{"id":641583,"date":"2024-10-14T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/"},"modified":"2024-10-14T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T13:00:00","slug":"5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/","title":{"rendered":"#5 things that led to an Google HCU recovery (and 3 that didn\u2019t)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a66567e9ed\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a66567e9ed\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#Googles_helpful_content_update_has_been_challenging_for_many_websites_%E2%80%93_but_redefining_it_could_lead_to_recovery_and_improvement\" >Google&#8217;s helpful content update has been challenging for many websites \u2013 but redefining it could lead to recovery and improvement.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#Dealing_with_Googles_HCU\" >Dealing with Google\u2019s HCU<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#1_Take_a_hard_introspective_look_your_content\" >1. Take a hard, introspective look your content<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#2_Find_ways_to_be_more_helpful_or_even_useful\" >2. Find ways to be more helpful or even useful<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#3_Be_transparent_and_dont_lie\" >3. Be transparent and don\u2019t lie<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#4_Fix_your_technical_problems\" >4. Fix your technical problems<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#5_Work_on_your_brand\" >5. Work on your brand<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#The_3_things_I_didnt_do\" >The 3 things I didn\u2019t do<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/5-things-that-led-to-an-google-hcu-recovery-and-3-that-didnt\/#Put_the_time_in_and_talk_to_SEOs_in_specific_areas\" >Put the time in and talk to SEOs in specific areas<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Googles_helpful_content_update_has_been_challenging_for_many_websites_%E2%80%93_but_redefining_it_could_lead_to_recovery_and_improvement\"><\/span>Google&#8217;s helpful content update has been challenging for many websites \u2013 but redefining it could lead to recovery and improvement.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\nThe past year has been a rollercoaster for publishers navigating an increasingly crowded web. With competition rising and AI shaking up search results, staying on top of rankings is no small feat \u2013 especially in light of Google\u2019s constant updates.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This includes the helpful content update (HCU), which has left many sites struggling to recover from traffic drops and ranking tumbles.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Having experienced this, I\u2019ve learned there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all fix. But we can bounce back by making strategic changes. Here\u2019s how I did it \u2013 and what other publishers can learn from the journey.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dealing-with-google-s-hcu\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dealing_with_Googles_HCU\"><\/span>Dealing with Google\u2019s HCU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I know, I know: Google doesn\u2019t like us to call it the helpful content update anymore. It\u2019s all been baked into search and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.seroundtable.com\/google-helpful-content-update-gone-37196.html\">is just a part of the core<\/a>! \ud83c\udfb6<\/p>\n<p>The whole thing is a system update, regularly weighting and reinterpreting the various signals.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But the HCU has made life complicated for so many, tumbling rankings, decimating traffic and sending some sites to a tear-filled graveyard replaced with grief, frustration and the feeling that Google just doesn\u2019t care.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m no stan for Google and genuinely believe the search giant has made some mistakes. But I\u2019m also not someone who will stand by and do nothing. It\u2019s just not how I\u2019m built.<\/p>\n<p>During last year\u2019s September 2023 helpful content update, my Australian <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> website Pickr encountered a new problem. It fell in ranking severely as the HCU rolled out. Like many, I was frustrated, but I wasn\u2019t going to sit and wait.<\/p>\n<p>I tried many things. I pushed out an update I had been working on with more speed. I tried more things. I did research and experimented. I tried a few more things and I took notes.<\/p>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2024\/03\/core-update-spam-policies\">March 2024 update came and went<\/a>, and more falls arrived. Alongside the rest of the affected publisher community, I felt like I was being punished, so I experimented some more.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Notes, trials and tests later, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2024\/08\/august-2024-core-update\">the August 2024 update arrived<\/a> and the response was im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>te: from the first day, my site bounced back.<\/p>\n<p>I had the makings of an HCU recovery. It was a partial recovery, sure, resetting things back to life before the March 2024 update, but it was something.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not sure I\u2019ll ever see a return to the immense traffic from before September 2023, largely because the landscape has changed and the algorithm with it. But I\u2019m hopeful of continued improvement, largely because some of my work <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ears to be working.<\/p>\n<p>It hasn\u2019t stopped, either. In the spirit of \u201cif you know, you know,\u201d feel free to punch Pickr in your friendly neighborhood tracking tool and see if there\u2019s a recovery.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Simply put, see if my work has worked. I\u2019ll start.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"744\" height=\"254\" alt=\"HCU recovery - analytics\" class=\"wp-image-447477\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/HCU-recovery-analytics.png.webp 744w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/HCU-recovery-analytics-600x205.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/HCU-recovery-analytics-200x68.png.webp 200w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/HCU-recovery-analytics.png.webp\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"744\" height=\"254\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/HCU-recovery-analytics.png.webp\" alt=\"HCU recovery - analytics\" class=\"wp-image-447477\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/HCU-recovery-analytics.png.webp 744w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/HCU-recovery-analytics-600x205.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/HCU-recovery-analytics-200x68.png.webp 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>When everything was tallied, I ended up doing dozens of things to improve my site, hoping to make it more helpful.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There wasn\u2019t just one thing that made the most impact, but lots of little things added up to a bigger picture.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While some were specific to my own site, the good <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> is I\u2019m fairly sure some of it can be repeated for <strong>any<\/strong> site.<\/p>\n<p>Publishers can learn from my wins and hopefully see their own by the time the next update rolls around.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It just might require a change in thinking about what the HCU means for them.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-take-a-hard-introspective-look-your-content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Take_a_hard_introspective_look_your_content\"><\/span>1. Take a hard, introspective look your content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A big lesson I\u2019ve learned working in SEO is about doing regular content and page audits. It is beneficial to work out whether what you\u2019re serving is actually good.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Nearly every site owner I speak to seems to believe their work <strong>is<\/strong> good. They have a lot of it, some have performed well, and they believe it\u2019s fine. Surely it\u2019s Google\u2019s mistake, right?<\/p>\n<p>The problem is in how you think about your site versus that of others. Your content could be good.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But you also don\u2019t know how good your competitors\u2019 content is. Since Google compares everything, it\u2019s safe to assume your content might not be good enough to compete.<\/p>\n<p>Think about your content realistically. You probably weren\u2019t always an award-winning writer, nor was your team.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You may not have always had the best content, subheads and understanding of a topic.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Your content might also lack a solid linking structure, by which I mean including great internal links, useful external links attributing information other sources have provided and solid context for those links.<\/p>\n<p>In many of the sites I\u2019ve worked on as an SEO specialist, the content balance was a big hurdle.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Simply put, there were a lot of pages everyone was proud of, but no one could wholeheartedly say <strong>all<\/strong> of the content was amazing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It was more like maybe 10\u201320% were great, and the remainder was, well \u2013 not.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Thin, garbage or just plain \u201cmeh.\u201d The vibe was clear: we were proud of some, but not everything.<\/p>\n<p>If you have 100 pages, that\u2019s a problem because 10 to 20 are great and the remaining 80 less so.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That problem gets significantly worse as your page count increases.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I spoke to a publisher with 15,000 pages the other week, and I\u2019d have a hard time calling even 10% of what I saw great.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"893\" alt=\"AI-generated - magnifying glass on a keyboard\" class=\"wp-image-447478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard.jpg.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-600x335.jpg.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-800x447.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-200x113.jpg.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-768x429.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-1536x857.jpg 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard.jpg.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"893\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard.jpg.webp\" alt=\"AI-generated - magnifying glass on a keyboard\" class=\"wp-image-447478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard.jpg.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-600x335.jpg.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-800x447.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-200x113.jpg.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-768x429.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-magnifying-glass-on-a-keyboard-1536x857.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Let\u2019s say Google is looking at everything you submit and attempting to understand your site from that body of work.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Do you feel confident knowing that maybe 10% of what you submit is worthwhile and properly representative of being the best in the category?<\/p>\n<p>This is content that hurts. It may as well come from the \u201churtful content update,\u201d but we can also remedy it by conducting an audit.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re long, extensive and can be exhausting for both of those reasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, they are also beneficial because you may find content that no longer represents your brand or site. If this happens, you can delete it or simply remove it from the index.<\/p>\n<p>Be critical about what could be hurting you. It could just save your site.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-find-ways-to-be-more-helpful-or-even-useful\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Find_ways_to_be_more_helpful_or_even_useful\"><\/span>2. Find ways to be more helpful or even useful<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While we\u2019re on the subject of being overly critical of your content, let\u2019s consider what the helpful content update was supposed to represent.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Ignoring how unhelpful the update has largely been, Google told everyone that it built the HCU with the sole purpose of being \u201chelpful,\u201d so consider where your site can improve its helpfulness.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s ridiculous, I know, but our websites aren\u2019t always helpful, even if we\u2019re trying to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They may exist to inform and entertain, but that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ll match a definition of \u201chelp.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>These aspects are not mutually exclusive, and Google is trying to build a formulaic approach to establishing what \u201chelpful\u201d could mean.<\/p>\n<p>Part of the problem is Google is incredibly ambiguous about the helpful content update.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What even is helpful content? How do you define it when Google is cagey about the concept and won\u2019t properly define it?<\/p>\n<p>If anything, this should have been called the \u201cuseful content update,\u201d a name that is just about as ambiguous but at least explains what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n<p>I can\u2019t figure out how to grade helpful content, but useful content makes a lot more sense. I can look at a page and decide what to remove and how to improve the whole thing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself if the elements in each article, post and page are genuinely serving a purpose for users.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of whether the content is helpful, what can you change to make the experience more useful for all?<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Can you add a table of contents?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Are your subheads easy to read and follow a standard order?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Are there things you can do to automatically improve your pages?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Do forward facing indexed tag or category pages have a use on your website?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Can you add descriptions to make these pages better?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>What else can you do to improve the usefulness of your website?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Do those things and do them fast. The next update could be just around the corner, and you need to be ready.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-be-transparent-and-don-t-lie\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Be_transparent_and_dont_lie\"><\/span>3. Be transparent and don\u2019t lie<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>And while you\u2019re at it, try not to lie. Depending on how well you know your site, you may be doing it without realizing it.<\/p>\n<p>Not lying is a great message for life. Being truthful <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>ly makes life easier for most because you don\u2019t need to think whether you\u2019ll catch yourself in the act of being deceptive.<\/p>\n<p>The same is true when it comes to Google. Don\u2019t lie to Google because it can work things out quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When I say \u201cdon\u2019t lie to Google,\u201d I\u2019m specifically talking about nonsensical updates that are incredibly easy for a comparative search engine to debunk.<\/p>\n<p>Call this the \u201chonest content update,\u201d because search engines thrive on honesty and transparency, like most things in life.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"533\" alt=\"AI-generated - HCU\" class=\"wp-image-447479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU.jpg.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-600x200.jpg.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-800x267.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-200x67.jpg.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-768x256.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-1536x512.jpg 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU.jpg.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU.jpg.webp\" alt=\"AI-generated - HCU\" class=\"wp-image-447479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU.jpg.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-600x200.jpg.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-800x267.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-200x67.jpg.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-768x256.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-HCU-1536x512.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Oh, you said you updated the freshness of an article or page, but the only change was the sitemap\u2019s date?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re lying. If I can see it working in SEO, Google can, too. You\u2019re going to waste your time nudging the engine for a crawl.<\/p>\n<p>You say a new author has been added to the site and they made changes to the content.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But why did the only things that have obviously changed are the new author and a new timestamp?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That feels rather a lot like a lie you\u2019ll be caught out in, too.<\/p>\n<p>Much like creating content, updating content takes time and costs money.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It isn\u2019t just hitting \u201cupdate\u201d on a sequence of posts or forcing the sitemap to say the entire library has been updated when nothing has happened.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve all worked on clients like this, and it\u2019s just not helpful for maintaining clarity.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, try to be as transparent as possible. For instance, if you have an advertising policy referencing how you make money, include it in a menu, like the one at the footer.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Make sure it\u2019s indexed so Google can read it and understand that you\u2019re making the best attempt at being transparent. If you need to reference affiliate connections, do that where you can.<\/p>\n<p>In short, do all the things you can to be honest, because that\u2019s being helpful to users and search engines alike.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>And don\u2019t lie about it because Google will know.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-fix-your-technical-problems\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Fix_your_technical_problems\"><\/span>4. Fix your technical problems<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Every time I do a presentation on search, there\u2019s a part of it reserved for dealing with the problems of running a website. Often, it\u2019s the things we\u2019re not thinking about that Google can see.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For that, you need to turn to Google Search Console\u2019s <em>Pages<\/em> section and look for errors. Juicy, juicy errors.<\/p>\n<p>Pages that aren\u2019t found that you need to correct and make redirects for. Pages that may be found but set to noindex.<\/p>\n<p>Unintentional or not, it\u2019s a search marketer\u2019s prerogative to determine how to handle these fixes.<\/p>\n<p>I spent months on this process before my HCU recovery, staying up late to fix errors and pages Google could see, then verifying and waiting days or weeks for Google to recognize the changes.<\/p>\n<p>Until one day, it started getting through it all. The erroneous pages finally started to fall and my site was getting healthier.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, we\u2019re all dealing with the ramifications of the HCU, but in cleaning up the problems and issues, we\u2019re dealing with the fallout from what could have also been a \u201chealthful content update.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That means dealing with the problems at Search Console and also looking at potential issues with other parts of your site.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Look at the code, your robots.txt file and the things that make your website hum and purr, because Google is definitely looking at those, too.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-work-on-your-brand\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Work_on_your_brand\"><\/span>5. Work on your brand<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I know it\u2019s tough and, like the vague idea of what \u201chelpful\u201d means, improving your brand isn\u2019t straightforward. But mentions of it do show up over time.<\/p>\n<p>I remember a Google rep years ago mentioning brand pull and marketing your site, saying it wasn\u2019t the search engine\u2019s job \u2013 but hinting it could help. I can\u2019t find the exact quote, but it stuck with me.<\/p>\n<p>This year, it seems especially pertinent.<\/p>\n<p>Tom Capper\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/blog\/helpful-content-update-not-what-you-think\">excellent research at Moz<\/a> cleverly suggests what the HCU could have been about, with the crux being brands.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Granted, it\u2019s connected with the domain authority metric Google doesn\u2019t use and a Moz brand score that may or may not be useful. But the research is detailed and well-thought-out and aspects make sense.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a little like the popularity of a search, only it\u2019s connected with the brand of your site or the website your search may be affiliated with.<\/p>\n<p>This doesn\u2019t sound like a trait of a helpful content update but rather one that\u2019s all about important qualities.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s call it the \u201challmark content update\u201d and be done with it because hallmarks can infer quality, and that is what Google could be trying to say.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, that a brand being searched infers just that.<\/p>\n<p>Appearances in the media may be the cause for some, driving up searches of related terms, but so, too, could solid marketing efforts in general.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not suggesting TV and radio will necessarily boost ranking or that they\u2019re easy to get either in the first place, but they could definitely connect with relative search terms.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>John Mueller has already <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=DnJNV-mgU_M&amp;t=2650s\">poured water on the idea<\/a> that brand mentions boost ranking, but he didn\u2019t argue for searches around the brand itself.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, when search picks up in Google Trends, it is a trending search.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It stands to reason that increases in search around brands imply authority per se, necessitating marketing and brand-related actions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"868\" alt=\"AI-generated - trending down\" class=\"wp-image-447480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down.jpg.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-600x326.jpg.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-800x434.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-200x109.jpg.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-768x417.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-1536x833.jpg 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down.jpg.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"868\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down.jpg.webp\" alt=\"AI-generated - trending down\" class=\"wp-image-447480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down.jpg.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-600x326.jpg.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-800x434.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-200x109.jpg.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-768x417.jpg.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/AI-generated-trending-down-1536x833.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-3-things-i-didn-t-do\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_3_things_I_didnt_do\"><\/span>The 3 things I didn\u2019t do<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I did much more than what was listed here, but some were very specific to my site. It wasn\u2019t just my site that I worked on that saw improvements.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Every site is different and so will need your attention on what can be done to make a good, positive change for each.<\/p>\n<p>But there were three things I didn\u2019t do, and they\u2019re notable because there are those in the SEO community implying outright that these were reasons why sites gained in position.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complaining about a ranking publicly on social and forums.<\/li>\n<li>Filling out <strong>that<\/strong> Google form.<\/li>\n<li>Trying to get backlinks beyond writing great content.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I literally did none of these things. Not. A. Single. One.<\/p>\n<p>I didn\u2019t shout about my frustrations and struggles trying to identify how Google could suddenly undervalue my site. Instead, I worked on understanding what could go wrong and tried to devise fixes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I didn\u2019t fill out <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2024\/03\/core-update-spam-policies?hl=en\">that feedback form following the March 2024 update<\/a> because I didn\u2019t really have the time, and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.seroundtable.com\/google-core-update-feedback-form-37301.html\">I wasn\u2019t the only one<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s difficult enough to fix your SEO alongside doing everything else, and I didn\u2019t put in the extra time for a form I wasn\u2019t sure Google was actively going to care about.<\/p>\n<p>And importantly, despite the regular insistence of Reddit\u2019s SEO community on how important backlinks are for ranking, I didn\u2019t try to get backlinks at all. Not one bit.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You won\u2019t find a single artificial backlink for my site I\u2019ve pursued and I actively push back against clients who infer they need that. You don\u2019t. It\u2019s one factor, but it\u2019s not the be-all, end-all of factors.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a reason Lily Ray <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/tenor.com\/view\/austin-powers-why-wont-you-die-gif-10391573\">gets out a specific GIF<\/a> when backlinks are mentioned online. It\u2019s a factor that just won\u2019t die because it continues to make SEOs money and is easy to keep making money from.<\/p>\n<p>Backlinks are just <strong>one<\/strong> factor and given how many signals there are in the age of AI, it may not even be one that truly genuinely makes much difference.<\/p>\n<p>I did a lot of things, but none were focused on backlinks.<\/p>\n<p>However, I did make changes to the design and fonts, working to find a style that improved overall readability for users.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I focused on delivering greater transparency through administrative pages, focusing on an editorial policy and an advertising policy and even made these easier to find.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I used a noindex tag on certain pages I didn\u2019t want showing up in search results while I created better pages.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some internal links were marked as nofollow, while others remained active. It\u2019s important to find the right balance.<\/p>\n<p>And there was custom code, media size increases and ensuring that every page a search engine could find was the best it possibly could be for users and engines alike.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-put-the-time-in-and-talk-to-seos-in-specific-areas\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Put_the_time_in_and_talk_to_SEOs_in_specific_areas\"><\/span>Put the time in and talk to SEOs in specific areas<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re seeking help to recover from the HCU, find someone who has real experience in your area and has seen actual results.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Ask for their track record, proof and data. If possible, verify their recovery wins using a tracker. Don\u2019t just take SEO advice blindly. You could end up wasting time and money on strategies that don\u2019t apply to your site.<\/p>\n<p>Look for someone who understands your specific issues. If needed, turn to the broader SEO community.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Remember that seeking a second opinion is always an option, just like with a doctor. Many of us are out here willing to help others learn.\u00a0\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"about-author\">\n    About the author<\/p>\n<div class=\"information\">\n<div class=\"author-module\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 text-center\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" alt=\"Leigh Stark\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/Leigh-Stark-scaled.jpg.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/Leigh-Stark-scaled.jpg.webp\" alt=\"Leigh Stark\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\">\n                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-9\">\n<div class=\"about\">\n<div class=\"name\">\n                            <strong>Leigh Stark<\/strong>\n                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"row g-2 pt-2\">\n<div class=\"col-auto twitter\">\n                                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/follow?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearchengineland.com%2F&amp;region=follow_link&amp;screen_name=leighlo&amp;tw_p=followbutton&amp;variant=2.0\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-x-twitter\"><\/i><\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n<div class=\"col-auto\">\n                                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/leighlo\/\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\"><\/i><\/a>\n                                <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>Leigh Stark is an award-winning Australian technology journalist, publisher, and SEO specialist. For over 10 years, he&#8217;s worked across search marketing, supporting clients such as RateCity, National Dental Care, and Telstra Global among others, while his considerable 17 year journalism experience has seen him regularly published across web, print, TV, and radio. He aims to make technology easier to understand at his publication Pickr, and is typically happy to help.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-hcu-recovery-447450\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Google&#8217;s helpful content update has been challenging for many websites \u2013 but redefining it could lead to recovery and improvement. The past year has been a rollercoaster for publishers navigating an increasingly crowded web. With competition rising and AI shaking up search results, staying on top of rankings is no small feat \u2013 especially in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":641584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/10\/Redefining-HCU-5-things-that-led-to-an-HCU-recovery-and-3-that-didnt-800x450.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[26293,147962,78070],"class_list":["post-641583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-google","tag-helpful-content-update","tag-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=641583"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641583\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/641584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=641583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=641583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=641583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}