In today’s digital landscape, creating content that is helpful, reliable, and people-first is crucial for ranking highly in search engine results. Google’s latest update aims to prioritize people-first content and push down spammy, low-quality content. To help marketers create well-optimized content that meets Google’s criteria, this article provides a comprehensive guide and a simple template.
The first step in creating people-first content is setting clear goals. Using a process called “The Five Whys,” marketers can refine their goals by asking why up to five times. This helps to ensure that the goals align with the overall SEO strategy and planning. For example, if the initial goal is to write a blog post about eco-friendly kitchen products, the subsequent analysis may reveal that the ultimate objective is to promote sustainable living and make a positive environmental impact.
Next, marketers need to reframe their goals from the audience’s perspective. By answering the question “So what?” multiple times and explaining how the content helps the reader, marketers can better align their objectives with the audience’s needs and interests. For instance, in the case of the eco-friendly kitchen products blog post, reframing the goal from the reader’s perspective could emphasize how learning about sustainability in the kitchen can lead to healthier living and cost savings.
Demonstrating experience and expertise is another crucial aspect of people-first content. Google emphasizes the importance of “helpful, reliable, people-first content” and recommends showcasing first-hand experience, expertise, and credibility. This can be done through using products or services, visiting places, providing accreditations, and referencing credible sources. Having well-developed “About us” and author pages on the website also contributes to establishing credibility.
Creating unique content that adds value to the discussion is another key aspect of people-first content. Marketers should aim to provide data and examples that support their article while ensuring accuracy and proper citation. Clear, descriptive, non-sensational titles are essential for attracting readers, and adding commentary to referenced sources helps to provide a unique perspective. Quality is paramount, and marketers should strive to produce content that meets the same standards as printed media.
Once the planning and research steps are complete, it’s time to write the content. Setting a clear format, outlining sections, and working on rough drafts are recommended. It’s also important to take breaks between drafts and review the content using Google’s question list. The final draft should be reviewed by an editor before publication.
After creating the content, it’s crucial to review it using Google’s Helpful Content help page. This will ensure that the content meets Google’s criteria for people-first content. Additionally, ensuring a solid page experience on the website is important, including factors such as web design, SEO optimization, Core Web Vitals, HTTPS usage, and limited ads.
In conclusion, creating people-first content is essential for ranking highly in search engine results. By following a comprehensive guide and using a template, marketers can create content that is helpful, reliable, and meets Google’s criteria. Prioritizing the audience’s needs and interests, demonstrating expertise, aiming for uniqueness, and maintaining quality are all key aspects of successful content creation. Ultimately, focusing on the end user and providing valuable content will lead to improved SEO results.
