User experience and helpful content

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In 2024, it will be clearer than ever that users are at the center of attention. The Helpful Content Updates have shown that search engines strive to provide content that meets users' needs. Although Google has never officially confirmed this, user signals —the behavioral patterns of website visitors—are of great importance to search engines.

Here are three important user signals to keep an eye on after this change:

Time on Page : The time users spend on a page should be as long as possible. However, keep in mind that this should be considered in relation to the page's function and length.

Bounce Rate : The bounce rate indicates how many visitors leave the page dentist data without further interaction. A high bounce rate indicates that the page may not have met user expectations.

CTR (Click-Through Rate) : The click-through rate is a clear indicator of the relevance and interest of a search result for users. A low CTR could indicate that the meta title and meta description should be revised.

Search engines also consider the "return to SERP rate" in their rankings to assess search result satisfaction. This rate indicates whether users change their original search and search for additional results after returning to the search results.



Google Recommendations: How to Create High-Quality Content
Person in suit draws an exponential curve labeled "Quality"

The impact of the new update on various areas should already be clear at this point. One aspect that hasn't been sufficiently addressed, however, is its implementation : What do you need to pay attention to? What pitfalls should you avoid? We'll now take a closer look at these topics to provide clarity.

Important here: As with previous updates, such as the Core Updates and the Product Reviews Update, Google has provided a list of questions to help website owners create user-centric content as part of the Helpful Content Update.

So, take a user-centric approach and consider what benefits your readers will get from reading your content. Here's a checklist:



Helpful content update: When creating or evaluating content, you should ask yourself the following questions:

Is there an audience that would find the content useful?

Does the content demonstrate expertise and comprehensive knowledge?

Does the website have a main goal or focus?

Does the content provide sufficient knowledge for the readers?

Does the content leave a satisfying experience?

Does the content comply with Google guidelines?