How Google's Helpful Content System Has Radically Changed Search

In this long-awaited return episode of Search News, Dr. Marie Haynes explains how Google's helpful content system has radically changed search rankings.
She provides background on her experience studying Google's algorithms for over 16 years, and how the company has shifted to relying more on AI systems like helpful content rather than just links and keywords.
Marie walks through the evolution of major algorithm updates like Panda and Penguin, and what they revealed about Google's capabilities and focus on content quality. She explains how machine learning models can now predict helpful content, with training data from quality raters.
The episode provides real-world examples of sites that were impacted by recent helpful content updates, and what specific changes Google rewarded. Marie also offers advice for those struggling with helpful content suppression and wanting to better align with Google's criteria.
This episode will completely change your understanding of modern search rankings, and what you should prioritize on your site for visibility and traffic in 2023 and beyond. Don't miss Marie's long-awaited insider perspective on Google's helpful content!
Transcript:
www.mariehaynes.com/podcast-e...
More from Marie:
Purchase my workbook to help you assess your content and improve its helpfulness
www.mariehaynes.com/product/c...
Have me assess your site:
www.mariehaynes.com/work-with...
Book time on my calendar to brainstorm with me about your site:
calendly.com/mariehaynes/brai...
Links mentioned in this episode:
www.mariehaynes.com/newslette... (Latest episode of newsletter where we discuss Project Tailwind/NotebookLM)
developers.google.com/search/... (Google’s Guidance on creating helpful content)
searchengineland.com/whats-no... (Barry Schwartz and HJ Kim interview)
developers.google.com/search/... (Panda questions)
www.mariehaynes.com/google-ai... (My article on how the helpful content system works)
moz.com/blog/nine-years-of-go... (Dr. Pete Myers heatmap showing Penguin algo turbulence)
writings.stephenwolfram.com/2... (understanding the math behind systems like the helpful content system)
www.mariehaynes.com/what-we-k... How raters rate sites.

[@CompanyBusinessCards]

This was great info and easy to listen to.

[@bouncerankSEO]

Yeah, the helpful content update is a game-changer. Make sense having well-crafted content that is for humans is key. Thanks for the video

[@SEOSLY]

Awesome episode as always. I hope you will resume publishing more often now because I've been missing your podcast a ton. Thank you for everything you are doing for the community, Marie.

[@sherif6]

Exciting episode; I can't believe 58 Min! It's passed like 10 min.
me too started to study math, even from fundamentals "Factors and multiples, Decimals, Fractions, and Radicals... etc
" and then algebra, linear algebra
Thanks to Google :) It made me study math at 37 years old and think seriously about the data science learning path to be able to understand AI and ML.

[@danielleboyd3070]

Thank you Marie & the MHC Team. Great podcast. Yes, we do miss your podcasts.

[@ElnaWrites]

Great podcast and yes I do miss them! I can listen while I fold the laundry or cook dinner :-) Thanks for this one!

[@ChristianRadny]

I think I understand what it's about. Thank you.

[@NigelGriffiths1]

Thanks! 😊

[@Dash277]

I think I have content covered well, but I still struggle with legitimate, high quality links. Who do you recommend Marie? or maybe if it's meant to be private just a general idea of if you mean HARO or building content meant to generate links.

[@Marie_Haynes]

The folks I refer to are companies that can create a great piece of content - like a really interesting infographic or a new research study, and then reach out and do PR for it to get it mentioned in places.
HARO can be good - if you really can get mentioned in places that matter. Not just any link.
I'm speaking generally as I don't know your site, but if you don't have many sites legitimately recommending you without you having to do outreach, it may be difficult to truly demonstrate that people are recommending you.

[@GeorgeNicola]

Indeed, google did lose the search results from the millions of total spam fluff websites.

[@SimpleSolutionsFitness]

So this doesn’t entirely make sense. How can you become an authority and make good content if you’ve never published before? This sounds like you need an audience before you can create content

[@kayabeck3743]

💐 'promosm'