Search engine optimization is constantly evolving with algorithm updates and the rise of AI content in Google.
Google’s People-first content update is a key indication of this, prioritizing helpful and reliable content for readers over search engine tactics.
Review eight tips for creating and maintaining people-first content to continually build trust and loyalty with your target audience.
Before you even set pen to paper (or, in this case, keyboard to screen), you have to know your audience. Analytics, surveys, and buyer personas can help to ensure that the content you’re creating resonates with your ideal customer or user.
But just knowing demographics isn’t enough. Dive deeper to build a strong connection with your audience and consider:
These considerations are a great starting point to tailor your content to fit their needs.
People quickly get tired of articles that just skim the surface. They want real, practical solutions and a roadmap to get them from where they are to where they want to be.
Leveraging content like expert opinions, charts, diagrams, tutorials, or webinars demonstrates expertise.
In Google’s guide on helpful content, they emphasize that it’s key to ask — “Does the content provide a substantial, complete, or comprehensive description of the topic?”
By sharing your knowledge in creating universally helpful content, like a FAQ or resource library, along with real-world examples or case studies, you can quickly position yourself as a recognized authority.
These days, it’s easy to search Google or even ask AI for an answer. With quick answers more accessible than ever, your audience reads your writing because they value you as an authentic expert.
You don’t need clickbait titles or sales language. Your personal experiences, case studies, examples, and testimonials will showcase your authenticity.
What’s more, Google’s content guidelines prioritize authenticity. Authenticity is one of the underlying facets of “E-E-A-T,” defined as, Experience, Expertise, Authenticity, and Trustworthiness. According to Google, these values drive higher search engine rankings.
With AI-generated content churning out posts faster than humans can keep up, people-first content encourages us to slow down the pace and focus on quality in content marketing efforts instead.
Typically, AI content skims the surface of a topic even though it trains on a massive amount of material. Its machine learning systems and algorithms try to piece together what words or data points come next.
This is where human content can shine. When you know what you’re talking about and take the time to research and do the legwork, it makes your articles stand out.
Focusing on quality instead of quantity keeps visitors coming back, subscribing, and looking forward to your next publication.
Another aspect of people-first comment is interaction. Responding to comments and engaging with your audience shows that you’re a real person with real insights and real stories that reinforce your point.
Many viewers and readers return to a site for valuable comments and discussion just as much as the posts themselves.
As an added bonus, search engines like Google take note of engagement. When you interact with your audience people stay longer on your site.
According to Ahrefs, Dwell Time describes how long people spend on your website (and if they’re engaged in comments, they’ll stay longer) before returning to Google’s search results. It could be a factor that Google considers in rankings. However, Ahrefs notes that Google hasn’t released a statement about it yet.
So, by creating people-first content, you’re actually taking steps to improve rankings, so it’s a win-win!
Making people-first the mantra of your content creation strategy, also means making your content accessible. This includes things like optimizing alt text for screen readers and making sure people with disabilities can navigate your site.
It also means focusing on better readability and using clear, concise language.
AI-generated content often sounds unnecessarily formal and complex. For this reason, it’s a good idea to use an AI website scanner to pinpoint content that may be AI-written and needs further review or editing to keep your content readable and actionable for visitors.
One of the best steps you can take is to work on honing your voice as a writer. Using a platform like Originality.ai goes beyond analyzing your website for AI, it also helps determine readability, so you can write clearly or concisely for your audience.
You don’t need to rely on AI to develop your brand voice. If anything, AI writing has a tendency to make the content it generates monotonous, uninspiring, or bland. It misses the human touch — your voice and writing style.
People seek out your writing because you wrote it. No matter how quickly AI can come up with an answer, it still can’t conceptualize your experiences, expertise, authenticity, and trustworthiness — the very factors that denote Google’s helpful content.
Last but not least when creating people-first content, take a step back periodically to look at your successes and analyze your content. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn what you could be doing better.
If your content isn’t quite hitting the mark with your readers, take steps to adapt and change it. By all means, use AI as a tool to help you brainstorm but don’t use it as a substitute for your knowledge. Remember, you’re writing for people first, search engines second.
Creating and maintaining people-first content as part of Google’s helpful content is an excellent opportunity to connect with your audience and share your unique perspective. Focusing on quality, authenticity, and engaging with your readers builds trust and grows your brand at the same time.
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