How to Create Reliable, People-First, Helpful Content for Small Businesses in 2024

Creating Reliable, People-First, Helpful Content for Small Businesses in 2024 is essential to build trust, attract customers, and grow. But how do you stand out in a crowded digital space while meeting both audience needs and Google’s guidelines?

The Fundamentals: “According to Google, creating reliable, people-first, helpful content requires focusing on audience value, prioritizing quality, establishing E-E-A-T, ensuring great user experience, avoiding search engine-first practices, and regularly updating content.“

What Do the Statistics Say?

Before we dive in, let’s look at some key statistics that highlight the importance of quality content:

1. 70% of marketers invest in content marketing.
2. 60% of consumers consider company-created content valuable.
3. Websites with blogs have 434% more indexed pages.
4. Content marketing generates 3x more leads at 62% less cost than traditional methods.

These numbers underscore the power of great content. Now, let’s explore how to create it in a way that aligns with Google’s guidelines for helpful, reliable, people-first content.

1. Focus on Providing Value to Your Audience

The foundation of people-first content is creating material that’s genuinely useful to your audience, not just designed to rank in search engines.

1. Identify your target audience: Define who you’re creating content for and what information they need.
2. Address real problems: Create content that solves actual issues your audience faces.
3. Demonstrate expertise: Share insights from your first-hand experience in your industry.
4. Provide comprehensive information: Offer thorough, in-depth coverage of topics relevant to your audience.

Ask yourself: “If someone came directly to my site, would they find this content useful?“

2. Prioritize Quality and Originality

Google emphasizes the importance of high-quality, original content:

1. Offer unique insights: Don’t just summarize what others have said. Provide your own analysis and perspectives.
2. Be comprehensive: Cover topics thoroughly, giving readers a complete understanding.
3. Fact-check rigorously: Ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date.
4. Polish your writing: Avoid spelling and grammatical errors, and ensure your content is well-structured.

Consider: “Would I want to bookmark this page or share it with a friend?“

3. Establish Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)

Google’s quality guidelines emphasize the importance of E-E-A-T in content:

1. Showcase your credentials: Make it clear why you’re qualified to write on your chosen topics.
2. Provide author information: Include author bios and link to more information about your team.
3. Cite reliable sources: Back up claims with links to reputable external sources.
4. Be transparent: If you use AI tools in your content creation, consider disclosing this when appropriate.

Ask: “If someone researched my site, would they consider it a trusted authority on its topics?“

4. Create a Great User Experience

The quality of your content goes beyond just the words on the page:

1. Use clear, descriptive titles: Ensure your headings accurately reflect the content.
2. Structure content for readability: Use subheadings, short paragraphs, and bullet points to make content easy to scan.
3. Optimize for mobile: Ensure your content is easily readable on all devices.
4. Avoid intrusive ads: Don’t let advertising interfere with the user’s ability to read your content.

Consider: “Will readers have a satisfying experience engaging with this content?“

5. Avoid Search Engine-First Practices

While SEO is important, it shouldn’t be your primary focus:

1. Don’t create content solely for rankings: Each piece should have a clear purpose for your audience.
2. Avoid keyword stuffing: Use keywords naturally within valuable content.
3. Don’t mass-produce content: Focus on quality over quantity.
4. Be cautious with AI-generated content: If using AI tools, ensure you’re adding substantial value and not just generating content at scale.

Ask: “Am I creating this primarily for search engines or for my audience?”

6. Regularly Audit and Update Your Content

Keeping your content fresh and accurate is crucial:

1. Review older content: Regularly check and update existing articles to ensure information is still accurate.
2. Don’t just change dates: When updating, make substantial improvements to the content.
3. Remove outdated content: If information is no longer relevant, consider removing or redirecting the page.

Consider: “Is all the content on my site still providing value to my audience?“

Wrapping Up: Helpful Content for Small Businesses in 2024

Creating reliable, people-first, helpful content for your small business isn’t just about attracting more website visitors or improving your search rankings. It’s about building lasting relationships with your audience by consistently providing value, demonstrating your expertise, and focusing on their needs above all else.

By prioritizing quality, originality, and user experience, you can create content that not only aligns with Google’s guidelines but truly serves your audience. Remember, in content creation, your primary goal should always be to help and inform your readers. When you consistently deliver valuable, trustworthy content, both your audience and search engines will reward you.