
Google Core Update: 7 Strategies That Really Work
BlogpostsContents
- Keep Your Content Fresh
- Build Topical Authority
- Write in First Person
- Grab and Hold Attention
- Publish Mainly Helpful Content
- Acquire High-Quality Backlinks
- Ensure Good Brand Experience
- Key Takeaways
In the past few months, Google has rolled out a major core update named 'September helpful content core update'.
This update is already causing a lot of commotion among webmasters.
This article from Business Insider quotes multiple site owners who saw their carefully built positions in the search results plummet within days.
Some complain that they are being displaced by a flood of AI-generated content.
I must confess that I've been monitoring our visitor statistics more closely than ever over the past few weeks.
That's because we, too, have been using AI in our writing process for several months now. While doing so, however, we make sure to follow the Google's guidelines for creating helpful content as closely as possible.
We now have a good understanding of these developments.
While many sites have been hit with a decline of 50% to as much as 80%, CopyRobin's traffic has continued to grow steadily during the core update.
I think I might know why that is, and I'm happy to share that knowledge with you. So, let's get started!
1) Keep your content fresh
Every month we add 4-8 new long-form blog posts and articles and update 2-4 existing articles. Google now indexes new content in less than eight hours, which is super fast.
Things to do every week:
- optimise titles;
- add new sections (tables, bullets, etc.);
- add internal links;
- refresh outdated content;
- optimise or add new images;
- and embed new videos.
Lesson: always work on your site to keep it fresh and relevant. At CopyRobin, we also use a lot of video content to enrich our articles and improve user experience.
2) Build 'topical authority'
All blog content and landing pages are about closely related topics, namely content marketing and copywriting. This offers plenty of opportunities for contextual internal linking.
Lesson: stay close to your main topic and build a content library that is tightly focused on a clear target audience. Strive for 'thought leadership'.
At CopyRobin, we have a series of helpful articles targeting specific issues in the copywriting and content marketing world.
3) Write in first person
Since the new E (Experience) has been added to E-A-T, we've switched as much as possible to first-person content. This makes the content much better and more personal.
Lesson: it's far better to read an article written by someone with experience. At CopyRobin, we ensure that our articles always have a personal touch.
4) Grab the attention and hold it
You need to hold the reader's attention from the beginning to the end. This starts with a catchy meta-title and H1 and continues with a strong introduction, engaging subheadings, helpful content and an irresistible 'call to action' (CTA).
Lesson: optimise step by step:
- write a title you have to click on;
- write an intro to draw the reader into the story;
- write compellingly to woo the reader;
- and don't forget to conclude with a CTA to prompt the reader to take your desired action.
5) Publish mainly helpful content
Your content MUST actually help the reader. If your article doesn't solve the problem behind a search query, it's pointless.
Lesson: make your content useful, unique, and trustworthy. At CopyRobin, we strive to publish articles that truly add value and solve problems.
Hopefully, this article will also help you face, or even better, benefit from Google's core updates.
6) Acquire high-quality backlinks
Although we don't do active link building, we recognize the importance of high-quality backlinks. That's why we regularly send out a press release. This consistently delivers a number of highly valuable backlinks from high-authority websites.
Lesson: focus on digital PR and obtaining high-quality backlinks. At CopyRobin, we have a strong focus on gaining qualitative backlinks through valuable content, collaborations, and helping journalists.
7) Ensure Good Brand Experience
If your home page looks like nothing more than a list of content, this is a red flag. Your goal should be to come across as a serious company with a good brand experience.
That means:
- you have your own domain name;
- you present a professional appearance and branding;
- you have a technically sound functioning website;
- your contact details are easily found on your website;
- your Google My Business is fully optimised;
- you have many good reviews on Google and elsewhere;
- you maintain active social media accounts that are well-cared for.
Lesson: Build a brand with a purpose. CopyRobin is a brand that stands for quality and reliability in the world of copywriting and content marketing.
Key Takeaways
Point | Summary |
---|---|
Content production | Be consistent and keep improving |
Topical authority | Focus on a clear target audience |
First-person writing | Make it personal and credible |
Attention | Optimise every step of the user journey |
Helpful content | Solve real problems |
Backlinks | Quality over quantity |
Brand is king | Build a brand, not a niche site |
These are the 7 ingredients that will ensure you no longer have to fear Google core updates. Apply them consistently from now on and watch your Google traffic grow.
Would you like to speak with an SEO content expert from CopyRobin?
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