Delving into the realm of search engine optimization (SEO), you’ve likely encountered the term E-A-T, an acronym that’s been buzzing around various SEO content platforms. Curious about what E-A-T SEO entails and how it can elevate your SEO efforts? This article will unravel the mystery behind E-A-T and its significance in enhancing your online presence.
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What exactly is E-A-T SEO?
E-A-T represents:
Expertise
Authoritativeness
Trustworthiness
These are the three critical factors identified by Google in determining the quality of a webpage. While Google doesn’t have a specific E-A-T score or algorithm, a webpage’s E-A-T can significantly influence its search rankings.
The concept of E-A-T originates from Google’s Quality Raters’ Guidelines (QRG), a set of guidelines provided by Google to its search quality raters. These raters assess the quality of pages in Google’s top search results. Although quality raters don’t directly impact rankings, their feedback helps Google refine its algorithm to deliver better search results for users.
E-A-T SEO is a focal point in the Google Quality Raters’ Guidelines. Google instructs its raters to evaluate a webpage’s E-A-T to determine its quality. The screenshot below from the QRG showcases examples of what Google expects its raters to look for regarding a webpage’s E-A-T.
Understanding the difference between low and high E-A-T can further clarify the concept. Low E-A-T examples include articles written by non-experts or websites lacking authority or trustworthiness. Conversely, high E-A-T examples involve content created by recognized experts, authoritative sources, and websites with strong security measures.
Why should you care about E-A-T and how can it enhance your SEO?
1. E-A-T signifies quality
Lack of E-A-T is a key indicator of low-quality content, as outlined by Google in its QRG. Conversely, a high level of E-A-T is a strong indicator of high-quality content. It’s clear that Google values E-A-T as a crucial element in crafting quality content.
Google aims to deliver high-quality content to its users, making it essential for your website to be perceived as a high-quality source.
2. E-A-T SEO impacts search engine rankings, including on Google
While there’s been debate in the SEO community about whether E-A-T is a direct ranking factor, Google confirmed in 2019 that E-A-T plays a significant role in rankings. Although Google doesn’t measure E-A-T directly with its algorithm, it does seek indicators of E-A-T across various areas, ranking high E-A-T pages higher.
3. Users value E-A-T
Google’s concept of expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness resonates with users’ natural preferences. Would you seek medical advice from an anonymous author or a doctor? Would you trust an e-commerce site without proper security measures with your credit card information? By enhancing your site’s E-A-T, you provide a superior user experience and foster trust in your website and brand.
Another relevant acronym associated with E-A-T is YMYL, which stands for Your Money or Your Life. YMYL topics, such as news, government, legal information, finance, health and safety, shopping, and advice on significant life decisions, are of particular importance in the context of E-A-T. Google has stringent E-A-T standards for YMYL sites, as they can significantly impact users’ happiness, health, financial stability, and safety.
Improving your site’s E-A-T score involves cultivating expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness over time. Although there’s no official Google E-A-T score, it’s crucial to enhance your site’s indicators of expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
Here’s how to improve your (figurative) E-A-T score:
1. Enhancing expertise
Ensure that your authors are genuine experts in their respective fields. Collaborate with experts to create content, or consider hiring guest contributors with proven expertise. Clearly communicate the authors’ expertise through author bios and online profiles.
2. Boosting authoritativeness
Earn links and mentions from reputable sources, such as well-known companies, thought leaders, news sites, industry organizations, and academic institutions. Create quality content that encourages sharing and attracts links from established authorities in your field.
3. Increasing trustworthiness
Enhance trustworthiness by earning positive online reviews, participating in reputable forums, providing accurate information, updating content regularly, and maintaining clear, accessible terms and conditions, privacy policies, and refund/return policies.
By focusing on E-A-T, you can provide quality content, rank better in search results, and grow your business. The team at WebFX is dedicated to helping you improve your website’s E-A-T and SEO. With our expertise in SEO, content marketing, online review management, and more, we can develop a data-driven digital marketing strategy tailored to your goals. Contact us to learn how we can assist you in enhancing your E-A-T, improving search rankings, and expanding your business.
Visit our digital marketing services page to explore how we can help you achieve your objectives, or reach out to us at 888-601-5359 today!
