The turmoil that ensued on search engine result pages following the Helpful Content Update last September seemed to impact websites indiscriminately. Many smaller, independent websites, along with larger, established organizations, saw their organic traffic plummet overnight, some losing half or more. Since that September upheaval, I’ve observed the most successful marketers adopting a dual-pronged approach. Firstly, they’ve broadened their traffic sources, seeking out fresh avenues to attract organic website visits – a strategy I believe has been long overdue. Secondly, they’ve been experimenting with methods to work within the confines of the HCU’s new (and somewhat ambiguous) guidelines to revive their organic search traffic. This is a vital step because, as much as Google can be frustrating, it remains the most significant source of sustainable, organic traffic. A group of marketers have already shared their insights on diversifying traffic sources. I reached out to several seasoned SEO specialists and content marketing experts to understand the tactics they’ve employed to maintain their content’s search engine ranking since September. They presented six key strategies that have proven effective in reclaiming search engine positions and revitalizing organic traffic in this new era of Google. What’s particularly appealing about this list is its accessibility to most marketers. These strategies don’t necessitate intricate technical workarounds.

Contents

1. Publish, review, iterate, repeat
2. Prune decaying content
3. Gather high-quality backlinks
4. Link important pages strategically
5. Prioritize authority over keyword density
6. Restore visibility and improve UX

1. Publish, review, iterate, and repeat

In the past, a successful formula for one blog post often translated to success for all. Finding the magic touch that propelled your content to the top of search engine results pages meant you could replicate that approach for subsequent posts and generally anticipate favorable outcomes. Sydney Myers, Content Marketing Manager at Jobscan, argues that this predictability is no more. “I’ve come to accept the unpredictable nature of rankings, which can sometimes be quite volatile,” she stated. “We could invest a month meticulously crafting what we believe to be an exceptional page, yet how Google will ultimately rank it remains a mystery.” Rather than striving for immediate perfection, she advocates for a “ship it and iterate” philosophy. “Our focus has shifted towards weekly performance analysis and refinements. Once a page is live, we monitor its performance every week,” she elaborated. “If it falls short of expectations, we make necessary adjustments.”

How it works

Sydney’s approach mirrors the agile methodology often employed in software development. You release the best possible version within the given timeframe, actively identify and address any issues, and continuously refine it until it achieves the desired outcome. “Our writers strive to produce the most exceptional page possible within the allocated time, which can range from a couple of days to a week,” Sydney explained. “We convene weekly to evaluate recently published content. If it’s performing as anticipated, we proceed accordingly. However, if it’s not meeting expectations, we analyze the content ranking above it and explore potential tweaks for improvement.” This iterative process, Sydney emphasized, continues until a satisfactory outcome is achieved. “We might dedicate a month to fine-tuning a page before it reaches its desired position.” The range of adjustments Sydney’s team implements on each post will resonate with most SEO-conscious content creators. “These modifications might involve incorporating a new section into a blog post, restructuring the page’s content, or enhancing it with visuals,” she said. “At times, it’s about subtle changes like revising the title, rephrasing headings, or updating the meta description.”

The results

The beauty of this method lies in allowing the algorithm to guide you toward what elevates each post’s ranking. “We adopt an experimental approach, observing Google’s response to different tweaks. Instead of attempting to predict this during the writing phase, we let Google reveal what resonates and what doesn’t," Sydney explained. She illustrated the potential impact with a recent example. “We had a product page that we firmly believed deserved the top spot for its target keyword,” she said. “While it consistently ranked within the top five, we felt it could perform even better. Over several months, we meticulously reviewed that page weekly, experimenting with adjustments to images, titles, internal links, and more. Ultimately, we succeeded in securing the coveted #1 ranking—a significant accomplishment for us.”

The takeaway

Elevating your pages, even by a few positions, can significantly enhance your monthly reporting. Backlinko recently showed highlights that the top-ranking position garnered more than double the click-through rate compared to the #2 and #3 spots. While this strategy might not be universally applicable to all your published content, it can be transformative for your most valuable assets—those that attract substantial qualified traffic or boast exceptional conversion rates. As a starting point, consider implementing it for your product pages and product comparison posts. Keep the ideas flowing with this guide to 130+ of the Best Online Marketing Tips for Generating More Traffic, Leads, & Sales.

2. Prune decaying content

In a digital landscape teeming with billions of websites, Google’s resources are finite. It lacks the capacity to perpetually crawl and re-evaluate every single page on every website (a constraint known as a “crawl budget”). Samy Ben Sadok, Brand Ambassador & Product Advisor for Sitechecker, emphasizes the importance of acknowledging this limitation when managing your blog. “Instead of solely fixating on generating fresh content, prioritize pruning your existing content," Samy advised. “Search engines like Google are averse to squandering their crawl budget on irrelevant content. It’s in your best interest to showcase only your finest content to ensure optimal indexing.” Samy characterized content pruning as “the process of either removing or revitalizing your least effective content.” This concept draws a parallel to tending a garden. Removing dying branches allows you to redirect resources towards nurturing the healthy ones.

How it works

The initial step involves identifying pages ripe for pruning. Samy shared that he evaluates four primary categories of content for this process:

1. Previous performers: Pages that once excelled but are now underperforming.
2. Near winners: Pages ranking for keywords in positions 6-10 and 11-20 that haven’t been updated recently (presenting opportunities for quick wins!).
3. Decaying content: Pages experiencing a consistent decline in clicks.
4. Poor performers: Pages receiving minimal to no clicks (excluding newly published content). Previous performers and near winners present themselves as prime candidates for updates. Here are some of Samy’s favored methods for enhancing such posts:

• Enrich the content with expert insights, tangible examples, and compelling data.
• Prioritize crucial information by front-loading it at the beginning of the article.
• Ensure content alignment with search intent.
• Eliminate any superfluous elements (especially if AI-generated).
• Enhance the content’s overall engagement factor.
• Incorporate high-quality (yet lightweight) images and videos.
• Optimize the meta description by strategically incorporating target keywords.
• Include links to reputable, high-authority websites within your niche.
• Strengthen internal linking by connecting to your other relevant content.
• Identify genuine FAQs from platforms like Reddit and address them within your content. Samy acknowledged that revitalizing decaying content might also be feasible if it lacks some of the aforementioned elements or by merging it with another relevant post. However, for poorly performing and decaying content beyond resuscitation, he recommends cutting your losses and removing it from your blog. “Before hitting the delete button, make sure to thoroughly analyze those pages using tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to identify any existing rankings or backlinks," he cautioned. Then, “implement a permanent redirect to a topically related page. If no suitable alternative exists but you wish to retain authority, redirect to your blog for articles and to the homepage for other pages.” This approach ensures that you don’t forfeit the accumulated search equity of those pages, and visitors don’t encounter dead ends when clicking on older links.

The results

The impact of content removal can be as significant as publishing new content. “I once worked with a client who had an eight-year-old e-commerce website that had never undergone content pruning,” Samy shared. “Out of 424 articles, 60% weren’t generating any clicks. We removed around 200 articles, merged 14, and used this opportunity to enhance the remaining articles to improve their E-E-A-T signals.” A year-over-year comparison revealed a remarkable 22% increase in clicks and a 20% surge in impressions, all achieved without publishing any new content.

The takeaway

This method offers a brilliant strategy for reclaiming lost organic traffic. It aligns with Google’s algorithm instead of trying to outsmart it. Furthermore, it doesn’t demand the creation and editing of new articles and guides. Prioritize this tactic if your blog houses a considerable number of posts older than six months.

3. Gather high-quality backlinks

The influence of backlinks on search engine ranking has been well-established for years. Recent Google leaks have further solidified this notion, suggesting that the algorithm places substantial emphasis on backlink quality. this snippet from the leak explicitly categorizes links as high, medium, or low quality:

Sam Dunning, founder of the SaaS SEO agency Breaking B2B and host of the Breaking B2B podcast (a leading B2B marketing podcast), has witnessed a direct correlation between securing high-quality links and improved page rankings. He shared some valuable techniques he employs to acquire these influential backlinks.

How it works

Sam advocates for a three-pronged approach to obtaining backlinks that Google favors:

• Leverage partners: “Reach out to companies that target a similar ideal customer profile (ICP) but don’t directly compete with you. Propose creating a comprehensive article for their website in exchange for a link back to one of your key pages and a keyword you’re aiming to rank for.”
• Leverage past media: “Has your executive team been featured in press releases, PR campaigns, articles, or similar media in the past? Request that these outlets incorporate a link to one of your significant pages or update an existing link to direct to a more valuable page (if relevant).”
• Guest podcast: “Utilize platforms like Chartable to identify niche, relevant podcasts within your industry. Then, pitch yourself as a guest to the hosts. I suggest sending a concise message or video via LinkedIn for your pitch.” While all three suggestions are valuable, the second one stands out for its simplicity. It’s a remarkably low-effort way to maximize existing exposure. A quick Google search for prominent figures within your organization can unveil ready-made backlink opportunities. Regarding podcast links, Sam offered a bonus tip for those who’ve been featured on multiple podcasts. “Navigate to the Listen Notes website and search for your name. Then, reach out to the hosts to see if they have any relevant articles stemming from those appearances that could link back to your site,” he suggested.

Results

Sam shared his experience of using the podcast guest strategy to achieve a #1 ranking for “B2B SEO agency” and “B2B SaaS SEO agency” within just three months on a brand-new domain. Outperforming other SEO agencies for high-value SEO keywords is no small feat!

Takeaway

Backlinks are both a blessing and a curse for SEOs. Their necessity is undeniable, and while paid backlinks are generally frowned upon, securing them organically can be a full-time endeavor. Moreover, we now have compelling evidence suggesting that low-quality links can negatively impact search engine rankings. Sam’s tactics offer a more manageable path toward acquiring high-quality backlinks that Google appreciates while potentially generating referral traffic.

4. Link important pages strategically

The recent leak of Google’s algorithm documentation and testimony from an antitrust lawsuit confirmed the significance of Navboost, a system that enables Google to track and assess user engagement as a ranking factor. In essence, increased clicks on a page contribute to higher Google rankings. Saif Zia, Search Engine Optimization Team Lead at webAffinity, strategically leverages Navboost through a method called contextual interlinking between his top-performing and most crucial pages.

How it works

With Navboost, clicks function as a form of endorsement, and their origin is less relevant (as long as visitors don’t immediately bounce off the page). Saif amplifies his most important pages by linking to them from his highest-performing content. “I begin by collecting data from Google Search Console (GSC) about our best-performing pages, extracting this information, and then strategically utilizing it internally by linking to the homepage and other relevant pages," he explained.

Here’s an example of a blog post performance chart within Google Search Console. The concept is straightforward. If you have a handful of highly popular blog posts, you can direct some of that traffic towards your website’s most critical pages using internal links. Google takes note of this increased engagement, and your high-converting pages gradually climb the search engine result pages. Saif emphasized the importance of ensuring that these links make contextual sense. Incorporate them only when the target and source pages share a thematic connection. Additionally, your anchor text must accurately reflect the content it’s linking to. Otherwise, visitors won’t linger on the linked page for long, ultimately harming your SEO, as Google factors in low-quality clicks negatively within its ranking algorithm. Saif also stressed the importance of decluttering and actively driving link clicks through external channels. “I make it a point to remove all irrelevant content from our websites. And I ensure that anything we publish on our website is also shared on social media with a concise summary.”

The results

Before implementing his strategic interlinking initiative, only about 10% of Saif’s published pages were successfully ranked. Today, that figure has skyrocketed to around 50%—a substantial improvement in search visibility that he credits with a 15% surge in overall traffic.

The takeaway

The beauty of Saif’s strategy lies in its simplicity. Most of us can readily identify our highest-traffic posts and pinpoint the pages that would yield the most significant gains in leads and conversions if only they could climb a bit higher in search rankings. From there, it’s simply a matter of strategically incorporating contextual links. Create a list of target and source pages, and then aim to add a dozen links each day, even when your writing energy is waning.

5. Prioritize authority over keyword density

Google’s algorithmic evolution can be broadly categorized into two distinct eras. In its infancy, the focus was on identifying the most relevant content, heavily relying on exact keyword matches to do so. As Google matured, it incorporated filters to pinpoint the highest-quality content among those relevant results (a task that recent Helpful Content Updates aim to refine). Farah Ahmed, Content Marketing Strategist for ZillionDesigns, shared that their strategy has undergone a significant shift to adapt to the evolving priorities of Google’s algorithm. “Since the core update, one of our most substantial SEO adjustments has been to place less emphasis on keyword density and prioritize authoritative content.” Authority is one of Google’s fundamental quality pillars, as reflected in its E-E-A-T acronym (where the “A” represents authority). It’s an excellent starting point for enhancing your blog’s perceived quality in the eyes of Google.

How it works

Farah’s strategy centers around establishing topical authority within the blog and bolstering the authority of each published post. “We conduct a thorough content audit to identify any gaps in our existing content ecosystem,” she explained. “Then, we leverage tools like Semrush and Ahrefs to pinpoint a handful of keywords related to a specific subject or topic that requires coverage.”

For illustrative purposes, here’s a snapshot of a content audit template we created. For those interested in diving deeper into identifying topical gaps within their content, this guide to competitor keyword analysis will prove helpful. “Our approach involves selecting a few high-volume, low-difficulty keywords and strategically incorporating them into H2 and H3 headings only,” Farah continued. “Our primary focus is on crafting valuable content that naturally attracts backlinks from other authoritative websites and generates increased traffic.” Notice the shift in perspective—it’s not about crafting a single piece of content around a lone keyword but rather adopting a subject-first mentality and publishing several pieces that explore different facets of that subject. These pieces are then interlinked, making it easier for Google to recognize their interconnectedness. Our Free Keyword Tool can assist you in uncovering the relevant search terms you need.

The results

“Thus far, we’ve witnessed remarkable results, with nearly 30% to 40% of our website traffic originating from our blog,” Farah reported. This achievement is particularly noteworthy considering ZillionDesigns’ business model. As a crowdsourcing graphic design platform, their website already receives significant direct traffic from users initiating that process. For any other marketing channel to approach that level of traffic generation (especially without paid advertising) is a testament to their strategy’s effectiveness.

The takeaway

Farah’s experience underscores the need to think beyond individual blog posts. Google assesses your entire website when evaluating authority (refer to the section on domain authority within this article). By making it explicitly clear to web crawlers that you’re not a one-trick pony, you can start attracting substantial search traffic, as Farah has demonstrated.

6. Restore visibility and improve UX

Aleh Barysevich is the driving force behind SEO PowerSuite (professional SEO software) and Awario (a social media monitoring app). When asked about what’s helped his organic traffic in the post-HCU landscape, he emphasized the paramount importance of ensuring Google has indexed his content. “One of the most effective SEO tactics we’ve employed after the recent Google updates involves addressing content visibility issues," Aleh remarked. “Start by verifying whether Google is indexing your content. Then, ensure that all of your text is being indexed properly.” He also revealed a surprising boost they achieved by enhancing the user experience (UX) of their posts. “Another successful strategy we implemented was incorporating numbered lists throughout our blog posts.”

How it works

According to Aleh, the easiest way to check a piece of content’s indexation status is to search for a sentence from it on Google. Alternatively, you can input the URL directly into Google Search Console.

If certain blog posts aren’t indexed or are struggling to gain visibility, their length could be a contributing factor. “We’ve observed that some pages exceeding 10,000 words have been negatively impacted, and reducing their content length has helped restore their visibility,” Aleh added. As for the UX enhancement, it’s a relatively simple fix. Aleh explained that they incorporated numbered lists that function as a table of contents, similar to those found on this blog post.

Source This list leverages jump links to guide readers to specific sections within longer articles and provides search engine crawlers with clearer insights into the post’s content. We also employ jump links in most of our blog posts. Using descriptive anchor text is crucial (typically mirroring the H2 or H3 headings). We also incorporate the full H2 or H3 text within the ID attribute (the HTML code snippet that connects the jump link to its corresponding section).

The result

Aleh reported that shortening lengthy, unindexed posts led to an increase in indexed content, placing them in a better position to compete for search engine rankings. Regarding the UX improvement, Aleh shared, “Adding these lists has helped our content secure new featured snippets within Google, resulting in a 25% surge in organic impressions and clicks.” A 25% traffic boost for a simple update? Sign me up!

The takeaway

Both of Aleh’s tactics are rooted in logic. If Google hasn’t indexed your content, achieving rankings and attracting traffic is an uphill battle. Given that SEO experts have identified user experience as a key focal point for recent Google updates, it’s no surprise that jump links—which enhance content skimmability—would prove beneficial. These two strategies deserve immediate attention.

Making the most of Google’s mayhem

If you experienced traffic losses following Google’s helpful content update, take heart—you’re not alone, and recovery is possible. Beyond these six examples, numerous other successful experiments have been documented on platforms like X and LinkedIn. Where do you begin? Start with the most straightforward tactics. Incorporate jump links and strategic internal links within a selection of high-value posts. Prune any decaying content, and experiment with iterating on a few underperforming new posts weekly until they begin to rank. And stay tuned. We’re committed to bringing you insights into successful marketers’ strategies for generating traffic, leads, and conversions, even as the Google landscape continues to evolve.