Cyrus Shepard Decodes the HCU and Shares Ranking Secrets for 2025 and Beyond
Dec 11, 2024
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Cyrus Shepard, a seasoned SEO expert from Zippy SEO and former Moz team member, shares invaluable insights on navigating Google's Helpful Content Update. He reveals the essence of creating 'helpful content' and discusses recovery strategies for website owners affected by recent algorithm changes. Shepard addresses the shift from traditional SEO practices to emphasizing user engagement and quality content, providing actionable tips for achieving visibility in 2025 and beyond. This conversation is a game-changer for anyone looking to thrive in the evolving digital landscape.
The recent Google helpful content update emphasizes user engagement and prioritizes authentic narratives over traditional SEO tactics to improve rankings.
Building brand authority is essential for long-term SEO success, as it helps websites endure algorithm changes better than relying solely on high domain authority.
Content creators need to prioritize authenticity and relatable storytelling, engaging their audience with personal experiences to align with evolving Google algorithms.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Google's Helpful Content Update
The recent Google algorithm update, often referred to as the helpful content update, reflects a shift towards prioritizing user engagement and the quality of content over traditional SEO tactics. This change was largely driven by complaints regarding excess affiliate spam and unhelpful content dominating search results. Google aims to downrank sites that create content solely for ad revenue and instead favors those that demonstrate expertise and genuine relationships with their audience. The update emphasizes long-term audience trust and loyalty, which is essential for securing higher rankings in search results.
The Role of Brand Authority
Brand authority has become a critical factor in determining how websites are ranked by Google. Sites with high brand authority are more likely to withstand algorithm updates, as their reputation can mitigate the impact of negative SEO practices. Comparisons between sites that thrive and those that struggle reveal that having an established brand presence can be more beneficial than having high domain authority through link-building alone. This emphasizes the need for content creators to focus on building their personal or brand identity rather than relying heavily on search optimization.
User Engagement and Experience Signals
The analysis of successful sites shows a pattern where articles containing a higher number of personal pronouns and genuine user experiences perform significantly better. Engaging with audiences through personal anecdotes and experiences can create a sense of connection, which is increasingly recognized by Google's algorithms. Furthermore, visual content that features real people, rather than stock images, can enhance user engagement, supporting the idea that unique and personal touch improves content quality. Prioritizing authentic storytelling over generic advice aligns well with the current preferences of Google's search algorithms.
De-optimizing Content for Better Performance
Recognizing that over-optimization can hinder search performance, creators are encouraged to simplify their content strategies. This includes minimizing the use of highly optimized title tags and anchor texts while focusing instead on straightforward, user-friendly headings that address reader needs. Additionally, reducing the amount of schema markup can be beneficial, as excessive use has been correlated with decreased rankings. The goal is to create content that reads naturally and is more relatable to users rather than content that appears overly engineered for SEO.
The Importance of Building Authentic Connections
Moving forward, content creators should emphasize authenticity and real connections with their audiences, as this is becoming essential in the era of AI and automated content production. Google seeks out genuine creators who engage with their audience, as opposed to those merely following SEO trends without substance. Taking the time to share real-life experiences and demonstrating expertise through personalized content can significantly benefit a brand's visibility and trustworthiness. Ultimately, embracing this shift towards genuine content creation will better position creators to succeed amidst the evolving landscape of search engine algorithms.
Cyrus Shepard has been in the SEO industry for a long time, and in this incredibly insightful interview, he shares the most important lessons he’s learned since the HCU.
He has been working to figure out what Google considers to be “helpful content” and identify what website owners can do to recover from the update, or succeed, in the new landscape.
After analyzing 4000 ad- and affiliate-supported sites, he shares his findings for both the winners and losers. He talks about everything from deoptimization to humanizing your content.
If you’ve been affected by the HCU, or you’re looking to rank a new website in 2025 and beyond, this interview is for you.
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