We aim for every article we publish to meet — or exceed — Google’s helpful content standards.
And you can, too.
After reading this article, you’ll have 10 Google-approved strategies for creating people-first content.
You’ll also see examples from real sites that excel at creating helpful content.
Plus, you’ll get a free checklist to ensure your pages meet Google’s quality standards.
Let’s start by understanding what “helpful content” is in Google’s eyes.
What Is Helpful Content?
Helpful content delivers what a searcher needs, whether they’re seeking information, researching options, or ready to buy.
It’s content written for people — not search engines.
But what was the Google Helpful Content Update (HCU)?
First launched in 2022, Google’s helpful content update was designed to reward people-first content while filtering out pages created primarily for search engines.
According to Google, helpful content does the following:
Provides trustworthy information backed by genuine expertise
Delivers substantial value compared to competing results
Demonstrates firsthand experience with the topic
Creates a satisfying user experience
Serves a purpose beyond just ranking in search
Google uses a site-wide classifier. It checks your whole domain, not just single pages, for helpfulness.
This means a significant amount of low-quality content can drag down even your best pages.
The biggest changes to this algorithm update took place in late 2023 and early 2024. Some sites lost A LOT of organic traffic.
Google confirms it reduced low-quality content in search results by a staggering 45%.
The sites hit hardest by these updates were:
Content-only websites with no actual products or services
Sites creating articles purely for search traffic
Affiliate sites with thin content and/or a high monetization-to-informational content ratio
The HCU aftermath sparked lots of debate about whether or not these updates were truly “helpful.”
And if the declines and deindexings were warranted.
And as the makers (and breakers) of rankings, following their guidelines is essential.
As of March 2024, the helpful content update is no longer a thing.
But helpfulness isn’t going away. The HCU is now integrated into Google’s core ranking systems.
Bottom line?
Creating helpful content is vital for your survival in search.
10 Ways to Create Helpful Content That Google Rewards
There’s no sugarcoating it:
Creating exceptional content is hard work.
But it can pay off through high rankings and targeted traffic.
Download our Helpful Content Checklist to follow along as you read. Use it before hitting publish to ensure your content meets Google’s quality standards.
1. Incorporate Firsthand Experiences
Want to instantly make your content more helpful?
Add personal stories and examples (real ones — not AI-generated).
Why?
Because it shows you actually know what you’re talking about — which is exactly what Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness) prioritize.
Google advises against generic, regurgitated advice on its website:
By including personal experiences in your content — including your successes and failures — you’ll create the kind of content search engines reward.
And your target audience wants to read.
Take this backlink guide from Backlinko founder Brian Dean, for example:
Brian didn’t just give generic advice like “create great content” or “reach out to bloggers.”
He shared specific tactics and advice that actually worked for him, including:
Real email templates he’s used for outreach
Screenshots showing actual results
Step-by-step instructions
Tool recommendations
Specific case studies with traffic metrics
The result?
Content that feels like you’re learning from someone who’s been there, done that — not canned advice you can find on any site.
No wonder this guide has maintained high rankings for years.
And generated 31.5K backlinks.
Pro tip: When sharing personal experiences, focus on specific outcomes and measurable results. Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines value demonstrable expertise. So, don’t just say, “This worked for me,” explain exactly how and in what timeframe. Include photos and screenshots when possible to back up claims.
2. Add Expert Insights and Quotes
Expert quotes add authority and new perspectives to your content.
They also help you meet Google’s helpful content expectations by providing insights readers can’t find elsewhere.
Even if you have personal experience with a topic, expert opinions add dimension and alternative perspectives that make your content more comprehensive and helpful.
Expert quotes strengthen your content in multiple ways:
Add credibility to your claims
Provide unique insights
Create content that’s difficult for competitors to replicate
For a great example of this in action, look at pet company Chewy.
Their content often contains insights from board-certified veterinarians and animal behaviorists.
This makes it more authoritative and trustworthy.
Source expert insights through:
Original interviews (via email, phone, or video)
Reaching out to experts on LinkedIn, X, or industry-specific sites and forums
Attending industry events and networking for insights
As Nate Matherson, head of growth at Numeral, says:
When writing blog posts, I often source expert insights from leaders in the SEO industry for my weekly SEO podcast, Optimize. For example, after interviewing Ethan Smith, the CEO of Graphite, on my podcast, I repurposed one of his quotes about topical authority to use in a blog post on the same topic.
3. Create Content That Meets Search Intent
Understanding and satisfying search intent is fundamental to helpful content.
For example, if someone searches “how to fix a leaky faucet,” they want clear, step-by-step instructions — not a sales page for plumbing services.
Content that addresses their actual goal (fixing the faucet themselves) will be considered more helpful.
But first, you need to understand the four main types of search intent:
Informational: Seeking knowledge — “how to fix a leaky faucet”
Navigational: Looking for a specific website — “Home Depot plumbing”
Commercial: Researching options — “best tankless water heaters”
Transactional: Ready to buy — “buy Moen touchless kitchen faucet”
Not sure if you’re creating people-first content that meets search intent?
After reading your content, will someone leave feeling they’ve learned enough about a topic to help achieve their goal? Will someone reading your content leave feeling like they’ve had a satisfying experience?
If the answer to either question is “no,” your content isn’t fully addressing search intent.
To better meet search intent:
Analyze the current top-ranking pages for your target keywords
Note what format dominates (guides, lists, videos, etc.)
Demonstrate topical authority by addressing all relevant subtopics and common pain points in your content
Start your keyword research
Explore the largest keyword database.
4. Use Reputable Sources
Using high-quality sources (and citing them) is important for all sites.
It signals to readers and search engines that the information you’re sharing is reputable, accurate, and verifiable.
Well+Good, a wellness site, demonstrates this in its article about medication safety:
They support every health claim with information from:
Board-certified psychiatrists
Professors of psychiatry and behavioral sciences
Peer-reviewed medical journals
Reputable health resources, like .gov sites.
When evaluating sources for your content, follow these best practices:
Prioritize recognized authorities in the field (major universities, established publications, industry leaders)
Check publication dates to ensure information is current
Check that you’re referencing the original source of the information
Look for potential conflicts of interest or bias in the source’s funding or affiliations
Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines place heavy emphasis on trustworthiness.
And nothing builds trust faster than showing readers you’ve based your information on solid, reputable sources.
5. Hire Writers with Topical Experience
When it comes to helpful content, experience matters.
So, prioritize writers with backgrounds in your niche over generalists.
This will benefit your content in multiple ways:
More practical, nuanced advice that only comes from hands-on experience
Insider tips that readers can’t find on other sites
Real examples and case studies that build immediate trust
For example, Harvard Health Publishing features physicians as their content creators.
These writers have impressive qualifications.
Including clinical experience, research credentials, and specialized knowledge in their medical fields.
This level of expertise is particularly important for Your Money, Your Life (YMYL) topics, where accuracy directly impacts reader well-being.
But experienced writers are valuable across all blog niches, from beauty to travel.
For instance, Family Vacationist, a travel blog, features contributors who have personally visited the destinations they cover.
This is evident by the insider tips they give.
Including advice on the best rides for kids, the tastiest treats in theme parks, and which hotels to stay at and why.
Family Vacationist also highlights its writers’ experience in bios.
Including relevant publications where they’ve been featured.
Even if you already have experienced writers, an expert review process will add another layer of credibility to your content.
Have subject matter experts fact-check your information
Include reviewer credentials directly in your content
Highlight your review process on your editorial standards page
For example, home services company Angi has experts review its content and features them prominently with a byline.
The expert reviewer also gets a bio to highlight their qualifications.
Investing in topic experts signals to readers and search engines that you’re committed to delivering accurate content and genuine value, not just ranking for keywords.
Pro tip: Create a database of expert reviewers categorized by specialty, experience level, and publication history. When new content needs arise, you’ll know exactly who to contact for a review.
6. Provide an Optimal Page Experience
Page experience is a critical component of helpful content.
If your page loads slowly or is hard to navigate, readers will leave. It doesn’t matter how good your information is.
But as Google states on its website (in slightly different words), doing the bare minimum won’t cut it.
For the best results, cover all aspects of the page experience rather than focusing on isolated elements.
Here’s how:
Analyze Your Current Performance
Use PageSpeed Insights and Google Search Console’s Core Web Vitals report to establish your baseline metrics.
If your assessment fails, follow the tool’s recommendations to improve these metrics.
Like reducing unused JavaScript and third-party code.
Pro tip: Use a tool like Semrush’s Site Audit to get weekly updates about your site’s technical performance. You’ll get automatic updates about issues affecting page experience, including loading speed, crawlability, broken links, large files, and more.
Optimize Images
Compress images without sacrificing quality using tools like TinyPNG, ImageOptim, or built-in CMS optimizers.
This will keep your images from dragging down your page speed.
Test Across All Device Types
Ensure your site has a responsive design that works across desktops, tablets, and various mobile screen sizes.
Use Chrome DevTools or BrowserStack to test how your site performs on popular devices and browsers.
Pay special attention to touch targets on mobile.
Check that buttons and links are easily tappable without accidental clicks.
Improve Security
Use HTTPS across your entire site to build user trust and meet Google’s requirements for secure browsing.
Google Search Console’s HTTPS report will tell you if your pages are secure. (And what to fix if they’re not.)
You’ll also want to configure proper SSL certificates and ensure all resources load securely.
Optimize Above-the-Fold Content
Prioritize loading essential above-the-fold content (aka content that appears on a webpage before scrolling) to capture web visitors’ attention.
And draw them to your most important content or assets.
Minimize unnecessary elements that push key content below the fold, especially on mobile devices.
Balance Monetization with User Experience
If you use display ads, ensure they don’t trigger layout shifts, overwhelm content, or create friction points for readers.
Reserve space for ads in your layout to prevent content jumps when they load.
7. Seek Information Gain (aka Bring Something New to the SERPs)
Google hasn’t said that “information gain” is a ranking factor, but it aligns with their emphasis on adding value to search results.
Information gain means adding something new to the topic. Something readers can’t find anywhere else.
I’ve mentioned some information gain methods already, like firsthand experiences and expert quotes.
But there are other ways to achieve information gain, including the following:
Original research: Survey your audience or industry and publish the findings
Proprietary frameworks: Develop your own scoring system or methodology
Product testing: Go beyond specs to share real-world performance
For example, the finance site NerdWallet goes to great lengths to thoroughly review different financial products.
Like credit cards, savings accounts, and personal loans.
As part of that effort, they created a NerdWallet star rating methodology.
But they don’t use a one-size-fits-all rating system.
They created separate methodologies for each financial product category.
Why?
Because different factors matter for different financial decisions.
They also published detailed explanations of how they weigh different factors in their rating system.
This helps give their star rating system more credibility.
You’ll see these ratings on various NerdWallet reviews to help readers choose the best products for their needs.
Like this one for a credit card:
The key takeaway here?
Information gain often requires a significant upfront investment.
Whether in time, money, or both.
But it leads to something valuable: content that competitors can’t replicate overnight.
8. Refresh Existing Content
Creating new content isn’t always the best strategy.
Sometimes, updating what you already have delivers better results with less effort.
Fresh, comprehensive content shows Google you’re committed to quality and accuracy.
It can also help boost your rankings.
In my experience, updating existing content often delivers faster traffic gains than creating new pieces. A blog post I wrote for Positional about title tags basically sat in the same SERP position for nine months. After revamping the post with additional information, it shot up in rankings almost immediately — and the ranking and traffic gains have held.
When refreshing content, prioritize these improvements:
Update statistics and examples with current data
Enhance visuals and formatting for a better user experience
Incorporate new expert insights or research
Fix outdated advice or recommendations
Target evolving search intent
Warning: Updating old content with a new date to appear “fresh” without substantial changes won’t fool Google. Focus on genuine updates that add new value, insights, or relevant information to improve the reader’s experience.
9. Create Helpful Graphics and Videos
Helpful content doesn’t just mean the words on the page.
Graphics and videos can also be valuable additions that improve reader comprehension and engagement.
When creating visuals for your content:
Focus on clarifying complex ideas, not just adding decoration
Create custom graphics rather than using generic stock images
Ensure videos add unique value beyond what’s in the written content
