--- title: "September 2023 helpful content update: dates and what to do" url: https://seomadman.com/updates/september-2023-helpful-content-update section: updates language: en published: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z author: Adam Hafez topics: ["Core updates", "Content strategy"] --- # September 2023 helpful content update: dates and what to do ## The short answer Google's September 2023 helpful content update started on 14 September 2023 and finished on 28 September 2023, a rollout of 13 days and 11 hours. Google said it improved its helpful content classifier. It was the last announced helpful content update: in March 2024 the system became part of Google's core ranking systems. ## Key takeaways - The Search Status Dashboard dates the rollout from 14 September 2023 to 28 September 2023, a run of 13 days and 11 hours. - Google's only stated detail was that the update improved its helpful content classifier. - It was the last helpful content update Google announced as a separate update. - In March 2024 the helpful content system became part of Google's core ranking systems. - Google published no impact figures, so treat any percentage attributed to it as a third-party estimate. ## What Google changed Google released the September 2023 helpful content update on 14 September 2023. The Search Status Dashboard entry is the whole of Google's announcement: the update "improves our classifier," and it "will take about two weeks to complete." Google did not publish a Search Central post for it. The helpful content system, according to Google's ranking systems guide, was designed to show "original, helpful content written by people, for people," rather than content made primarily to gain search traffic. This was the last time Google announced it as a separate update. The guide records that "in March 2024, it evolved and became part of our core ranking systems." ## When it rolled out The [Google Search Status Dashboard](https://status.search.google.com/incidents/53diuQvcEsgzqXTPBb8p) logged the release on 14 September 2023 at 13:19 PDT. Google posted on 28 September 2023 that the rollout was complete as of that day, a total of 13 days and 11 hours, in line with its estimate. No other announced update overlapped it. The August 2023 core update had finished on 7 September 2023, a week before this rollout began, and the October 2023 spam update started on 4 October 2023. ## What is known about its impact Google did not publish impact figures for this update. Treat any percentage you see attributed to it as a third-party estimate, and check its method. Because the August 2023 core update ended only a week earlier, a comparison window that starts in August can mix the effects of both updates. ## What site owners should do Google's guidance for helpful content is its page on creating helpful, reliable, people-first content. It asks site owners to self-assess, ideally with help from someone unaffiliated with the site: - Does the content provide original information, reporting, research or analysis? - Does it provide substantial value compared with other pages in search results? - Is the sourcing clear, with evidence of the expertise involved? - Was it made for an existing audience, or mainly to attract search engine visits? - Which pages dropped most, and for what types of searches? ## How to check whether it affected you In Search Console, set the Performance report to cover September to October 2023 and compare clicks for the week before 14 September with the week starting 29 September. Starting after 7 September keeps the August 2023 core update out of the baseline. The [Google Algorithm Updates timeline](/updates) lists every confirmed update with its dates. ## Related updates - The [December 2022 helpful content update](/updates/december-2022-helpful-content-update) was the one before it. - The [March 2024 core update](/updates/march-2024-core-update) folded helpfulness into core ranking. - The [August 2023 core update](/updates/august-2023-core-update) ended a week before this rollout. ## Frequently asked questions ### When did the September 2023 helpful content update start and finish? The Google Search Status Dashboard records the release on 14 September 2023 at 13:19 PDT and a completion note on 28 September 2023, stating the rollout was complete as of that day. ### What did the September 2023 helpful content update change? The dashboard entry says it "improves our classifier," meaning the helpful content classifier. Google did not publish a separate Search Central post with further detail. ### Are there still helpful content updates? No separate ones. Google's ranking systems guide says the helpful content system became part of its core ranking systems in March 2024, so changes now arrive through core updates. ### What should I do if my site dropped during the September 2023 helpful content update? Assess the site honestly against Google's helpful content questions: original information, substantial value compared with other results, clear sourcing and evidence of expertise, and content made for people rather than for search engines. ## Sources 1. [Released the September 2023 helpful content update (incident)](https://status.search.google.com/incidents/53diuQvcEsgzqXTPBb8p) - Google Search Status Dashboard (primary) 2. [Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) - Google Search Central (primary) 3. [A guide to Google Search ranking systems](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ranking-systems-guide) - Google Search Central (primary) 4. [What web creators should know about our March 2024 core update and new spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/03/core-update-spam-policies) - Google Search Central Blog (primary)