Fix The Canonical Scoring in Helpful Content

In 2024 based on a site’s performance and the related search console data, after seeing  a correlation between sites that used Table of Content plugins and negative outcomes for those sites I said that Google had broken the canonical.

Its still broken.

Refining how I describe this situation, I now describe it as Google needs to fix the canonical scoring of jump links in Helpful Content portion of their Core algorithm.

Then this was “leaked” from a meeting.

This month at a private, closed door, no cameras meeting in Washington DC, a group of 7 hand-picked participants were given direct access to Google’s Search Team.

Someone in the room in that meeting wrote about their experience and  shared this along with some other conclusions on their blog. Read her Linkedin post.

Sidenote

OK, so this is the second time that I publicly shared my findings that Google came out and provided confirmation.

If you’re wondering, the first time was on my Helpful Content analysis. The Google API Documentation Leak shortly thereafter and  included information that was noted but not recognized as Helpful Content measurements and if you’re familiar with my hypothesis – I couldn’t have said it better!

You can read Andrew Ainsley’s breakdown of the document here.

We can not know what to fix, what to do,  if we don’t know what is being measured.

And Helpful Content did not come from outer space. You WILL find it in your own backyard if you look.

Collateral Damage from Table of Content Links

I’ve spent a year telling you what the problem is without any solution in sight.

I know.

And now get to tell you some GOOD news.

My company is developing a paid WordPress plugin that will not “confuse” the bots. And if you know what I do, you know I KNOW my bots!