In August 2024, Google rolled out its latest core update, marking a pivotal shift in how websites are ranked and valued in search engine results. This update is part of Google’s continued effort to prioritize high-quality, people-first content over material solely for SEO manipulation. The key takeaway? Content must provide real value and demonstrate expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) to rank well.
For SEOs and content creators, this update underscores the growing importance of well-researched, human-centric content and challenges the reliance on mass-produced, AI-generated articles.
In this blog, we’ll explore the implications of the August 2024 Google core update, how businesses can align their content strategies, and why investing in high-quality content is essential for long-term SEO success. The update was announced on X and detailed on Google’s blog.
Google’s Focus on High-Quality Content Over SEO-Driven Tactics
Over the years, many businesses have fallen into the trap of producing content solely to manipulate search engine rankings. This often results in keyword-stuffed, shallow articles designed more for algorithms than people. However, Google’s August 2024 core update is a firm reminder that content created for the user, not the search engine, will be rewarded.
Google’s updates have long targeted “thin” content—pages that exist purely to rank without offering substantial value to users. However, this core update takes it further by emphasizing the E-E-A-T principles. The goal is to ensure that search results are filled with content that demonstrates expertise and authority, whether from established brands or smaller independent sites offering genuine insights.
According to Google, this update was based on feedback from content creators, webmasters, and SEO professionals who urged the platform to improve the quality of results shown to users. By prioritizing user intent, Google aims to reduce the dominance of existing content purely for ranking purposes.
Key Aspects of the August 2024 Update
- Prioritizing People-First Content: Google continues to prioritize content that serves users’ needs, offering insightful, helpful, and original information.
- Targeting Low-Value SEO Content: The algorithm demotes content that appears keyword-focused or mass-produced with little regard for user experience.
- Extended Rollout: The update, which affects a wide range of industries, is expected to take up to one month to fully implement.
This update represents a challenge for businesses that rely on outdated SEO tactics. Companies that fail to create meaningful content risk falling behind in search engine rankings.
Why the August 2024 Update Matters for Content Creators and SEOs
This update is significant because it reinforces the trend toward quality over quantity. In the past, it was possible to rank well by producing large volumes of content targeting high-ranking keywords. However, Google’s algorithm is becoming smarter, focusing on the intent and value behind each piece of content.
According to Google Search Central, core updates are designed to improve Google’s understanding of what makes content useful and relevant to users. This means that content creators must now produce material that goes beyond basic SEO tactics and meaningfully meets user needs.
Moreover, as Google’s algorithm becomes more sophisticated, it increasingly rewards content that reflects expertise, experience, and authority. According to Lily Ray, Senior Director of SEO at Amsive Digital, the update emphasizes “quality, trustworthy, and experience-driven content” more than ever. As a result, businesses should focus on demonstrating genuine subject-matter expertise and providing real value to their audience.
Well-Researched Content vs. Mass-Produced AI Articles: How Google’s E-E-A-T Guidelines Impact Rankings
Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines have become the cornerstone of its approach to content evaluation. In essence, Google is looking for content demonstrating Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This framework is particularly important as AI-generated content continues to rise in popularity. While AI tools offer efficiency, they cannot replicate the depth and nuance that well-researched, human-created content brings to the table.
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The Rise of AI-Generated Content: Opportunities and Risks for SEO
AI-generated content has seen a significant surge in recent years. Businesses increasingly use AI tools to generate blogs, product descriptions, and even social media posts at scale. While AI can help produce content faster, it often lacks the depth, originality, and understanding of context that human-written content provides.
A report from Gartner highlighted that AI is becoming a significant part of content marketing strategies, but businesses should be wary of over-reliance on these tools. “AI can assist, but it should not replace human creativity and critical thinking, especially when it comes to creating authoritative content.”
AI-generated articles may help fill content calendars but often need more E-E-A-T. Google’s algorithms are improving at identifying overly generic content with original insights or mirrors existing material. Content like this is unlikely to perform well under the new update.
Best Practices for Creating High-Quality, People-First Content After the August 2024 Update
With the August 2024 update in full effect, businesses must prioritize creating people-first content. This means content should be designed to meet user needs, provide valuable insights, and reflect genuine expertise. Below are several strategies for ensuring your content meets these updated standards.
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Using AI as a Research Tool, Not a Replacement for Human Expertise
When used correctly, AI can be a valuable tool in the content creation process. By leveraging AI for research, content creators can streamline gathering data, identifying trends, and structuring content. However, human input is crucial for ensuring the final product is engaging, accurate, and aligned with user intent.
According to a recent HubSpot survey, 77% of marketers agree that generative AI will help them create content more efficiently. 79% believe it can improve the quality of the content they produce. However, only 22% are confident that AI can create content as effectively as humans. This highlights the need to strike a balance between using AI for efficiency and ensuring human writers maintain control over content quality.
A study by Semrush found that websites with low-quality, AI-generated content saw a 35% drop in search rankings after Google’s 2023 Helpful Content update. These trends will likely persist as Google becomes better at detecting mass-produced content lacking depth or originality.
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Building Trust and Authority Through Original, Well-Researched Content
To meet Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines, businesses must focus on creating content that informs and builds trust and credibility. This involves:
- Citing reliable sources: Use authoritative studies, industry experts, and trusted data to support your claims. This signals to Google that your content is well-researched and credible.
- Providing unique insights: Google favors content that offers something new or insightful. Rather than simply summarizing existing information, aim to add value by sharing your expertise or unique perspective.
- Incorporating multimedia: Enhancing your content with visuals, videos, or interactive elements can help engage users and demonstrate expertise dynamically. For example, adding infographics that simplify complex information or videos where experts explain key concepts builds authority while catering to different learning preferences.
When creating content, ask yourself: Does this content help the reader? Does it provide more value than what’s already available? If your content passes this test, it’s likely to perform well under Google’s updated algorithm.
How Well-Researched, High-Value Content Drives Long-Term SEO Success
Conversely, businesses that invest in well-researched, high-quality content will reap long-term SEO benefits. Quality content has a far greater chance of being shared, linked to, and referenced by other websites, which are critical factors in off-page SEO. High-value content also keeps users engaged, reducing bounce rates and increasing time spent on the page—both key quality indicators in Google’s eyes.
Moreover, Google’s core web vitals, which assess user experience, load times, and mobile-friendliness, increasingly favor websites that offer a seamless and valuable user experience. Businesses can improve these metrics by producing well-researched, authoritative content while positioning themselves as industry leaders.
Actionable strategies to prioritize quality over quantity:
- Create evergreen content: Focus on writing articles that remain relevant over time, such as detailed guides or resources on industry trends. These will continue to attract traffic long after they are published.
- Regularly update your content: Google rewards freshness, so ensure your existing articles are regularly updated with new information, data, and insights.
- Invest in expert contributors: Bring in industry experts or thought leaders to contribute to your blog. This will enhance your content’s credibility and help meet Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines.
Monitoring Your Website’s SEO Performance: Metrics to Watch Post-Update
As the August 2024 core update rolls out, SEOs and content creators should closely monitor their website’s performance. The following metrics are essential to track:
- Organic traffic: Any significant drops or increases in traffic can indicate how well your content aligns with the update.
- Bounce rate: A high bounce rate can signal that users aren’t finding your content useful. Improving content quality and relevance can help reduce this.
- Keyword rankings: Track fluctuations in your target keyword rankings. If key terms experience a drop, review your content for alignment with Google’s quality standards.
Tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics are invaluable for identifying potential issues and opportunities for improvement. By closely monitoring these metrics, businesses can adapt their content strategies to better align with the update’s focus on quality and user satisfaction.
Future-Proofing Your Content Strategy for Google’s Algorithm Changes
To stay ahead of future changes, businesses need to develop a content strategy that focuses on long-term value rather than short-term SEO gains.
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Combining AI with Human Expertise for Sustainable SEO
While AI tools can help scale content production, they should be seen as assistive technologies rather than replacements for human creativity. The future of SEO will rely on a hybrid approach: using AI to automate research and content generation while having humans refine, fact-check, and infuse content with expertise and originality.
A balanced content strategy will involve AI for efficiency and humans for quality control, ensuring the content remains engaging, authoritative, and relevant to users’ needs.
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Creating a People-First Content Strategy That Thrives in Google’s Search Rankings
The secret to succeeding in Google’s evolving algorithm lies in a people-first approach. This means that businesses must prioritize their audience’s needs, answer their questions, and solve their problems—ultimately creating valuable and engaging content that aligns with Google’s E-E-A-T standards.
As John Mueller, a Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst at Google, frequently advises: “Instead of focusing on SEO shortcuts, focus on creating great content. If you can impress your users, you’ll impress Google.” This advice underscores the future of SEO—businesses that provide real value through their content will continue to thrive in an environment where quality, not quantity, is the key to success.