In November 2023, Google launched the Hidden Gems update, which has created great opportunities in SEO for small businesses and independent professionals. This update aims to solve two correlated problems: users’ difficulty in finding relevant information and the lack of visibility for authors who publish valuable content. Hidden Gems focuses on those useful pieces of content that until now have gone unnoticed, highlighting them in search results.
Objective of the Hidden Gems Update
The Google Hidden Gems update aims to improve the visibility of meaningful content found on less traditional platforms that, until now, have not had the visibility they deserve. This includes content on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as on blogging platforms like LinkedIn Pulse and Medium, and discussion forums like Quora and Stack Overflow.
Google recognizes that some of the best answers to user queries are not always found on corporate or institutional blogs, but in posts made on these other platforms. The update seeks to bring these “hidden gems” to light, offering useful and genuine answers based on personal experiences.
How Hidden Gems Works in Google Searches
Hidden Gems focuses on connecting user queries with high-quality answers, regardless of the source of those answers. Unlike other updates such as the Helpful Content System, Hidden Gems belongs to Google’s core search and ranking systems.
Google has been preparing the ground for this update with features such as Search Discussions and Forums and Search Perspectives. These functions track and analyze content on discussion platforms and social networks, evaluating its authenticity and usefulness to highlight it in search results.
Benefits of the Hidden Gems Update
The Hidden Gems update offers several benefits for content creators:
- Greater visibility for valuable content: Even if it comes from less traditional sources, useful and authentic content will have more opportunities to be highlighted in search results.
- Connection with specific audiences: By improving the visibility of content on social platforms and forums, it is more likely that users will find relevant and high-quality answers.
- Recognition of authenticity: Content that reflects personal and genuine experience will have a higher chance of being highlighted, rewarding authors who share their knowledge and sincere experiences.
Tips for Adapting Your Content to Hidden Gems
To ensure that your content is identified as a “hidden gem” by Google, follow these tips:
- Be authentic and tell real stories: Authenticity is key. Publish content that solves real problems and tell genuine stories that connect with your audience.
- Provide useful and practical solutions: Focus on creating content that offers practical and valuable solutions to users’ queries. Identify the most frequent long-tail queries in your niche and answer them in depth.
- Use a conversational style and tone: Adopt a close and conversational tone, similar to forum discussions. Avoid corporate language and opt for more direct and friendly communication.
- Participate on external sites: Actively publish and participate on platforms where Google looks for valuable content, such as social networks, forums, and news aggregators. Provide value and expertise without focusing on direct promotion of your products or services.
- Promote your content on social networks: Ensure that your social media posts receive high engagement by promoting them properly. This will increase their visibility and make them more attractive to the Hidden Gems system.
- Create content with EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust): Make sure your content reflects experience, expertise, authority, and trust. These factors are crucial for Google to consider your content high-quality.
The Google Hidden Gems update redefines SEO strategies, highlighting valuable and authentic content from less traditional sources. Adapting your content to these new guidelines can significantly increase its visibility and effectiveness. Make sure to be authentic, provide practical solutions, and actively participate on external platforms to maximize the benefits of this update.
