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The Role of Originality in Google’s Useful Content Update

Discover the importance of originality with Google's helpful content update and learn how to create content that stands out in search results.
Google is always looking to improve its algorithms. A few years ago, it realized that people were not satisfied with what they read online, so it decided to make a significant change. In August 2022, it launched Useful Content Update (HCU), which changed the way websites are ranked based on their content.

Google made this update to take user experience to the next level. Since then, it has prioritized high-quality content and finally added HCU to its core ranking algorithms in March 2024. In this article, we will learn the importance of originality in light of Google’s latest useful content update. So, let’s understand why original web content has become more essential than ever.

Google Helpful Content Update (HCU) — What exactly is it?

This update is a change to the ranking evaluation system. It introduced new policies about what type of content will be rewarded and what will be penalized. Before this update, many sites had high rankings even with low-quality content.

They used tricks to manipulate search rankings. However, HCU has now made it clear that such web material will no longer appear in the top results. Instead, the newly designed system will give preference to original, people-focused, human-written, and invaluable information.
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Key findings from Google’s HCU in the context of originality

Many necessary guidelines are mentioned in Google’s Helpful Content Update in context to originality. Here are the key takeaways:
  • Google wants creators to demonstrate first-hand knowledge

    Google doesn’t want creators to repeat the same thing over and over again about a topic. Instead, it demands fresh, genuine perspectives. Simply put, Google wants you to write about your experience, rather than rehashing what others have said. This means that if your content matches someone else’s, even unintentionally, it won’t rank.
Plagiarism detection system
So, make sure you create everything yourself. Also, you should check whether your ideas, explanations, and writing are unique. You can perform an instant originality test using a plagiarism checker to see if your written text matches someone else's. If not, Google is more likely to prefer it in search results.
  • Google doesn't like content created exclusively for it

    Google certainly guides creators to optimize content for SEO to get a higher ranking. However, HCU clearly states that content created solely for search engines will not be accepted. This update has put an end to the careers of those who used to mass-produce content to get a higher ranking by slightly altering other creators’ articles and blog posts.

    Additionally, Google clearly mentions that your site will be heavily penalized if you summarize existing work without adding value or use automation to create more content. So, instead of producing Google-first content, prioritize creating people-first content that provides real value to your readers.
  • Google requires all creators to cover topics in depth

    If you read the second part of the HCU, you’ll see that Google discussed the importance of creating in-depth content. Why? Because titles with an in-depth approach are more likely to satisfy users, which is the ultimate goal of all search engines, including Google. From this, we can assume that generic content will no longer work.

    Instead, if you want Google to prioritize your content, it must demonstrate depth of knowledge. You must back up your web content with appropriate research to signal this depth. If something is missing on the first try, you can increase the depth. updating content regularly. This ensures that your pages remain in Google's preferred list.
  • Google wants all queries about a topic to be answered

    Many people create similar sketches that do not add value to their content. They aim to copy high-ranking competitors to gain higher rankings. In this race, many of them ignore exactly what their readers want. Google strongly discourages such creators, showing complete tolerance for this behavior in its useful content updates.

    According to Google, you should ask yourself whether your content is sufficient to satisfy the user’s search intent. In other words, does your content answer all the questions that prompted them to search online? Don’t expect Google to rank your pages if you don’t provide genuine answers to the majority of queries related to the topic.
  • What if you don't maintain originality in your content?

    By now, we hope you understand why being original is so important to Google. Now, you may be wondering: what if you don’t ensure originality in your web content? The answer is simple: if you say the same thing as everyone else, but use different words, and don’t offer any unique value, your information falls into the category of useless.

    Google clearly states that if it considers most of the content on your site to be unhelpful, your pages will struggle to rank higher. And if you continue to do this for longer, your site will get buried by those that do offer more valuable and useful content. So if you don’t want your online visibility to decline, follow all of Google’s HCU guidelines, including those related to originality.

Summing it Up

In short, originality is key to ranking in Google’s eyes. Since the launch of the Helpful Content Update, Google has been rewarding sites that genuinely teach, help, and share experience-based knowledge. The better you can provide value to users by offering new insights, the better your chances of ranking. So, don’t compromise on the uniqueness of your information to earn it a spot in Google’s top search results.

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