Google helpful content and the shift away from traditional SEO - Daniel Foley

In this talk, Daniel Foley discusses Google’s definition of helpful content and how much SEO has changed in his 25 years of experience. Daniel states that traditional SEO still works in some cases but in the next few years, the SERPs will go through a big shift, the likes of which the industry hasn’t seen before. For the full slides and information about the event, go to Time stamps: 01:42 🕰 Traditional SEO has evolved significantly over the years. It used to focus mainly on keyword stuffing and basic optimisation techniques. 04:28 🔄 Traditional SEO factors still hold some relevance, but the landscape is shifting towards creating helpful content for end users. 06:15 📝 It’s crucial to prioritise user experience and create content that caters to what users actually want, rather than just optimising for search engines. 07:26 📉 Google’s recent updates prioritise content created for users over content created solely for search engine ranking. 09:02 🛍 Offering a good user and page experience includes providing information that users find valuable and relevant to their needs. 10:12 📚 Demonstrating expertise and authority is important, especially in fields like law or finance, where accuracy and reliability are crucial. 10:53 🌐 Building brand authority and trust is increasingly important for SEO success, both locally and internationally. 12:57 🔗 Link building is still a valuable component of SEO, despite claims that it’s losing significance according to Google. 15:42 🎯 Google now uses machine learning and AI to better understand user behavior, making it more challenging to rank using traditional SEO techniques. 20:56 🛠 Relying solely on AI-driven content creation tools may not be effective for achieving SEO success, as human judgment and expertise are still essential in crafting valuable content. 23:40 📝 Google is emphasising the importance of providing helpful content to end users. If search results don’t meet user needs, it can negatively impact rankings. 24:33 🚫 Google doesn’t always perfectly follow its own guidelines. Even if some results seem subpar, focusing on user satisfaction can lead to long-term success in SEO. 25:44 🧠 Google is utilising AI and machine learning to better understand content quality, user intent, and context. This means understanding what users want is crucial for effective SEO. 26:26 👁 Google gathers extensive data and trust signals from various sources, including social media and reviews, to better understand and evaluate brands. 27:06 📊 Google can differentiate between content created for users’ benefit versus content created solely to rank. Prioritise content that serves the end user’s needs. 28:05 📚 Content quality is crucial. Ensure information is accurate, substantiated, and relevant to the user’s needs. Avoid misleading claims or unsubstantiated statements. 28:48 🎯 Focus on creating content that aligns with user expectations and needs. Consider the user’s search intent and deliver content in a format they prefer. 29:19 💡 To benefit from Google’s helpful content updates, ensure your content is competitive, covers relevant services/products, prioritises essential information, and is presented in a way that offers a good user experience. 32:42 🛠 Exercise caution with keyword and AI tools. Instead, focus on understanding and meeting the needs of the end user. 33:08 🏆 Demonstrate expertise in your content, especially in specialised niches. Ensure your content offers a good page experience for users.