Have you ever got excited about a topic, poured your heart into creating content around it and then clicked that big, shiny publish button, only for it to just vanish? Well, you’re not alone.
Standing out isn’t just about having something to say; it’s about saying it in a way that truly resonates with people. You have to think about what makes you want to click, save, and share. It’s often that piece of content that’s entertaining, helpful and insightful.
Now, you might be thinking: “People-first? Isn’t that just…common sense?” And yes, you’d be right, but in the battle to climb those search engine rankings, sometimes we can lose sight of the real humans reading on the other side of the screen.
Google’s systems are designed to lift up content that’s genuinely helpful and reliable. The kind that’s made for people, not just for those clever search engine robots.
So, how do we make sure our content hits that sweet spot?
First of all, let’s clear something up… Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) isn’t necessarily the enemy! It’s important to make it easy for search engines to discover and understand your content.
It’s best to think of SEO as ensuring your helpful message actually reaches the people who need it. The key to this is to apply best SEO practices to content that’s already focused on providing value to humans, instead of the other way round!
“A golden rule for optimised content is to act as if you’re talking directly to someone about your subject matter. Your audience is human, not a Google bot, so your content should be clear, engaging and flow like a natural conversation. That’s how to build a real connection and trust.” – Jacob Higgins, Digital Marketing Manager
Google’s E-E-A-T – What is it?
You may have seen Google talking about something called E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. While it’s not a direct ranking factor, it’s a framework that helps Google understand if your content is high-quality and reliable. Let’s break it down:
- Experience: Have you actually done what you’re talking about?
- Expertise: Do you have a clear understanding of the topic?
- Authoritativeness: Are you considered a recognised source of information in your field?
- Trustworthiness: Is your content accurate, honest, and reliable?
Of these elements, trust is the most important. The others contribute to building that trust, which helps Google put faith in your content and start prioritising it over other similar content.
Believe it or not, Google isn’t all robots! It has real people, called search quality raters helping to evaluate algorithms to make sure they are doing a good job of surfacing trustworthy and helpful content. These raters assess the E-E-A-T of your content and while they don’t directly influence rankings, their feedback helps Google fine-tune its systems.
Asking the “Who, How, and Why”
To keep your content creation on the right track, Google suggests asking yourself these three simple but powerful questions:
- Who created this content?
- How was this content created?
- Why was this content created?
Creating truly helpful, reliable, people-first content isn’t just a nice idea, it’s considered the key to long-term success in the online landscape. By focusing on your audience, building trust, and creating valuable experiences, you’ll not only connect with your target audience on a deeper level, but also create content that Google is more likely to recognise and reward.
Need support with the SEO of your content? Get in touch!
enquiries@artisan-creative.co.uk
