To optimize for Google E-E-A-T, you need to demonstrate experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
Google’s algorithm uses E-E-A-T to determine the quality of web pages, and it’s becoming increasingly important for SEO. So, how can you optimize for E-E-A-T?
What Is E-E-A-T?
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is a concept that is part of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines. This is the handbook that real people use to evaluate the quality of search results. These people are known as Quality Raters, and their feedback helps Google measure the success of its algorithm updates.
Google wants to serve results with strong E-E-A-T, so it is an important concept in SEO. High E-E-A-T can improve user trust and lead to more conversions on your site.
Experience
Quality content often demonstrates the creator’s first-hand experience with the subject matter. This helps prove that suggestions are tried and tested, and insights are authentic.
For example, a product review that talks about personal experiences and opinions provides unique value to the reader.
Expertise
Search quality raters must determine whether authors have topical expertise. Do they have the knowledge, qualifications, and credentials required to give reliable information?
Expertise often overlaps with experience, but they’re not the same thing. For example, some people want financial advice from an accredited professional (expertise) while others want real-life examples of strategies that worked for their peers (experience). Both types of content can offer value to searchers, so both can perform well under Google E-E-A-T.
Authoritativeness
Authoritativeness refers to your overall reputation in your industry, especially among experts and influencers in your niche. Google quality raters are instructed to review the authoritativeness of the creator, the content, and the website.
For example, an article on abdominal pain from WebMD is authoritative because WebMD is a well-known publication for medical advice. The authors are wellness professionals, and they ask an expert (usually a doctor) to check their content for accuracy.
Ideally, other authorities in your industry link to your content because it provides value. People know you, know your background, and look to you as a leader in your industry. They accept you as a good source of information.
Trustworthiness
Trustworthiness is the most important part of Google E-E-A-T SEO. Quality raters must take the creator, content, and website into account.
It’s important to be clear about who wrote your content, edit for factual accuracy, cite trustworthy sources, and avoid hiding content behind a wall of ads. For example, a shopping checkout page that has an insecure connection is considered untrustworthy.
It’s also important to provide contact information on your website, particularly for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics or online stores.
How to Improve Your Site’s E-E-A-T
Improving your site’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is crucial for ranking higher in search engine results pages. Here are six practical steps to improve your site’s E-E-A-T SEO:
1. Create High-Quality Content
Creating high-quality helpful content is an essential part of improving your site’s E-E-A-T. Your content should be original, helpful to users, and written by people for people. Regularly audit your content to ensure that it’s useful and has a high level of E-E-A-T. Use Semrush’s Topic Research tool to get content ideas, and draft your content in Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant to make your writing more helpful.
2. Add User-Generated Content to Your Site
User-generated content (UGC) is any type of content created by consumers or website users rather than brands. When used well, UGC can act as a trust signal and establish brand loyalty. Gather UGC to improve your site’s E-E-A-T by prompting happy customers to share photos of your product and tag you. You can also prompt customers to post about you on social platforms by sending them a quick email or running a social media contest. Whenever you highlight UGC on your site or social profiles, always request permission from creators and credit them in the content.
3. Build Quality Backlinks
Earning backlinks from other trusted sites is an important part of your SEO strategy. Plus, it can show that your business is an authority in your industry. Create linkable content assets, share visuals or compelling data on social media, publish original research, and create helpful how-to guides for topics in your niche. Once you create your linkable content, reach out to other publications to see if they are interested in linking to your piece. You can also use Semrush’s Link Building Tool to find sites that might link to yours (link building prospects).
4. Add Author Info and Transparency
Google wants to know that the person writing a piece of content is a legitimate source of information. Be sure to create an About Us page to introduce your team (if applicable) and individual author pages to highlight specific writers. Author bios help establish transparency and E-E-A-T by showing author credentials and past work. You can also leverage author expertise by becoming a contributor to authoritative sites in your space. Lastly, hire experts when you can.
5. Use Credible Sources
When creating content, it’s always best to go straight to the source to establish credibility. Always link to official sources, studies, research papers, etc. It’s also best to use trusted sources. These may vary by field but could include academic databases, news publications, or established experts’ and agencies’ sites.
6. Build a Brand
Your brand’s reputation can impact the trustworthiness of your content and site overall. So online reputation management is crucial for Google E-E-A-T SEO. This means you should keep an eye out for negative reviews or press. If something does come up, respond promptly and professionally. Use Semrush’s Listing Management tool to stay on top of reviews. Respond to bad and good reviews.
Improving your site’s E-E-A-T is a process that requires time and effort. By following these practical steps, you can improve your site’s E-E-A-T and rank higher in search engine results pages.
Conclusion
In conclusion, optimizing for Google E-E-A-T is crucial for improving your website’s search engine rankings. By focusing on expertise, authority, and trustworthiness, you can create content that resonates with your target audience and establishes your brand as a thought leader in your industry.
Demonstrating first-hand experience is also important for Google E-E-A-T. This can be achieved by using products or services yourself, visiting places you write about, or sharing personal experiences. By doing so, you establish credibility and demonstrate that you have a deep understanding of your topic.
Finally, building a strong online reputation through positive reviews, social media presence, and backlinks from authoritative sources is key to establishing trustworthiness. By following these guidelines, you can optimize for Google E-E-A-T and improve your website’s search engine rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key factors to consider when optimizing for Google E-E-A-T?
When optimizing for Google E-E-A-T, it is important to consider the expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness of your website. This means that you should focus on providing high-quality content that is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to your audience. Additionally, you should ensure that your website is well-designed, easy to navigate, and free of any technical issues that could negatively impact user experience.
How can I demonstrate E-E-A-T on my website?
To demonstrate E-E-A-T on your website, you should focus on creating high-quality content that is relevant to your audience and demonstrates your expertise in your field. Additionally, you should provide clear and accurate information about your company and its products or services, as well as any relevant credentials or certifications that demonstrate your authority in your industry. Finally, you should ensure that your website is well-designed, easy to navigate, and free of any technical issues that could negatively impact user experience.
What is YMYL content and how does it relate to E-E-A-T?
YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content refers to content that could have a significant impact on a person’s health, happiness, financial stability, or safety. Examples of YMYL content include medical advice, financial advice, legal advice, and news articles. Because this type of content can have such a significant impact on people’s lives, Google holds it to a higher standard of quality and requires that it be created by experts with a high level of expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
