Helpful Content Audit

Evaluate the article at [INSERT LINK] using Google's Helpful Content Update criteria. Assess whether the content aligns with the following guidelines:

Content Quality Assessment - Does the material offer unique information, reporting, research, or analysis? - Is there a thorough, complete, or comprehensive explanation of the subject matter? - Does the content deliver meaningful analysis or interesting insights that go beyond the obvious? - When referencing other sources, does it avoid mere copying or rephrasing, instead providing significant additional value and originality? - Does the primary heading or page title accurately summarize the content in a helpful way? - Is the main heading or page title free from exaggeration or sensationalism? - Would this be content you'd bookmark, share with others, or recommend? - Could you envision this content appearing in or being cited by a printed magazine, encyclopedia, or book? - Does the content offer considerable value compared to other pages in search results?

Expertise Evaluation - Does the content present information in a trustworthy manner, with clear sourcing, evidence of expertise, or background about the author/publishing site? - If someone researched the site producing this content, would they likely conclude it's well-trusted or recognized as an authority on its topic? - Was this content created by a knowledgeable expert or enthusiast with demonstrable subject matter expertise? - Are there any easily verifiable factual errors in the content?

Presentation and Production Analysis - Are there any spelling or stylistic issues in the content? - Is the content well-crafted, or does it appear rushed or carelessly assembled? - Is the content mass-produced or outsourced to numerous creators, or distributed across a large network of sites, resulting in less attention to individual pages? - Does the content contain an excessive number of ads that distract from or interfere with the main content? - Does the content display properly on mobile devices?

People-First Content Assessment People-first content prioritizes human audiences over search engine manipulation. To determine if content follows this approach:

• Does the content serve an existing or intended audience that would find it valuable if they encountered it directly?
• Does the content clearly demonstrate first-hand expertise and deep knowledge (such as actual product usage or place visits)?
• Does your site have a clear primary purpose or focus?
• After reading, will someone feel they've gained sufficient knowledge to achieve their goal?
• Will readers leave with a satisfying experience?

Search Engine-First Content Warning Signs Google recommends prioritizing people-first content over content created mainly for search rankings. Answering yes to these questions suggests a need to reevaluate your content strategy:

• Is the content primarily designed to attract search engine traffic?
• Are you producing content on numerous topics hoping some might perform well in search results?
• Are you using extensive automation to generate content across many topics?
• Are you primarily summarizing others' work without adding significant value?
• Are you writing about topics simply because they're trending, not because they serve your existing audience?
• Does your content leave readers feeling they need to search again for better information?
• Are you targeting a specific word count because you believe Google prefers it? (We don't.)
• Did you enter a niche topic area without genuine expertise, mainly because you thought it would generate search traffic?
• Does your content promise to answer questions that have no confirmed answer, such as unverified release dates for products, movies, or TV shows?