When Google released its Helpful Content Update in August 2022, not much seemed to change at first. Many SEO experts were scratching their heads, trying to figure out what the update really meant. It came, and it went—no big disruptions. But by September 2023, the real impact started to show, and alarm bells began ringing. By October, even websites with millions of monthly visitors saw their traffic plummet, and the decline continued into 2024.
Google sent a clear message with this update, but many didn’t get the memo. Some SEO professionals lost their jobs, and websites that relied heavily on organic traffic either folded or had to downsize significantly. The problem? Everyone had been creating content for search engines, not for users.
For years, SEO strategies followed a formula: sprinkle keywords throughout the body of the text, use them in headings, write at least 600 words, include original images, and make sure to add alt text to those images. These were the golden rules for SEO-friendly content. And they worked—until they didn’t. Websites that followed this approach for years were suddenly caught off guard when Google realized that its search results had become cluttered with content that wasn’t truly helpful to users.
Why Content Started Failing
Google’s 2023 Helpful Content Update was designed to prioritize content that genuinely helps users. The old tricks, like keyword stuffing and following rigid templates, stopped working. Now, content creators needed to do more than just game the system—they had to provide real value.
Take, for example, a niche website that once boasted nearly 4 million organic visitors. They pumped out content on high-volume, loosely related topics to boost their authority and traffic. It worked for a while, but after the update, they saw a steep decline. Today, that site pulls in only around 100,000 visitors per month, and the trend continues downward. Why? Because the foundation of the site was built on spammy content inflated with backlinks—not actual helpful information. The site is stuck, unable to recover, because it was never built on solid, user-focused content.
What SEO Experts and Content Creators Need to Do
To thrive in this new environment, content creators need to shift their mindset from optimizing for search engines to truly serving users. This is where copywriting becomes crucial. It’s not just about filling an article with keywords anymore; it’s about crafting messages that resonate with readers, provide real value, and keep them engaged. The days of content written just for the algorithm are over. Now, it’s about quality, relevance, and helpfulness.
What Is Truly Helpful Content?
Google’s focus has shifted entirely to rewarding content that is helpful to users. In the past, you could get away with writing keyword-heavy articles designed to please the algorithm. Now, Google wants content that offers real value and contributes something meaningful to the web. It’s no longer enough to just be original—your content needs to solve problems and provide fresh insights that users can’t find elsewhere. Those who stick to old methods will be left behind.
Time to Rethink Your Content Strategy
SEO experts and content writers need to familiarize themselves with Google’s Search Central documentation and restructure their content strategies accordingly. Google offers helpful guidelines on how to create user-centered, high-quality content. They even provide a series of questions to evaluate whether your content is truly helpful.
Gone are the days when simply producing long, keyword-rich articles was enough. Now, SEO professionals and writers need to focus on what the user actually wants. The goal is no longer to just please Google but to satisfy both the search engine and the user.
Winners: Those Who Create Helpful and Trustworthy Content
Why Originality Matters
Being original isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore—it’s a must. Google expects content to not only be unique but also to add value to the web as a whole. For those who are used to carefully planning their content, this shift offers an opportunity. Instead of rigidly following SEO templates, content creators need to think about the specific needs of each piece of content. What works for one article might not work for another, and flexibility is key.
The Connection Between Evergreen Content and Helpful Content
The idea of “evergreen content” has always been important, but now it’s more relevant than ever. Helpful content is essentially evergreen—it continues to be valuable and relevant long after it’s published. It’s content that doesn’t lose its usefulness over time, and that’s exactly what Google’s update is rewarding. Websites that produce this type of content will not only stay relevant but also build trust with their audiences, which is key to long-term success.
In today’s SEO world, simply writing keyword-stuffed articles isn’t going to cut it anymore. Google’s Helpful Content Update has pushed content creators and SEO experts to focus on what truly matters: helping the user. The goal is no longer just to rank high on Google—it’s to provide real value to the people reading the content. Those who adapt to this new reality by producing helpful, trustworthy content will be the ones who come out on top in search rankings.
For more in-depth information on SEO, feel free to check out my article titled “Understanding the Fundamentals of SEO: A Comprehensive Guide” available on my website.
