In September 2023, Google rolled out a major algorithm update called the Helpful Content Update. The aim of this update was to improve the quality and relevance of the search results by rewarding websites and blogs that provide helpful, comprehensive, and authoritative content to the users.

However, the update had some unintended consequences. Many websites and blogs that had high domain authority (DA), quality content, and good structure suffered a significant drop in their organic traffic. Some of these sites had faced virus and malware attacks, server issues, or other technical problems before the update, which might have affected their performance. But even after fixing these issues, they did not recover their lost rankings and traffic.

In this blog post, I will explain why Google’s Helpful Content Update was flawed and did not serve its purpose. I will also share my personal experience of using Google search after the update and how it affected my information-seeking behavior.

The Flaws of Google’s Helpful Content Update

Google’s Helpful Content Update had several flaws that made it ineffective and counterproductive. Here are some of them:

The update did not account for the user’s behavior and preferences. Users have different ways of searching for information and different criteria for evaluating the quality and reliability of the sources.

Some users prefer to open multiple tabs and compare different websites and blogs, while others rely on the first few results that appear on the search engine results page (SERP).

Some users trust well-known and established sites, while others are open to exploring new and emerging ones. Google’s update tried to impose a one-size-fits-all approach that did not match the user’s expectations and needs.

The update did not provide clear and consistent guidelines for website owners and bloggers. Google advised them to create content for the users and not for the search engine or ranking in SERP. However, Google also provided guidelines on how to rank higher in the search engine, such as using keywords, headings, images, links, etc.

This created confusion and contradiction among website owners and bloggers, who had to balance between following Google’s rules and satisfying the user’s demands. Many of them ended up doing the same thing as before, i.e., developing and optimizing the content for the SERP and not the users, but according to the new Google rules.

The update did not consider the diversity and complexity of the topics and queries. Google claimed that the update would reward websites and blogs that provide helpful, comprehensive, and authoritative content to the users.

However, what constitutes helpful, comprehensive, and authoritative content depends on the topic and the query. Some topics and queries are simple and straightforward, while others are complex and nuanced. Some topics and queries require factual and objective information, while others require subjective and opinionated information.

Some topics and queries can be answered by one website or blog, while others require multiple sources and perspectives. Google’s update failed to recognize these differences and applied the same standards and criteria to all websites and blogs, regardless of the topic and the query.

My Experience of Using Google Search After the Update

As a regular user of Google search, I did not notice any positive change in my experience after the update. In fact, I found it more difficult and frustrating to find the information I needed. Here are some of the problems I faced:

• I noticed that many of the websites and blogs that I used to visit and trust for reliable and relevant information were pushed down or disappeared from the SERP. Instead, I saw many unknown and relatively new websites and blogs that popped up higher. I had to scroll down or go to the next pages to find the sites that I was familiar with and comfortable with.
• I also noticed that many of the websites and blogs that ranked higher in the SERP had extra lengthy content, with lots of words, images, and links. However, this did not mean that they had better or more helpful content. In fact, many of them had redundant, irrelevant, or inaccurate information that did not answer my query or satisfy my need. I had to skim through or skip a lot of content to find the useful and relevant information.
• I did not change my behavior or practice of searching for information after the update. I still opened multiple tabs and compared different websites and blogs, regardless of their rank or authority. I still consulted multiple sources and perspectives, even if one website or blog claimed to provide all the information I needed. I still used my own judgment and criteria to evaluate the quality and reliability of the information, not Google’s.

Final Thoughts

Google’s Helpful Content Update was supposed to improve the quality and relevance of the search results by rewarding websites and blogs that provide helpful, comprehensive, and authoritative content to the users.

However, the update had many flaws and did not serve its purpose. It hurt many websites and blogs that had high domain authority, quality content, and good structure, and favored many unknown and relatively new websites and blogs that had extra lengthy content, but not necessarily better or more helpful content.

It also did not account for the user’s behavior and preferences, the diversity and complexity of the topics and queries, and the clear and consistent guidelines for website owners and bloggers.

I hope that Google will realize these problems and either revert the update or come up with a better one that will truly enhance the user’s experience and satisfaction.

Meta description: Google’s Helpful Content Update had many flaws and did not serve its purpose. It hurt many websites and blogs that had high domain authority, quality content, and good structure, and favored many unknown and relatively new websites and blogs that had extra lengthy content, but not necessarily better or more helpful content.

How I Survived the Google Helpful Content Update and What You Can Learn from It