Have you ever encountered online content that made you question its trustworthiness?
This is where E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) comes in.
E-A-T started in 2019 but in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, it became obvious that this was needed. E-A-T stood for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
As people confined themselves to their homes to prevent the spread of COVID-19, fake news proliferated all across the internet. To fight back against this, Google formulated a team of human checkers to go over web pages and see for themselves if the content was relevant and true.
Google established this guiding principle with the aim of ensuring that internet content is valuable and meaningful.
The big difference? This is for once not done by an algorithm!
In December 2022, Google introduced E-E-A-T, incorporating an additional “E” to stand for “Experience.”
In this blog, you will learn about E-E-A-T and what it means for you but don’t worry if this all still seems confusing, you can just give us a call.
E-E-A-T and Google
In the ongoing battle against both good and bad content, Google faces the challenges posed by generative AI technologies like ChatGPT and users posting incorrect information online.
With the proliferation of misinformation and attempts to manipulate the system, the demand for reliable and trustworthy content has grown.
It’s not just about the human checkers going through your content either! Google is actively training its systems to identify and reward high-quality, factually accurate content. This is where the concept of E-E-A-T becomes relevant. Updates such as the Helpful Content emphasise the importance of original content authored by experts. To learn more about Google’s Helpful Content update, check out our blog here.
The principles of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness are repeatedly mentioned in Google’s Search Quality Raters guidelines and various Google posts. These critical principles assist Google in assessing and evaluating online content, ensuring its quality and reliability.
Experience
When it comes to creating content, it is crucial to showcase your expertise and convey that you possess firsthand experience in the subject matter. This experience could stem from your prior educational background or professional career. By drawing connections between the topic at hand and your practical encounters, you establish credibility with your audience.
For instance, if you are discussing the importance of incorporating search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies into an online marketing campaign, you could demonstrate your expertise by mentioning your years of working as a digital marketing specialist. You could then relate how you have utilised various SEO techniques to increase website traffic and improve search engine rankings for clients.
This can be done in your About Us page like we have done, as well as in page headings across the website. Not sure how best to do this? Get in touch with CREATIVE in TiME today.
Expertise
To truly stand out as a content creator, it is essential to showcase your expertise in your specific niche. By doing so, you establish yourself as a reliable source of information and enhance your credibility.
Your content should reflect your deep insights, practical experience, and well-informed opinions on the topic at hand.
When you share your knowledge and expertise, you offer valuable insights to your audience. Whether it is through sharing research-backed facts, real-life examples, or personal anecdotes, every piece of information you provide adds value to the reader or listener.
This not only establishes you as a knowledgeable authority but also helps your content gain visibility and climb higher in the search rankings.
Authoritativeness
Google’s search algorithm places a high emphasis on authoritative content. It is crucial to establish yourself as an authoritative figure in your field. A robust PR strategy plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal.
Consider how your content appears when it is searched online. Is it being linked from various reputable sources? Do industry expert magazines or trusted newspapers reference your work?
The visibility and credibility of your content are greatly enhanced when it is associated with reliable and respected sources. When your content exudes authority, it becomes a magnet for an eager audience hungry for trustworthy information.
By leveraging your expertise and sharing unique insights, you become the go-to source for your target audience.
Trustworthiness
Transparency and credibility are vital elements of creating content that resonates with your audience. To foster a sense of reliability, it is crucial to ensure that your content is transparent and backed by reputable sources.
When presenting information, be transparent about your sources and provide clear references to back up your claims. This not only establishes trust with your audience but also allows them to verify the information for themselves.
Utilise authoritative sources such as academic studies, industry reports, or credible news outlets to support your arguments and provide evidence for your statements.
Is E-E-A-T a ranking factor?
No, it’s not a ranking factor. However, prioritising E-E-A-T is beneficial as it enhances your experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness, strengthening your reputation in the eyes of your audience.
The status of E-E-A-T as a direct ranking factor has been a topic of discussion, but it is not explicitly defined as such.
Every business should strive for the goal of having their website assessed and ranked by Google’s ranking systems. However, while focusing on E-E-A-T, it is important to also continue your technical SEO efforts.
How can I improve my sites E-E-A-T?
Understanding E-E-A-T can be challenging as it is an abstract concept without specific guidelines for increasing its metrics. It is not a separate entity within the algorithm that can be adjusted independently. Rather, it comprises a range of principles that help Google assess you, your content, and your business.
EEAT is important across the web, but particularly crucial for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) sites and there are steps you can take to improve it. However, the outcomes of these efforts are not guaranteed.
Examples of YMYL Content:
- Fire Safety: https://trainingexp.co.uk/health-and-safety-training-what-are-the-different-types/
- Women’s Health: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/
- NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/
- Money: https://www.which.co.uk/money
Depending on the nature of your content, there are various ways to improve E-E-A-T:
- More mentions from trusted experts
- Get links from high-value sites
- Appear in valued newspapers or on other well-known sites
- Arrange high-quality reviews
- Enhance the quality of your content
- Don’t make your content too sales-oriented
- Add unique content
- Improve your business details/about us pages
- Improve your bio
- Fix your Call to Actions (CTA) and User Experience
- Create High-Quality Content
Conclusion
In conclusion, E-E-A-T is an essential aspect of SEO, focusing on the expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness of the creator, content, and website.
While it may not be a direct ranking factor, improving E-E-A-T can enhance the reputation of a website and build trust with its audience. Implementing strategies such as clear authorship, factual accuracy, and citing reliable sources can contribute to improving E-E-A-T.
While E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is a crucial factor in evaluating the quality and credibility of web content, it is essential to understand that it does not replace the need for technical SEO work.
In addition to ensuring that a website meets the criteria of E-E-A-T, technical SEO focuses on optimising various technical aspects that contribute to a website’s visibility and performance in search engine rankings. This includes improving site speed, mobile responsiveness, crawlability, and optimising meta tags and structured data, among other technical elements.
By prioritising E-E-A-T and providing high-quality and reliable content, businesses can create a trustworthy online environment and stand out in search rankings.
If you need assistance in improving your website’s E-E-A-T and implementing effective SEO strategies, reach out to CREATIVE in TiME, your go to digital marketing agency.
Our expertise in technical SEO, content creation, and online reputation management can help you enhance your E-E-A-T and establish a strong online presence. By collaborating with us, you can effectively optimise your content and website to meet the criteria of E-E-A-T and stand out in search rankings.
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