Google is constantly updating its algorithm to provide the best possible search results for its users. One of the benchmarks that Google uses to evaluate the quality of web content is E-A-T, which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These are the qualities that Google’s algorithms look for in content as part of the ranking process.
But what exactly is E-A-T and how can you create content that meets Google’s standards? In this blog post, we will explain what E-A-T is, why it matters, and how to create content that ranks well on Google’s E-A-T algorithm.
What Is E-A-T?
E-A-T is an acronym that stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These are the three main factors that Google uses to evaluate the quality and credibility of web content. Let’s break down what each of these terms means:
- Expertise: This refers to the level of knowledge and skill that the content creator has on the topic. Google expects content creators to have relevant and sufficient expertise on the subject matter they are writing about. This can be demonstrated by credentials, qualifications, awards, or experience in the field.
- Authoritativeness: This refers to the reputation and recognition that the content creator and the website have in the industry or niche. Google expects content creators and websites to have a positive and trustworthy reputation among their peers and customers. This can be demonstrated by reviews, ratings, testimonials, references, or citations from authoritative sources.
- Trustworthiness: This refers to the accuracy and reliability of the information and claims presented in the content. Google expects content creators and websites to provide accurate, honest, and transparent information that can be verified by independent sources. This can be demonstrated by providing sources, evidence, data, or links to support the information and claims in the content.Why Does E-A-T Matter?E-A-T matters because it is one of the ways that Google determines whether the content is valuable and helpful to users. Content that has high E-A-T is more likely to rank well on Google’s search results pages because it provides users with relevant, reliable, and trustworthy information that meets their needs and expectations.E-A-T also matters because it is related to Google’s core updates, which are major changes to Google’s algorithm that affect how web pages are ranked and displayed on search results pages. Google’s core updates are designed to improve the quality of search results by rewarding high-quality content and demoting low-quality content.One of the core updates that had a significant impact on E-A-T was the August 2018 update, also known as the “Medic” update. This update affected many websites in health, finance, and other “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) categories, which are topics that can have a direct impact on people’s health, happiness, safety, or financial stability. Websites in these categories need to have high E-A-T because users rely on them for important and sensitive information.Another core update that affected E-A-T was the December 2020 update, which introduced a new concept called E-E-A-T. This stands for Experience. Expertise. Authoritativeness. Trustworthiness. The addition of “experience” indicates that content quality can also be evaluated through the lens of understanding the extent to which the content creator has first-hand experience in the topic.
How to Create Content That Ranks Well on Google's E-A-T Algorithm
- Creating content that ranks well on Google's E-A-T algorithm requires following some best practices and guidelines that demonstrate your expertise, authority, and credibility on your topic. Here are some tips on how to create high-quality content that meets Google's E-A-T standards:
Choose topics that match your expertise and experience:
- Before you start writing your content, make sure you have a clear idea of what your topic is and what your audience wants to learn from it. Choose topics that match your level of expertise and experience in your field or field. Avoid topics that are too broad, vague, or complex for you to adequately cover.
Do thorough research on your topic:
- Once you have chosen your topic, do some research on it to gather relevant and reliable information from reliable sources. Use reputable sources such as academic journals, government websites, industry publications, or authoritative experts in your field. Avoid sources that are outdated, biased, inaccurate, or misleading.
Write clear and concise content:
- After doing your research, write your content in a clear and concise way that effectively communicates your main points. Use simple and direct language that is easy for your audience to understand. Avoid jargon, slang, or unnecessary words that may confuse or distract your readers.
Provide evidence and sources for your information and claims:
- As you write your content, make sure you provide evidence and sources for your information and claims. Use facts, data, statistics, examples, or quotes from reputable sources to support your arguments and opinions. Provide links or citations to your sources so that your readers can verify them if they wish.
Showcase your credentials and reputation:
- To establish your expertise and authority on your topic, you need to showcase your credentials and reputation. Include a brief biography or introduction that highlights your qualifications, achievements, awards, or experience in your field or field. Provide links to your social media profiles, portfolio, website, or other online platforms where your readers can learn more about you and your work. If possible, include testimonials, reviews, ratings, or feedback from your customers, clients, or peers that demonstrate your trustworthiness and credibility.
Update and optimize your content regularly:
- To maintain your E-A-T, you need to update and optimize your content regularly. Check your content for any errors, inaccuracies, or outdated information and correct them as soon as possible. Add new information or insights that are relevant and useful to your audience. Optimize your content for SEO by using keywords, headings, images, meta tags, and other elements that can help your content rank better on Google
How does Google measure E-A-T?
Google does not have a specific metric or score for E-A-T. Instead, Google uses various signals and factors to evaluate the quality and credibility of web content. Some of these signals and factors include:
- The content itself: The relevance, accuracy, completeness, clarity, and usefulness of the information and claims presented in the content.
- The content creator: The expertise, authority, and trustworthiness of the person or entity who created the content.
- The website: The design, functionality, security, reputation, and purpose of the website where the content is published.
- User feedback: The ratings, reviews, comments, shares, likes, or other forms of feedback that the content receives from users.
Google also uses human evaluators called Search Quality Raters to assess the quality of web content based on a set of guidelines called the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines. These guidelines provide detailed instructions on how to rate web pages based on E-A-T and other criteria.
Is E-A-T more important for some topics than others?
Yes, E-A-T is more important for some topics than others. Google pays more attention to E-A-T for topics that fall under the category of “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL), which are topics that can have a direct impact on people’s health, happiness, safety, or financial stability. Some examples of YMYL topics are:
- Health and medical information
- Financial advice and services
- Legal advice and services
- News and current events
- Shopping and e-commerce
- Education and learning
For these topics, Google expects content creators and websites to have high levels of expertise, authority, and trustworthiness because users rely on them for important and sensitive information.
How can I improve my E-A-T?
There is no quick or easy way to improve your E-A-T. Improving your E-A-T requires creating high-quality content that demonstrates your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness on your topic. It also requires building a positive and trustworthy reputation among your audience and industry. Some of the ways you can improve your E-A-T are:
- Choose topics that match your expertise and experience
- Research your topic thoroughly
- Write clear and concise content
- Provide evidence and sources for your information and claims
- Showcase your credentials and reputation
- Update and optimize your content regularly
You can also follow the tips and best practices mentioned in this blog post to create content that ranks well on Google’s E-A-T algorithm.
Conclusion
E-A-T is one of the benchmarks that Google uses to evaluate the quality and credibility of web content. Content that has high E-A-T is more likely to rank well on Google’s search results pages because it provides users with relevant, reliable, and trustworthy information that meets their needs and expectations.
To create content that ranks well on Google’s E-A-T algorithm, you need to follow some best practices and guidelines that demonstrate your expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness on your topic. You also need to update and optimize your content regularly to maintain your E-A-T.
We hope this blog post has helped you understand what E-A-T is, why it matters, and how to create content that ranks well on Google's E-A-T algorithm. If you have any questions or comments about E-A-T or content creation in general, leave a comment.
Entrepreneur; Co-Founder, CSO at MentalHealth.com ??
1 年Informative post, GAURAV!