Google Hates Fake Content - Create Original Content in 8 Steps

Intro

If you’re a blogger, the first thing that you’d want to do is rank number one for your keyword. But in a time when you’re competing against million-dollar companies, it’s anything but easy.

There is, however, one simple trick that you can follow and can genuinely outrank not all but many larger competitors.

That is by creating original content.

Over the years Google has transformed into this super intelligent machine that can separate bland, rehashed content from original, experience-driven content.

And if you don’t have a seriously strong backlink profile, ranking with mediocre content is zero to none.

Let’s find out how you can create authentic content that stands out in today's overcrowded digital landscape

What is Fake Content? And Why Does Google Hate It?

When I say ‘fake content’ I’m not referring to plagiarized content. That is of course fake, but I’m actually talking about the content most beginner bloggers write by paraphrasing the first 10 results on the SERP.

It’s fake because they’re not contributing anything new to it, repurposing the same information in different words over and over again.

Google hates it.

So, you must come up with something new.

Here’s what Google thinks about rehashing existing content on the web.

(Image Source: developers.google.com)

Google doesn’t want its search engine page to be a place of boring, lifeless, bland content. It wants each result to provide new insights into the queries searchers are making and solving their problems.

So, ultimately it wants its’ database to be enriched with new and updated information.

And when you’re able to provide it in a way your audience love, good things are waiting for you, and if you’re following the same old route of pouring water into a glass that is already full, you’re going to be in trouble.

What is Original Content?

Ideally, original content is something you have written based on your own experiences and has not been published previously. It's entirely unique because you're introducing a fresh idea.

Simply avoiding plagiarism detection tools by rephrasing existing content won't be considered original, as you're only changing the words, not the ideas.

If you want to do really well, you must have to have new perspectives and creativity.

How to Create Original Content - 8 Secret Strategies Experts Follow

So, if we can't simply rewrite web content found on Google, where do we get our information?

There are plenty of other sources where you can collect unique data.

Let's explore some of those ways:

1. Be an Expert on the Niche or Hire Experts

Always start a blog in a niche that you have expertise in.

This will enable you to brainstorm new ideas and share your personal experiences.

For instance, if you're a fitness coach and have a blog in this niche, you may be able to create content around the topics you see regular gym-goers having difficulty with.

If you have no knowledge about fitness and start a blog in this niche, you might have to rely on Google or other mediums for ideas or stories.

The result?

The same old mediocre content Google hates.

However, when you're creating multiple blogs in various niches, it's not realistic anymore, since you cannot be an expert in multiple fields.

In that case, you can hire or team up with people who have expertise in the niche.

If you're creating a blog in the health niche, reach out to your friends who are in the medical profession. Team up with them and provide authentic content, case studies, and so on.

The secret to creating truly original content is not only practicing what you preach but also tapping into the expertise of others when necessary.

2. Perform a Content Gap Analysis First

To make sure you stand out with unique content you must read to know what is there and what is not. It’s called content gap analysis.

Skim through the first 10 results for a keyword and identify any gaps or unmentioned details.

Once you pinpoint missing information, you can tailor your blog post to address those topics.

3. Create Polls

One of the best ways to extract completely unique information from the web is through polls. Polls on different social networking websites would provide you with more accurate, reality-driven data your audience will love!

Here is a poll I created on Facebook while writing this blog:

(Image Source: Facebook)

I initially posted three options, but other users have added two more, which are great and something I didn't have any idea about: "YouTube Comments Section" and "Reviews."

And I think they're pretty good sources for collecting real user data. Both YouTube comments and reviews can give you a good understanding of a particular topic you're working on.

Plus, there was a pretty comprehensive comment in the post that also enlightened my perspectives about the blog.

(Image Source: Facebook)

Thanks to the Facebook Poll, I can now incorporate this new information into my content.

You can create polls on your own profile as a status, especially if you have niche experts in your friend list who can answer them.

However, the best course of action would be to create polls in relevant groups where you'll find many expert individuals.

I also created a poll on LinkedIn to see what the users have to say.

(Image Source: LinkedIn)

I've found out that, besides online polls, one good way to collect content data is by asking the experts. If you're trying to reach out to experts, there is no better platform than LinkedIn.

But before sending out connection or message requests to an SEO expert or a renowned writer, for example, try to engage regularly on their posts and become a familiar face.

Here, I reached out to SEO experts Peter Rota and Dominik J. through LinkedIn to verify whether I'm heading in the right direction and to learn if they have anything else to add:

(Image Source: LinkedIn)

(Image Source: LinkedIn)

4. Research Reddit and LinkedIn

Reddit is another goldmine for bloggers to collect fresh data regarding any topic. Both LinkedIn and Reddit have plenty of contributors and experts who can provide you with real user data.

Here is a snapshot of me trying to collect information on Reddit:

(Image Source: Reddit)

After the Sri Lankan crisis, I was worried because my country was heading in the same direction. So, I asked Sri Lankans themselves to share ideas they would have used if they had known they would be in that situation.

I was flooded with tons of recommendations from fellow Sri Lankans. One thing most of them mentioned was hoarding dollars. So I did. Within a couple of months, the price of the dollar skyrocketed in my country, and as I saved up dollars in my e-wallet, I felt the effect of inflation a lot less than others who didn't have dollar savings.

This is how reality-driven knowledge can help you and your audience in tough situations.

You can collect information in the same way for your blog and will likely outperform 90% of your competitors because nobody has access to such a vast resource of real information that your website can provide.

5. Experiment Yourself and Share the Findings

Another way to come up with new ideas is to experiment yourself. For instance, if you're running a blog on chickens, you may want to get a chicken and try to raise it.

While raising it you’ll most likely face some problems and try out different ways to fix them.

This way, you will gain hands-on experience with what works and what doesn't. You will also be able to identify the problems real users will face and the exact solutions to tackle them. Share those strategies with your audience to give them a feel for the real situation.

This type of original content is missing in the SERPs nowadays.

Having a content strategy like this increases the likelihood of Google recognizing its value, leading to higher rankings even with a smaller volume of content.

6. Interview Others and Share their Stories

If you're out of ideas, it's best to reach out to others. Everyone's life is a sum of thousands of stories and experiences. Go and speak with them and share their stories in your content.

I'd advise you to interview people who have some level of expertise in the topic you're writing about.

For example, if you're writing a blog on how to earn money through blogging, interview someone who is currently running a monetized blog and earning.

7. Use HARO

Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is another great platform where you can invite other creators to share their insights regarding a question you may have. You may mention the sources within your posts, but you'll get original content data that you wouldn't have found on the Google SERP.

8. Understand What Your Audience is Searching for and Why?

If you're not writing content around what your audiences are searching for, chances are that they won't even be read by anyone.

In that case, you can simply use a keyword finder to find out what your prospective audiences are searching for and the volume for each query.

Understanding why your audience is searching for (aka search intent) those exact keywords is also crucial. Because it will help you create content that answers their questions head-on.

So, always give priority to these two factors while creating content.

When you finish writing the blog make sure they’re grammatically correct and formatted well using reliable writing tools before posting them to your website.

Bottom Line

Nothing is more important than creating original content if you want your blogs to outperform bigger competitors. There are plenty of case studies of successful blogs that created quality content and ranked number 1 for highly competitive keywords without any backlinks. I personally believe that if you can create 100% genuine content that solves your audience's problems, you can certainly outcompete anyone.