The Quest for “Original Information ?”

Google Search Central Guidelines

Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content

**I’m sharing this because of the struggles I go through with this and hope it helps anyone else going through the same.**

The 1st question under Content and Quality is: “Does the content provide original information, reporting, research, or analysis?”

I don’t know about you but the word “original information” is a bit vague. So, I would spend enormous amounts of my time brainstorming about creating content that no one else ever heard of. I thought to myself, “Can I be THE one person in the whole world who writes about (fill in the blank)?” A daunting task that would never be fulfilled I’m afraid.

The way to look at it should be “an original take/angle on a topic” rather than some off-the-grid, virtually unknown content to blow people’s minds and be worthy of a Pulitzer Prize. That’s way too much stress and an unnecessary burden to carry.

So, I asked ChatGPT to explain using this prompt:

I’m finding it harder these days to create “original” content to please the Google content guidelines. With all of the information presented on search engines, how can I write “original” content that pleases the Google bot?

Chat’s response:

You’re not alone in this struggle—Google’s content guidelines have become stricter, especially with the rise of AI-generated and regurgitated content. To create “original” content that stands out to both Google and your audience, focus on the following strategies:

1. Leverage Personal Experience & Unique Insights

2. Original Research & Data

3. Unique Angles & Formats

4. Deeper Content & Expertise

5. Write for Your Audience First, Not Just SEO

6. Improve Upon Existing Content

7. Be a Thought Leader, Not a Content Recycler

If you're constantly scratching your head and finding yourself on an endless quest to become the “mad genius of originality”, input this prompt into your favorite AI tool (I chose ChatGPT), then provide follow-up questions until you refine it to a point you’re satisfied with.

So far this process has been very helpful to me for leveling up my content. It helped me clear out the cobwebs in my mind and gave me a better sense of direction and strategy. It’s sometimes a good idea to take a step back and reflect on your previous work so that you will be better able to refine your writing going forward.

Steve