What is Google's helpful content system and how will it affect your website in 2025?

What is Google's helpful content system?

Google's helpful content system became fully integrated into its core ranking algorithm in March 2024, marking a significant shift in how your website gets ranked. This isn't just another update to worry about – it's now a permanent part of how Google decides which websites to show to people searching online.

The system is designed to reward content that genuinely helps real people whilst penalising content that appears to have been created purely to attract search engines. The 2024 integration has resulted in a 45% reduction in low-quality, unoriginal content in search results – which means there's more opportunity for genuine, helpful content like yours to rank well.

Think of it this way: Google wants to show people content that actually answers their questions and helps them solve their problems. If someone searches for "how to fix a leaky tap," Google wants to show them a detailed, practical guide written by someone who knows what they're talking about – not a thin article stuffed with keywords that doesn't actually help.

Major changes in 2024 that affect you now

Throughout 2024, Google released four major core updates (March, August, November and December) along with three spam updates, all focused on improving content quality and reducing manipulative SEO tactics. Here's what this means for your business:

The helpful content system is now permanent

Google deprecated the standalone Helpful Content Ranking system and incorporated it into their core ranking systems. This means every piece of content on your website is now evaluated against these standards all the time, not just during specific updates.

Experience matters more than ever

Google now heavily prioritises content that demonstrates first-hand experience and genuine expertise. Generic, templated content that could have been written by anyone about anything is likely to struggle in rankings.

AI content faces stricter scrutiny

Sites with excessive AI-generated content strategies saw significant ranking declines throughout 2024. This doesn't mean you can't use AI tools, but you need human oversight and genuine expertise behind your content.

Why this affects your entire website

Unlike many Google updates that affect individual pages, the helpful content system evaluates your entire website. This means that if Google finds a significant amount of unhelpful content on your site, it can downgrade your whole website's rankings – even the pages that are actually helpful.

This site-wide approach makes it more important than ever to focus on quality over quantity. There's no benefit in publishing lots of thin, low-value pages if they're going to drag down your entire site's performance.

The good news? This creates an opportunity. By removing or improving low-quality content and focusing on creating genuinely helpful resources, you can potentially boost your entire site's performance in search results.

What Google considers helpful content

Google evaluates content based on E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Let's break down what this means for your content:

Experience - showing you've actually done it

Experience refers to first-hand, real-world knowledge that comes from actually using a product, visiting a place, or living through what you're writing about. For example, if you run a local bakery and write about "best ingredients for gluten-free bread," your experience comes from actually baking with these ingredients and seeing customer reactions.

Expertise - knowing your stuff

Expertise represents specialised knowledge or skill in your field, whether from formal qualifications, professional experience, or deep knowledge developed over time. You don't always need formal credentials – practical knowledge gained through years of running your business counts too.

Authoritativeness - being recognised

This comes from other reputable sources recognising you as knowledgeable in your field. Customer reviews, mentions in local media, recommendations from other businesses, and quality backlinks all contribute to your authoritativeness.

Trustworthiness - the foundation of everything

Trust is the foundation of E-E-A-T and holds huge significance. This includes having clear contact information, secure website connections, transparent business practices, and consistent, accurate information across all your online platforms.

Google's content quality checklist

Google provides specific questions to help you evaluate whether your content is likely to be considered helpful. Ask yourself these questions for each piece of content you create or review:

Content originality and value

• Does your content provide original information, insights or analysis that people can't find elsewhere?
• Does it give a complete, substantial answer to what someone is looking for?
• Does it provide insights that go beyond the obvious?
• If you've referenced other sources, have you added significant value rather than just copying?

Content presentation and quality

• Does your title accurately describe what's in the content without being misleading?
• Would you bookmark this page or recommend it to a friend?
• Could you imagine this content appearing in a printed magazine or reference book?
• Is the content well-written, free from errors, and thoughtfully produced?

User value and uniqueness

• Does your content provide substantial value compared to other search results?
• Is it the kind of resource someone would return to or share with others?
• Does it help people achieve what they set out to do when they searched?

Understanding what people are really looking for

To create helpful content, you need to understand why people are searching and what they hope to achieve. There are four main types of searches, and each requires a different approach:

Know queries - when people want information

Know queries happen when someone wants to find out specific information. These can be simple ("What time does Tesco open?") or complex ("How do I tile around a toilet base?").

Simple know queries

For straightforward questions, Google often provides answers directly in search results. While this might not drive traffic to your site, appearing in these featured snippets signals that Google trusts your content.

Complex know queries

These are your opportunity to shine. People searching for detailed information will read in-depth content if it's well-written, trustworthy, and genuinely helpful. Don't assume people won't read long content – they will if it answers their questions thoroughly.

For complex know queries:

• Get to the point quickly but provide comprehensive coverage
• Use clear headings to help people navigate your content
• Include practical examples and real-world applications
• Make sure your meta titles and descriptions clearly explain what people will find on your page

Do queries - when people want to take action

Do queries happen when someone wants to accomplish something or take a specific action. They might want to use an online tool, download something, make a purchase or complete a task.

Examples include:

• "Pay parking ticket online"
• "Calculate daily calorie needs"
• "Download VAT return form"
• "Book MOT test"

For do queries, make it crystal clear what your page offers and how it helps people accomplish their goal. Your page title and description are crucial – they help people identify that your page will help them complete their task.

Website queries - when people are looking for you

Website queries happen when someone has a specific business or website in mind. They might search for your company name or type your website address into Google.

To make sure Google recognises your website as your website:

On your website

• Include your company name in your website title
• Feature your company name prominently on your homepage, ideally as the main heading
• Display consistent contact details (address, email, phone) in your footer or header and on a dedicated contact page
• Make sure each page has a clear purpose that's immediately obvious to visitors

Across the internet

• Use exactly the same business name and contact details everywhere online
• Maintain an active, complete Google Business Profile
• Keep your social media profiles updated with consistent information
• Use the same URL format everywhere (always www or always non-www)

Visit in person queries - local business searches

When people search for local businesses they want to visit, your Google Business Profile is by far the most important factor for ranking well. Searches like "restaurants near me," "plumber in Manchester," or "yoga classes" all fall into this category.

For local search success:

• Claim and fully optimise your Google Business Profile
• Encourage genuine customer reviews and respond to them professionally
• Keep your business information consistent across all online directories
• Post regular updates about your business, services, and special offers
• Use local keywords naturally in your website content

Your website still matters for local search, but it works alongside your Google Business Profile rather than replacing it.

The best content strategy

Successful content strategies focus on user-first approaches, high-quality content and demonstrating genuine expertise. Here's how to approach content creation for your business:

Start with real customer questions

The best content answers questions your customers actually ask. Keep a record of:

• Questions customers ask in person, on the phone, or via email
• Common concerns or objections during sales conversations
• Topics that come up repeatedly in your industry
• Problems your products or services solve

Lead with your experience

Content that shows real experience and practical knowledge performs better than generic information. Instead of writing generic advice, share:

• What you've learned from running your business
• Specific examples and case studies from your work
• Common mistakes you see customers make
• Behind-the-scenes insights about your industry

Quality over quantity

It's better to publish one excellent, comprehensive piece of content per month than four thin, rushed articles. Each piece should:

• Thoroughly cover the topic from multiple angles
• Include practical, actionable advice
• Be written in a clear, accessible style
• Provide value that people can't easily find elsewhere

AI content and the new rules

While Google doesn't automatically penalise AI-generated content, sites with excessive AI content strategies without human oversight saw significant ranking declines in 2024. The key is using AI responsibly:

What works with AI

• Using AI to help research and structure content
• Getting assistance with first drafts that you then heavily edit
• Using AI for brainstorming and outlining
• Having AI help with formatting and organisation

What doesn't work

• Publishing AI content with little or no human review
• Creating large volumes of AI content without adding genuine expertise
• Using AI to rewrite existing content from other sources
• Relying on AI for topics requiring first-hand experience

AI tools can assist in content creation, but human oversight and creativity remain essential for content that engages and ranks well.

Technical requirements you can't ignore

Technical SEO factors like mobile responsiveness, page speed, and user experience significantly impact Google rankings. Even the best content won't rank well on a poorly performing website.

Essential technical factors

• Mobile-first design: Your site must work perfectly on mobile devices
• Fast loading speeds: Pages should load in under 3 seconds
• Secure connection: Use HTTPS (SSL certificate) for all pages
• Clear navigation: Make it easy for people to find what they need
• Error-free functionality: Fix broken links, forms, and other website errors

User experience signals

Google's 2024 updates placed increased emphasis on user experience signals, including:

• How long people stay on your pages
• Whether they find what they're looking for
• If they return to your site
• How they interact with your content

How to measure your success

Regular monitoring is essential for understanding how algorithm updates affect your site. Here's what to track:

Google Search Console (free and essential)

• Search performance data (clicks, impressions, rankings)
• Which search terms bring people to your site
• Technical issues Google finds on your site
• How your content appears in search results

Key performance indicators

• Organic traffic: Are more people finding you through search?
• Rankings: Are you ranking for terms that matter to your business?
• Click-through rates: Do people click when they see you in search results?
• User engagement: Do people stay and explore your site?

Regular content audits

Conduct periodic content reviews to identify outdated, underperforming, or duplicate content. Every six months, review your content to:

• Update outdated information
• Improve underperforming pages
• Remove or consolidate thin content
• Ensure all content still serves your audience's needs

Remember: Focus on helpful, experience-based content, fast-loading websites, and real user engagement rather than trying to manipulate search rankings. The businesses that succeed with Google's helpful content system are those that genuinely help their customers and consistently demonstrate their expertise.

About the author

Lorna has been working in digital marketing for more than 20 years now, both running campaigns for her own businesses as well as working on behalf of clients. She particularly enjoys helping clients learn how to take control of different aspects of their digital marketing themselves, making the best use of the tools that are available to them and getting them out from under reliance on developers and agencies to do things for them, empowering them to do these things themselves.