Creating people-first content

"Write helpful content" is easy to say. Google's own guidance turns it into concrete questions you can apply to any page. This lesson uses them as a working tool.

Google's self-assessment questions

Google groups its questions in a few areas. Paraphrased examples:

Content and quality

• Does the content provide original information, reporting, research or analysis?
• Does it go beyond the obvious, and add substantial value compared with other pages in the results?
• If it draws on other sources, does it avoid simply copying or rewriting them?
• Is it the kind of page you would bookmark, share, or expect to see cited by a reliable source?

Expertise

• Is it clear who created it, with sourcing and background that show they know the topic?
• Would someone researching the creator find they are well trusted on this topic?
• Is it free of easily verified factual errors?

People-first

• Would your existing or intended audience find it useful if they came to your site directly, not from search?
• Does it show first-hand experience, such as actually using the product or visiting the place?
• After reading, will someone feel they have learned enough to reach their goal?

Warning signs of search engine-first content

Who, how and why

• Who made it? Make authorship clear where readers would expect it, with bylines linking to author information. Fake authors, such as made-up names or AI-generated headshots, are deceptive.
• How was it made? Explain your method where it helps, for example how products were tested. If automation or AI substantially generated the content, disclose that where readers would reasonably ask.
• Why was it made? Google calls this the most important question. The answer should be "to help people". Using automation, including AI, mainly to manipulate rankings violates Google's spam policies.

In practice for a small business

A Šiauliai repair shop cannot out-write a national magazine on general topics. It can write things only it knows:

• What actually fails in the laptops it repairs, with photos from its own workbench.
• Real prices and turnaround times, and when repair is not worth it.
• Answers to the questions customers ask every week.

That is first-hand experience. It is useful to readers, and it is hard for competitors to copy.