Historically, Google hasn’t given us very much insight into their algorithm. What they have given us is referenceable information about their ‘E-E-A-T’ principles, which are used to evaluate web content’s overall quality, credibility and combat untrustworthy or irrelevant websites. However, Google claims that these principles are a non-ranking factor. In that case, what are the actual SEO implications of Google’s EEAT protocol, what exactly is E-E-A-T, and finally, what makes it so significant?
What Is EEAT? A Breakdown
Experience
Experience refers to more than just certificates and diplomas. It weighs practical experience above anything else. Pages written by someone with hands-on knowledge resonates with the audience and are more trustworthy from the perspective of Google. In addition, if the subject is highly technical, be sure that the authors have the right background to support their claims
Expertise
Expertise is about producing high quality content which is well researched and shows a deep understanding of the topic. To gain a position of authority, it is important for your content to educate and thoroughly engage your target audience.
Authoritativeness
Authoritativeness assesses the relative authority of your site within its industry. Google prefers websites that have gained a position of a leader for a long time and constantly develops its reputation. For most domains, this kind of positioning takes time, however, with our tested approaches to this, it will be entirely achievable
Trustworthiness
Trust is the secret ingredient to every successful online venture. First of all, your website should not just be secure — it must offer content that is both accurate and trustworthy. Immediate contact information, SSL certification, and transparent policies help your audience trust you but also Google.
How EEAT Impacts Your SEO Strategy
Google prioritizes content from credible sources, which means the more closely a website follows these EEAT principles the greater chances it has of ranking higher in search results.
Those that are working in competitive industries such as healthcare or finance, a well-developed EEAT can mean the difference between thriving and simply surviving. Websites such as Mayo Clinic and Investopedia consistently rank high because these websites follow the EEAT principles.
Scaling Your SEO with EEAT
Want to unlock the power of EEAT? The following actionable steps are what we suggest:
Create Author Bios
Don’t just list names; add qualifications and past experience for each of your content creators. It builds credibility right from the start.
Leverage Testimonials and Reviews
Leverage customer testimonials and reviews as trust signals. Displaying the social proof can increase your website credibility.
Build Content Partnerships
Create guest posts or co-branded content with high-authority websites. This improves not only the reputation of your website but also increases reach, which are two necessary ingredients for success in SEO.
Use Structured Data
Use schema markup to provide context for search engines. This will improve how your content looks when being viewed in a search result and therefore increase click through rate.
Thought Leadership
SEOs often misjudge the power of social signals that leadership and company employees can pass off to Google by publicizing their work. Getting video content, industry reports, and creating buzzy press attention comes back to your SEO in many ways, and it retains a forever essence of EEAT at its core.
Back Linking
While Google repeatedly claims that back linking and domain authority aren’t a primary ranking factor, the data continues to tell us otherwise. That said, you can’t deploy methods also bucketed as ‘black’ or ‘grey hat,’ or at least get caught doing so. In general, if it has any kind of ‘hat,’ we say to avoid it. You can still scale your link-building organically, as a result of the press, thought leadership, and by creating a presence, that all comes back to EEAT at the end of the day.
In one example, the website Healthline moved up in its ranking by applying EEAT principles for natural weight loss. They boasted about the medical credentials of their creators (Experience); they wrote articles that had authoritative research and were constantly updating content to provide the freshest information on a subject possible (Expertise); partnered with reputable institutions, getting backlinks from other credible websites(Authoritativeness), and focused on transparency with clear disclaimers, secure HTTPS protocols, and a visible editorial process (Trustworthiness). All of which led Healthline to improve its own SEO — ensuring it remains a trusted source in the health industry.
Mastering EEAT is imperative for scaling your SEO efforts in the competitive realm of digital marketing. Your brand can build a sustainable online presence that resonates with both users and search engines by prioritizing Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. You can not only enhance your search engine performance but also build a loyal audience that trusts your brand with the help of our insights and strategies.
Ready to scale your SEO with EEAT? Our SEO experts can help you build a strategy that boosts your rankings and establishes your brand as a trusted authority.
Contact us today for a consultation—let our experienced professionals take your brand to the top of the search engine rankings!