?
Google released the Helpful Content Update to prioritize websites that provide valuable and insightful content to users. The update was prompted by the increasing number of low-quality and spammy websites ranking high in search results, which negatively affected user experience. In fact, a study conducted by Semrush in 2022 showed that almost 50% of the top-ranking webpages had poor or mediocre content quality. Google aims to enhance user satisfaction by rewarding websites that focus on producing helpful and relevant content.
Are there any notable success stories attributed to the helpful content update yet?
No one who posts on Twitter, but according to the Mediavine data, out of 10,302 sites they analyzed, 1,170 sites (about 11.4%) saw positive increases in their Google referral traffic after the HCU. This suggests that a significant number of sites did benefit from the update.
What specific changes were made in the helpful content update?
The update loosened guidance on AI-generated content, potentially leveling the playing field between human-written and high-quality AI content. It also cracked down on third-party hosted content, advising site owners to block unrelated or unsupervised content from being indexed. Google refined its self-assessment guidance, emphasizing expert review and cautioning against artificial freshness tactics. For sites affected by the update, new recovery advice was provided, encouraging the identification and removal of unhelpful content. At the heart of these changes was an improved classifier, designed to more effectively target and penalize content that doesn’t serve users’ needs. These adjustments reflect Google’s ongoing commitment to prioritizing truly helpful content (and Reddit!) in search results, challenging website owners to focus on quality and user experience above all else.
How are website owners and content creators responding to this update?
Website owners and content creators are responding to Google’s Helpful Content Update by focusing on creating high-quality, informative, and user-friendly content. They are ensuring that their websites provide valuable information that meets the needs of their target audience. This approach is supported by statistics showing that websites with engaging and relevant content tend to have higher rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs). Additionally, website owners are investing more in optimizing their websites for mobile devices since this update emphasizes mobile experience as a key ranking factor.
How does this update impact search engine optimization (SEO) strategies?
Google’s Helpful Content Update significantly impacts SEO strategies by prioritizing high-quality, informative content. Websites with valuable and relevant information will see a boost in their rankings, while those with low-quality content or practices like keyword stuffing will face penalties. This update aims to provide users with the best search results, making it crucial for businesses to focus on creating valuable content that answers user queries. According to recent studies, websites with informative content and longer average session durations have experienced an increase in organic traffic and higher rankings on search engine result pages (SERPs).
