In December of 2022, Google hinted at a new signal to identify helpful content to users on the web. Immediately, professionals concerned with SEO for San Diego companies went on alert. While Google’s algorithms and signals are proprietary and secret, a good SEO Company in San Diego tries to work within the framework of information available to improve search engine rankings for its clients. It is important to understand how Google interprets website content so that the use of WordPress development services and other content-building efforts are not wasted.
What’s Important About Google’s “Helpful Content” Signal
Google is famous for never revealing much about the underlying technology of its algorithms and programs. Penguin and Panda are both good examples of how close to the vest Google likes to play its cards. The reasons for this are simple: if web designers knew exactly what Google was using to identify and rank websites, they might focus only on those metrics rather than creating genuinely useful content.
However, there are some general things that are clear about Google’s new “Helpful Content” Signal.
- Classifier improvement. A classifier, in AI or machine learning, is something that helps the computer classify or categorize content. Classifiers are often binary, as in “is this content A or B”? Once classified, content can then be sorted again until it is finally identified or isolated as singular data. The new content signal Google hints at is apparently an improvement on its former classification abilities in multiple languages.
- Not spam or manual actions. Google has systems set up to identify user-generated spam or attempts to manipulate the ranking system. When a website is in violation of Google’s terms in this regard, the webmaster receives a “manual action” report outlining the violation. Apparently, the new content signal has little to nothing to do with these protocols. Instead, it is a signal that is used to rank content.
- Checks for human-generated content. Apparently, this new signal is able to determine if content was generated by humans or AI. This is important, because human-generated content will be ranked more highly than that created by machines. This point was important enough for Google to stress it several times in a recent tweet by one of its experts.
- Not an algorithm. While algorithms are the most easily quantified and qualified of Google’s ranking tools, the Helpful Content Signal is not a single algorithm. It is identified as a “series of improvements,” which signifies an entire system rather than a single change. The new signal was built on research into AI that discovered that some of the programs created by Google have the apparent ability to perform multiple functions, some of them unplanned, when identifying low-value content.
While Google’s algorithms and systems may remain a mystery, what is clear is that businesses who want to improve their search engine rankings need help from SEO professionals who understand how to maneuver within the rules established by Google for content-rich websites. Following these rules as Google lays them out is the very best way to safely ensure improved rankings and more customers at your door! If you are looking for help in deciphering the rules of search engine optimization, look no further than Caldiatech. We are a company that has been helping small businesses improve their rankings for years, and we can help you, too! Give us a call today to learn more.
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