E-E-A-T's impact in SEO
E-E-A-T is an acronym for experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness in regards to Google's page ranking algorithms. When you hit all the points perfectly, you'll rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Many experts claim people never look past the first page of search results. Ensuring you rank as high as possible increases traffic and improves your chances for online growth. Knowing what E-E-A-T is and how to implement increases the chances you’ll gain significant SEO with just a little effort.
Google offers Search Quality Rater Guidelines for its third-party raters. They work with over 16,000 people to get feedback on various websites and how well they match user intent and offer excellent user experience (UX). However, businesses can tap into the recommendations to figure out ways to rank higher than the competition.
To better understand how to improve your search engine optimization (SEO), it’s crucial to understand how Google looks at E-E-A-T. Let’s define each element to fully understand just what Google looks for. We’ll also offer suggestions to improve each area for the best chance at better SERP results.
1. Experience
One of the factors Google considers is whether the person writing content for a website has experience in the area. Someone who has been in the field is much more likely to better understand terms and jargon of the industry. They’ll know first-hand what works and what doesn’t.
The problem brands sometimes face is learning how to translate that experience part of E-E-A-T into readable content. People can be quite knowledgeable but not able to break things down in a way that makes sense to a beginner.
The best writers have both experience and an understanding of the audience. To improve your content and meet this expectation from Google, try these tips:
● Know the topic better than the average person.
● Study the audience to understand their level of expertise and what language you should use.
● Define any industry jargon so anyone can understand the content. What terms aren’t known to outsiders? It’s okay to throw them in to show your experience but make sure you explain them and don’t overdo it.
● Look for topics or angles others haven’t covered. How can you present something useful but unique?
With a bit of effort, you’ll showcase the experience behind your brand without confusing people new to the industry.
2. Expertise
The difference between expertise and experience is often subtle, even by Google’s definitions. The person who is an expert likely also has experience in the field or with the topic. For example, a chef reviewing a local restaurant has expertise in the industry. However, if he hasn’t dined at local restaurants or that restaurant, he has no experience to base his article on. The best content merges both of the Es in E-E-A-T.
Knowing how buyers respond to content and promotions can also drive what websites publish. For example, the average retailer offers a sale of around 20 to 25% off several times a year and expects to see a sales boost around 20% during the promotion.
When content is centered around what the user wants, what the business knows and experiences, the numbers may be even higher. Google will also rank the content so it gets more eyes on it, drawing even more customers to the site.
3. Authority
Sites with authority are typically more established and have developed a brand reputation. For example, when you think of companies such as:
● Amazon
● Target
● John Lewis
Why do these sites rank so high in SERPs? You might have better content, more knowledgeable experts and a consistent keyword strategy and will still get outranked by big names.
Authority measures how established a site is, the amount of content, how well it meets user intent and if people trust the company. There are some things you can do to increase your authority, but there isn’t a fast approach to building up this aspect of your SEO strategy. You must put in consistent effort before you’ll be seen as the go-to on a topic.
You want a site that functions as it should, so avoid problem areas. For example, infinite scrolling can result in lower SEO and site speed can impact results.
Some things you can do is write articles for blogs and other sites and ask for a link back to yours. You only want to utilize high quality sites for this as the quality of the sites linking to yours matters. You should give talks, host webinars and consistently post on your own site. Even the age of your site impacts authority, so consider buying an established domain, too.
4. Trustworthiness
The final letter in the acronym stands for trustworthiness. The final consideration is the thing creators have the most control over. The search engines and rankers take into account factors like:
● Site security
● Transparency and information about site managers
● Accuracy
● Whether content matches headlines
The best way to improve trustworthiness is to write focused articles, share a short bio of any contributor, fill in information about site founders and all contact information. List any associations with reputable organisations. It's crucial to have a strong site structure and avoid issues with hackers or downtime.
Meshing E-E-A-T Into a Cohesive Strategy
Google uses automated processes and a unique algorithm that changes constantly. However, ranking well means you must meet all the elements equally and continue to improve your content daily. Implementing an E-E-A-T approach for content SEO is a great start to getting ahead of the competition and attracting more organic traffic to your site.
Eleanor is the founder and managing editor of Designerly Magazine. She’s also a web design consultant with a focus on customer experience. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dogs, Bear and Lucy