Google’s New Rules: How the March 2024 Update Supports a Human-First Content Strategy

In March, Google released an update likely to disrupt many SEO-driven content strategies in 2024 and beyond. 

Google summarizes the March update in one sentence, "We're enhancing Search so you see more useful information and fewer results that feel made for search engines."

While this algorithm change primarily targets affiliate marketers, spam content, and black-hat SEO working tirelessly to game the system, it will also impact websites and content optimized for search engines and keywords over human needs.

I've worked with several companies, primarily B2B SaaS brands, impacted by Google updates over the last 18 months. "We used to be on page one for all these keywords, but now we're on page five or six!!!"

Most times, when I review the content, it sucks—likely written by someone in Asia for $20 an article. The keyword stuffing is off the charts, with rambling sentences and useless information to cram everything in.

The problem is that many content teams think, "Something is better than nothing; we need to own the keyword landscape." Guess who else is doing this; a million other websites, including your competitors.

When you chase an SEO/keyword strategy, the content looks the same as everyone else doing the same thing. They typically cite the same sources, use similar headlines, and produce nothing original. They use SEO templates from "experts" following a formula designed for algorithms.

ChatGPT to the Rescue...Not so Much

In 2023, I lost a couple of good content contracts to AI tools: "We're going to use our in-house content team to write SEO articles."

Makes sense. I'd do the same if I were a SaaS business owner losing money to dwindling search traffic and fewer seats due to massive tech layoffs. Content marketing is low on the list of priorities when revenue is down 20-40%.

The problem is that many companies and websites are doing the same thing. Before AI chatbots, content creators created similar content using similar sources.

Now, AI tools produce the same content using the same training data, making it easy for search algorithms to identify this unoriginal content and demote/punish accordingly.

I've mentioned this in every weekly article and the Distributed Content Strategy white paper—create content for humans, not algorithms.

Shifting The Content Mindset

What is a content team's job? To constantly adapt to trends and changing search algorithms or speak to the brand's target audience?

I believe the latter is more cost-effective and drives meaningful long-term outcomes. You don't need bloated content teams with SEO experts and and and. You need a small team focused on delivering high-quality content to your audience or audiences.

If a single content creator can build a substantial audience around a niche topic alone, why can't brands? Because they prioritize the wrong content and strategy.

1. They don't fully understand their audience, but they are experts in the SEO landscape. 
2. They want to own the keyword space but not lead the discussion.
3. They measure success in increasing traffic rather than building meaningful audiences and driving revenue.
4. They're obsessed with the perfect SEO template and less concerned with their audience's interests and needs.

A better strategy is to focus on creating newsletter-style content.

Is what you produce valuable enough to motivate someone to sign up and open every email? 

Be brutally honest, would you read this content or unsubscribe, or worse, mark it as spam? Most SEO content falls in the latter category. 

Ask yourself, how was Sam Parr able to create content that was so valuable that Hubspot bought it for $27 million? Does your content meet these high standards? What can you do to replicate this success?

Quality Not Quantity

Audiences on platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, X, and Substack expect content of significantly higher quality than typical SEO articles.

Writing for these audiences is challenging because you must cut through the noise and distractions. You will fail if you don't produce original, valuable content.

"If they think it's remarkable, then it's remarkable. If you think it is, who cares." — Seth Godin

It takes time, but you will succeed if you consistently share valuable insights and engage with audiences. Where SEO is about volume, a value-focused strategy is about consistency. 

Once a week is perfect for publishing long-form articles to multiple channels, including LinkedIn, X, Medium, your blog, and newsletter. Follow up with daily posts to promote the content and increase engagement. 

LinkedIn creator Justin Welsh is the perfect example of quality and consistency. He publishes daily at the same time and delivers a weekly long-form newsletter every Saturday. 

He's also productized his branded weekly newsletter, The Saturday Solopreneur and sells paid ad placements—sold out six months in advance!

Justin's weekly emails provide valuable tips and strategies for solopreneurs and align with his courses, including "The Creator MBA" and "The Content Operating System."

Why Content Creators Perform Better Than Brands at Content Marketing

Creators are more successful at building audiences for two primary reasons:

1. They create a human connection
2. They engage with and learn from their audiences continuously

While brands learn from their audiences, they typically use analytics and data rather than speaking directly to customers. Whereas content creators have a continuous conversation with their audiences, constantly testing and learning—whether or not they do so consciously.

If content teams want to enjoy the successes of individual content creators, they must change their approach. Use keyword research and analytics as one data point, not the foundation for your content strategy.

Brands have massive resources. Rather than trying to own the keyword landscape, own the conversation. Share fresh insights and ideas. Create content that sparks true debate rather than replicating the SEO-driven strategies everyone else and their dog is doing.