Legacy, Visibility, and Building a Home Online
Every so often, something makes you pause and think about what really lasts — what we leave behind, and how we’re remembered. For some, that moment comes during a big life change. For me, it came while looking through a loved one’s papers, tucked away in drawers and files, quietly holding pieces of a life well-lived.
I found myself holding handwritten notes, old newsletters, moments our loved one thought was worth saving. And I started to wonder: how do I want to be remembered?
In its own way, your website answers that question for your business. It’s not just about getting found on Google — it’s about what people find when they do. Your story. Your values. Your work.
And in 2025, Google’s updates are pushing all of us closer to that truth. It’s not enough to just exist online — you have to show up with clarity, value, and voice.
So what’s Changing in Google’s 2025 Algorithm Updates?
Google Wants Helpful. Here’s What That Actually Means.
Google’s Helpful Content system has become a core component of its ranking algorithms. The focus is on rewarding content that is created primarily for people and NOT just to attract clicks.
You’re content is evaluated on:
- First-hand experience and real expertise
- Originality (not just echoing what is already out there)
- Completeness and clarity
- A site-wide commitment to quality (aka, it’s time to get rid of the weak pages)
This evaluation isn’t changing in 2025. So if your website contains content that feels templated, thin, or primarily designed to attract search engine traffic, it’s time to reassess and enhance it because Google might start to penalize every page on your site, not just the ones that were low-effort and thrown out there.
AI Is Your New Gatekeeper. Is Your Website Ready?
Google’s May 2025 Update focused on how to ensure your content performs well in Google’s AI experience on Search–and guess what? It aligns with the helpful content system above. Google wants to show content that fulfills the needs of its searchers, so continuing to focus on making unique content that visitors from Search will find helpful is key. As AI blends into search, users are asking longer questions that are more specific… AND are asking follow-up questions to get even MORE information. So keeping the helpful content pillars in mind as you write content continues to make sense even with Google’s addition of AI search.
So instead of clicking 10 blue links, users are now going to see synthesized answers powered by LLMs (large language models) and the new goal of search is to show up in this snippet. This means your content needs to be:
- Structured clearly (think H2s, FAQs, summaries)
- Rich with context and real expertise
- Includes unique insights that go beyond surface-level answers
- Marked up with schema so AI can understand it
Make Google’s AI Work For You
Here’s how to align your website with Google’s 2025 updates and how to make it truly helpful for the people you want to serve.
Audit Your Website for Usefulness
Not everything needs to stay! Use analytics and heat maps to identify which pages drive value and which ones create confusion. If a page feels duplicative or empty, improve it or remove it.
Focus on E-E-A-T
Yep, Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust are still here! Add those testimonials. Show behind-the-scenes. Link to your credentials and community involvement. Make sure your site reads like a human wrote it.
Structure Your Content to be Read by AI
Use proper headings, answer questions directly. Use bullets, summaries, and scannable formats. Yes, AI can read fast but it needs clear signals to do so!
Use Structured Data to Your Advantage
Structured data (aka schema markup) helps search engines understand what your content means — not just what it says.
Note: If you’re using tools like Yoast SEO or Rank Math, you likely already have basic schema in place: page type, author info, breadcrumbs.
Want to go deeper? Try Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper — a free, no-code tool to tag your content.
How AI Reads Your Website (And What It’s Looking For)
LLMs (Large Language Models) don’t think like us but they do scan like pros. They look for clear organization, strong signals of expertise, and content that directly answers intent.
So if you want to show up in AI-generated summaries and overviews, don’t just stuff keywords! Teach. Share. Demonstrate. be the best answer in your niche.
Your Website is a Legacy. Build It Like One.
This isn’t just about rankings. It’s about reputation. It’s about making sure when someone finds your site (whether through search or throughs tory) they find something true.
Because Google may be your gatekeeper, but your visitors? They’re your future.
