2020 is here and with search algorithms constantly changing, its crucial to be aware of new trends and development. And E-A-T has become one of the most-talked-about Google metrics today with Google emphasising E-A-T more and more. Although it has been part of Google’s guidelines for some time now, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness – better known as E-A-T – will continue to be a trend this 2020.
So what exactly is E-A-T and how can you use it to rank above your competitors?
First of all, to avoid any confusion, Google has made it clear that there is no E-A-T score. Google’s E-A-T only serves as a guide so content creators can better understand what Google looks for in web pages. Back in 2015, Google introduced Google’s Quality Raters’ Guidelines, and E-A-T was a part of it and stated that it is among the top 3 considerations for Page Quality. The guidelines are updated frequently with the most recent update released last year in September.
E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. The three principles are:
Expertise
For Google, high-quality content should come from an expert on the topic. The Quality Raters are briefed to look for an author’s experience on the topic they’re writing about. This is especially important for websites in the medical, finance, legal, and nutrition field. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that the author should have formal education on the subject. It could mean that the author has direct experience or knowledge about the topic. Providing credentials backing up their expertise can help and should be on display.
Authoritativeness
Being an expert is only the beginning. An author can have all the knowledge on the subject and still not be an authority. The author should be a distinguished person on the matter or in their field. It could mean that they have won awards, their content widely shared or when their name or brand has become synonymous with the relevant subject. This shows that that author is not just an expert – they’re the authority.
Trustworthiness
Quality Raters examines how trustworthy the website is by checking the overall site quality like site security, having a straightforward way to contact the website owner, or even as simple as having an accessible privacy policy. This means that the website’s content and company information should be honest, accurate and accessible. Trustworthiness is measured by how helpful the content is to searchers and everything about the site should make users feel safe.
How to Optimise for Google E-A-T
Now that we know what E-A-T is, let’s discuss how to create and prepare your content for E-A-T.
Here are a few guidelines to follow:
- Start with keyword research. Find out what the audience is looking for and understand their intent behind the terms you come upon during keyword research.
- Continuously deliver great content. Quality Raters checks how easy to understand the content is and also checks for typos. The content should serve a purpose and should not spread misinformation.
- For e-commerce sites, customer reviews can boost a website’s authority. Reviews or mentions from other sites like Yelp can contribute to a website’s reputation.
- For websites that don’t sell products, written feedback or a testimonial from your customers can promote the site and boost a site’s trustworthiness score.
- If the content contains specific information from other sources, cite them at the bottom of the article. Include a follow link back to the original article as well.
- The “About Us” page should provide visitors with information about your company or brand. Include the awards won, or you’ve been nominated for so visitors know that they can trust you.
- The published content should be linked to the other pages on the website. Internal link structure is essential as it helps Google understand a website’s internal navigation better.
- Avoid clickbait or using shocking and exaggerated titles. The page’s title and meta tags should match the content.
- Implement HTTPS and ensure the site’s domain is secure. Visitors personal data should be protected against malicious 3rd party entities.
- Be active on social media and claim and optimise business listings. This will help potential customers get more information about your brand or business.
These are just a few suggestions to optimise your website for E-A-T. Improving a website’s E-A-T doesn’t happen overnight; it is an ongoing process and about building strategies. Keep in mind having a high “E-A-T” score does not mean a page 1 ranking. E-A-T is Google’s way of making sure that searchers get content that is relevant, high-quality, accurate and helpful. In short, the E-A-T algorithm is all about increasing website quality.
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