Mad Google Helpful Content Update kills longform Content in 2024 - ViSPR

I asked ChatGPT to optimize my fully detailed 2.000-word blog post about the Top 5 WordPress SEO plugins in 2024 for the Google Helpful Content Update. As you might know, this Update was introduced in October 2023 and hit many websites quite hard, so I wanted some “smart” help in overcoming this hurdle in my writing.

Surprise, Surprise

What happened next surprised me so much that my first reaction was to stop ChatGPT in its tracks and write a new prompt, explaining that I wanted it to keep the original scope and stick to the 2.000 words I had painstakingly written. But ChatCGT wanted none of that and had other ideas and spit out a 650-word list of bullet points and blamed it on the Google Helpful Content Update…

Get to the point instead of talking around.

If you have read any business book lately, you might wonder why it takes 300+ pages to relay a simple focus concept. The answer is quite simple:

You cannot sell a 10-page book.

The publisher needs a story to the facts to flesh out the book and fill the pages. In that process, the simple message that the author wants to transmit is watered down and deluded so much that you can hardly find the core principle anymore when reading the book. What is left is an anti-climatic feeling of wasted time, leaving you without a clear path of action or process to implement in your life or work.

No more nonsense and BlaBla

There is even a thriving business model that piggybacks on readers wanting your core message and not the fluff. Blinkist is a service to break down and summarize business books into the core principles you can digest in 15 Minutes or less. And it’s great!

That way, you can learn more by reading less.

There is only so much you can read in your spare time. Instead of forcing yourself through another 300-pager, Blinkist enables you to read multiple different topics one after the other in just a few minutes and stay ahead of your competition.

ChatGPT: Transmit the core message or “get to the point.” Fast.

The Google Helpful Content Update is all about helping Google Search users find the information they are looking for in the fastest way possible. This means no more long-winded Lord of the Rings trilogy for your reads. But get to the point, state the facts, list them in scannable bullet points, and that´s it.

How to write for SEO after the Google Helpful Content Update

This is a partial transcript of my original conversation with ChatGPT

You Does your version better meet the Google Helpful content update?

ChatGPT Yes, the revised version of the text aligns better with the Google Helpful Content update, which emphasizes creating content primarily to help users and ensure it’s valuable and informative. Here are key aspects of the revised text that align with this update:

  1. User-Focused Content: The revised text is written with the user’s intent in mind. It provides detailed insights into each WordPress SEO plugin, catering to the user’s need for comprehensive information about these tools.
  2. Organized and Clear Structure: By using clear headings (H1, H2, etc.), the content is more organized, making it easier for users to find the information they are looking for. This improves user experience, a key focus of the Helpful Content update.
  3. Substantive and Informative: The text maintains its depth and substance, offering detailed explanations of each plugin’s features, benefits, and potential drawbacks. This approach ensures the content is informative and genuinely useful to readers.
  4. Avoids Unnecessary SEO-Driven Techniques: While the text is optimized for the primary keyword “WordPress SEO plugin,” it avoids excessive keyword stuffing, focusing instead on natural, helpful content delivery.
  5. Relevant and Expert Content: The text provides relevant information and shows a level of expertise in the subject matter, which is crucial for meeting Google’s guidelines for quality content.