In the SEO space, Google's algorithm updates can make or break a website's traffic and revenue. For bloggers and content creators who rely heavily on organic search traffic, these updates can be particularly challenging. In September 2023, Google launched its Helpful Content Update (HCU), which aimed to prioritize content that provides a satisfying user experience by rewarding authentic, people-first content. However, many websites, including established blogs with solid track records, found themselves on the losing end of this update.
One blog that was affected is The Wayward Home, run by Kristin Hanes. Kristin's blog, which focuses on alternative living topics such as van life, RVing, and sailboat living, had grown to an impressive 400,000 monthly page views and $25,000 in monthly revenue before the HCU struck. In this article, we'll take an in-depth look at Kristin's experience with the update, the lessons she learned, and the strategies she's implementing to recover her traffic and revenue.
Kristin Hanes
The impact of the Helpful Content Update
Kristin's blog, The Wayward Home, has been a reliable source of income for her since its launch in 2017. Through a combination of organic search traffic, Pinterest, and Facebook, she had built a substantial audience interested in her niche. However, when the HCU rolled out, her traffic took a significant hit.
"The site was just destroyed," Kristin shared in an interview. "It started on a small destruction level in September and October with it dropping, but it just continued to drop as the months went by. In December, it continued to drop. And as I look at the search console now, it's like really low. It's crazy."
The impact on Kristin's revenue was equally devastating. Her affiliate income, which had been a growing part of her business, dropped from $8,000-$9,000 per month to just $1,000. The loss of traffic and income was a harsh blow, but Kristin was determined to understand what went wrong and how she could adapt to the new reality.
Understanding the Helpful Content Update
To recover from the impact of the HCU, Kristin first needed to understand what the update was targeting and why her site might have been affected. The HCU was designed to reward content that provided a satisfying user experience by prioritizing authentic, people-first content. This meant that websites with content that seemed to be written primarily for search engines, rather than human readers, were at risk of being penalized.
Upon reflection, Kristin realized that some of her content might have fallen into this category:
"The only thing that I think it could be, which I'm guessing, is I was targeting a lot of the long-tail, low-competition keywords," she explained. "And a lot of these keywords I did not have personal experience in. I hired writers to just write SEO articles on these topics."
These articles, written from a third-person perspective and lacking personal insights, might have been seen by Google as less valuable to readers than content based on first-hand experience. This realization was a key turning point for Kristin as she began to develop a plan to recover her traffic.
Pivoting content strategy
With some knowledge of what the HCU prioritized, Kristin set out to revamp her content strategy. The first step was to update older, underperforming articles on her site. Rather than relying solely on freelance writers to create content based on keyword research, she began to focus on injecting more personal experiences and authentic voices into her blog posts.
"What I've currently been doing is trying to update older articles that I have on my site that maybe aren't getting a lot of traffic or search traffic," Kristin shared. "And I've hired another writer, and she has a lot of connections within the van life community. And so I'm having her update a lot of these articles that were written more in that third person with interviewing her friends."
By incorporating real-life experiences and insights from people actually living the lifestyle her blog promoted, Kristin hoped to create content that was more engaging and valuable to her readers. This shift towards more people-focused content aligned with the goals of the HCU and represented a significant change in her approach to content creation.
In addition to updating existing content, Kristin also began to publish more articles designed to be shared on social media platforms like Facebook. These posts, which often took the form of inspiring stories or "listicles," were created to attract clicks and engagement from social media users, rather than just targeting search engine rankings.
"I'm also publishing a lot more articles that are like social friendly, like Facebook friendly, that are just more fun to read instead of just targeting a keyword," Kristin explained. "So I'm trying to mix up the types of articles that are going on my site. I am still targeting some keywords, but I'm also trying to throw some more fun, non-SEO articles into the mix that are just maybe inspiring, like more like what I did in the beginning, maybe more interviews, maybe some more fun listicles people can read, things that'll get clicks on Facebook."
By diversifying her content strategy and focusing on creating posts that were both SEO-friendly and engaging for social media audiences, Kristin hoped to build a more resilient traffic base that wasn't entirely dependent on search engine rankings.
Exploring alternative traffic sources
In addition to revamping her content strategy, Kristin also began to explore alternative traffic sources to reduce her reliance on organic search traffic. One of the most promising avenues she discovered was Facebook.
"I've also decided to target Facebook traffic more, which is something I've never ever done in the past," Kristin said. "And so I set up a Facebook page that is not related to my brand name at all. Cause my brand name, The Wayward Home, I think if someone hears that, they don't really know what that means if they're just on Facebook, they're like, 'What's that?' So I started a Facebook page, it's very niche, it's called the Van Life Collective, and it's all about just van life."
By creating a Facebook page specifically targeted to her niche audience, Kristin was able to attract followers who were genuinely interested in her content. She began running like campaigns and sharing articles that were designed to perform well on the platform, and the results were encouraging.
"I started posting five times per day over to Facebook through Buffer, and I post only an image and in the caption above is where I put the link," she explained. "And so Facebook seems to like that. And the people respond well to the image. And I've driven my Facebook traffic up about 600 percent in the last month."
While the RPMs (revenue per mille) for Facebook traffic were lower than those for Google search traffic, and the traffic itself was less consistent, this experiment demonstrated the potential of diversifying traffic sources. By not putting all her eggs in one basket, Kristin was making her blog more resilient to future algorithm updates.
Kristin also explored other potential traffic sources, such as publishing content on MSN.com. By syndicating her content on high-authority websites, she hoped to attract new readers and build backlinks that could help her own site's search engine rankings. Currently, her webiste is at 170,000 total monthly visits, which is still not bad but a decline since the website was hit by the HCU update.
Lessons learned and advice for other bloggers
Kristin's experience with the Helpful Content Update offers valuable lessons for other bloggers and content creators. Perhaps the most important lesson is the need to create authentic, people-first content that provides real value to readers.
"I do think if the experience can help people, then it's fine," Kristin said, reflecting on her new content strategy. "For example, if there's an article about the best heating source for a van, I can either list all the heating sources and why, which is what I've been doing, like pros, cons, here's your options. Or I can have interviews. This person says how it's worked for them, why they like it, why they don't like it. And maybe that will make it sound more authentic. And maybe that will help people more."
Another key lesson is the importance of diversifying traffic sources and revenue streams. By exploring alternative platforms like Facebook and MSN.com, Kristin was able to reduce her dependence on Google search traffic and create a more stable foundation for her business.
Finally, Kristin's experience highlights the importance of maintaining a lean business model and keeping personal expenses under control. Thanks to her savings and low living costs, she was able to weather the income loss from the HCU without facing financial ruin.
"I felt sad about it, and then I was talking to my partner, Tom, and he was like, 'Don't worry, we have savings, we can live off our savings for years,'" Kristin shared. "'I mean, you're okay. We live on a boat. We have like no rent. We have no debt. Like, things are fine. Just keep working on your business.'"
This financial resilience allowed Kristin to focus on adapting her business to the new reality, rather than worrying about how she would pay her bills. It's a powerful reminder that, as a business owner, preparing for the worst can help you navigate even the most challenging setbacks.
Conclusion
Kristin Hanes' journey through the aftermath of Google's Helpful Content Update is a case study in resilience, adaptability, and the importance of putting your audience first. By reflecting on what made her content less valuable in the eyes of the HCU, and taking steps to create more authentic, people-focused blog posts, she was able to begin the process of recovering her traffic and revenue.
At the same time, Kristin's efforts to diversify her traffic sources and maintain a lean business model have made her blog more resilient to future algorithm updates. Her experience offers valuable lessons for other content creators looking to build sustainable, audience-focused businesses in an ever-changing digital landscape.
As Kristin continues to implement her new strategies and explore new opportunities, her case study serves as an inspiration to bloggers and entrepreneurs everywhere. By staying true to your audience, being willing to adapt, and preparing for the ups and downs of the business world, it's possible to overcome even the most daunting challenges and come out stronger on the other side.
