You must have heard the buzzword E-A-T in the past few years of SEO and algorithm changes. This term was quite popular among SEO experts, but after the 2018 August Google update, it skyrocketed. In the Google algorithm update, E-A-T was mentioned. Since then, every person who knows SEO has given it a lot of importance.

But recently an extra E was added to this term E-A-T is now known as E-E-A-T. You might be wondering why I’m talking about it now. Is it still relevant in SEO 2023? It’s because Google’s algorithm has incredibly changed over time. Earlier, you could blow up on Google, and ranking was not that hard.

But now, to rank on the first page, you must show that you are a master of your craft and can prove it with E-E-A-T. In this blog post, I’ll share significant elements of E-E-A-T and more about it so you can use its power to improve your website. Let’s discuss it in detail.

Related: AI-Generated Content Guide

What is E-E-A-T In SEO?

It is an acronym; E stands for Experience & Expertise, A stands for Authority, and T stands for Trustworthiness. You already know what E-A-T stands for. Meanwhile, another E which refers to experience was added in late 2022 by Google. Google has confirmed that E-E-A-T is used for every search query.

So every creator should utilize this concept to rank higher in search engines. These are the significant pillars based on which google will determine the quality of your content. This low quality content is pushed to the last pages, and misinformation on the internet is reduced. So it’s pretty clear this is essential for any website ranking.

Is E-E-A-T Important For Your Website?

Whenever a person searches for something on Google, the algorithm will show the answer based on the queries. There are some instances in which it doesn’t matter that much. But how will you know whether it is relevant for that search query? Let’s look at some of the examples to make this concept crystal clear for you.

• If you search for cute rabbit or dog pictures. Then E-E-A-T isn’t of much importance here because the search is subjective. Everyone has a different definition of cute so it won’t be that big deal if you look at the picture and think it’s not adorable. 
• You are looking for an accurate prescription for a medicine, i.e., Panadol, aspirin etc. You specify the search further by mentioning medicine for pregnant women. In this case, it is extremely important. Because if Google shows you a piece of information written by a writer who isn’t an expert and lacks practical experience, then it can be highly dangerous. Instead, it will show the article of a writer who has built authority and positioned himself as an expert in the niche. 
• It is also considered for academic and educational queries of students, such as “how can I improve my credit score in minimum time”?. The person searching for this query is looking for authentic information. Google understands user queries and shows results from legit and trustworthy websites. 

YMYL topics are also popular, and they include pages, blogs or subjects that have the power to influence people’s decisions. They can change and impact a person’s future, happiness and financial stability. These pages are also known as Your Money or Your Life, abbreviated as YMYL. 

Hence any website on Google, either educational, informative, YMYL or entertainment, must focus on building E-E-A-T.

Related: What Is Voice Search Optimization?

Understanding E-E-A-T Acronym

It stands for Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness. But they look almost the same when put together as if they are just synonyms. Many people face this confusion, so learning these concepts is important.

Remember that they are related, but every term has a different meaning, approach and strategy. When all of these are combined, you can achieve your E-E-A-T goals. 

Experience

It’s about a person’s experience in a particular niche, making them an expert in the subject. Google algorithm is extremely advanced in that it can easily detect whether the writer or author has first-hand experience writing about the content. Now Google is advancing and becoming more user-friendly. 

Example 

When a topper gives tips to secure a 4 GPA in exams with minimum effort, the content becomes more trustworthy, showing his practical experience. So the experience sector is much stronger here than someone telling you to clear exams after watching some YouTube videos. 

How Can You Apply It?

If you are a creator, you can implement these tips and get good results.

• Add real-life experiences.
• Provide tips.
• Give factual information from authentic sources. 
• Share examples.

Expertise

Suppose you are running a website within a specific niche. In that case, you might consider yourself someone who knows almost everything about that niche and can be considered an industry expert.

You might believe it, and that might be true. But how are you going to prove it to Google? Because Google doesn’t know whether an expert is running a website or some clueless writer is scribbling some notes. You have to prove your expertise. 

There are specific signals that indicate that you are an expert. When Google catches on to these signals, it will also consider you an expert in the field. But how can you do that? Add your credentials on the page and mention your awards to prove that you are recognized nationally or internationally. You can also partner with other industry experts. 

There are two types of categories of Google information. I’ll explain them in-depth one by one. These two categories are. 

• YMYL
• Non-YMYL

Category #1: YMYL

In YMYL, Google likes content creators who have strong expertise. They show credentials that prove their expertise and experience in the niche. These credentials can be educational, informal or general certifications regarding the topic.

Suppose you are thinking about starting a tech blog in which you share coding techniques and tips. Then Google wants to see if you are qualified enough to preach that knowledge. You can share your schooling certificate. 

Example 

The line of a health blog titled; “Carrots For Growing Kids”

“Everyone should eat vegetables because they are healthy. But among all, it is the healthiest vegetable. It is full of nutrients and the best vegetable for growing kids”. 

Remember that the standard of Google E-E-A-T for health niches is extremely high. Moreover, the claim mentioned in the line isn’t backed by a scientist or researcher proving that carrots are good for kids.

The title shows that it’s a health-related query, so more effort is needed in the content. Especially if you don’t have any experience in this niche, i.e., healthcare. Then Google will not see your site as trustworthy and your E-E-A-T score will lessen. 

Category #2: Non-YMYL

You don’t need specific qualifications for non-YMYL websites, niches and industries. The criteria of expertise are different, and it is all life experiences. Even Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines state that someone creating content has experience in a specific niche. Then we respect that, and it will be regarded as their expertise on their topic.

Thus, even if you don’t have any formal schooling or education on that subject, Google will not penalize your page. The best example of this is fashion and travel bloggers. Their posts, blogs and articles explore their daily life experiences. Google will also view them as travel or fashion expert. 

Example 

A blog named; “Best backpacks for women”

“In my two years of traveling, I’ve always used a backpack of this brand. They are strong and have enough space to put plenty of materials without damaging my products. While going hiking, I always use this backpack.”

By the example, you can tell that the writer has incorporated her personal experience into a blog showing that she isn’t inexperienced. She knows the needs of people looking for a backpack and has enough expertise to guide them. Moreover, you should also optimize your About Us page on the website according to E-E-A-T. 

How Can You Apply It?

Here are a few ways to show your expertise on the website.

• Add formal education in the about us section of your website and the bio of the writer/author. 
• Give references and mentions of your discussions with subject matter experts in the field. It will show that you aren’t spreading misinformation. 

Authoritativeness

It is more than just being an expert in your industry. It’s about being an authority figure that people admire as a leader. It includes the information and insights you share on your website and your discussions with SMEs. But more than that you also discuss how you believe developments can still be made in a particular area. 

Example 

You need to know a bad example to ensure you don’t end up like that. Here is an example of an author’s bio. 

“XYZ name”

“I’m an expert software engineer, and I’ve worked as a social media manager for many tech companies. I aspire to bring a change in the social media presence of companies.”

The biggest mistake is that XYZ refers to herself as an expert software engineer. But in the next sentence, no information supports the former claim. An inadequate effort will make Google and even visitors question your authority. 

How Can You Apply It?

You can improve your authority by following these tips. If you observe closely, you will notice that many bloggers use this strategy. 

• Show your awards and achievements. 
• Share people’s experiences, testimonials and insights about what people think about your website. 

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is all about how people view your site. A quick way to check if they view you as trustworthy is to see if your visitor count is decreasing, increasing or constant. In the digital world, second chances are almost non-existent.

So you must ensure you don’t ruin your build-up expertise and authority. A single piece of misinformation can ruin your brand reputation, and you might never recover from the damage. But how can you develop trust? Simply be honest from the first step. 

Example 

Let’s look at one example of how you can achieve trustworthiness.

“At XYZ company, we believe in sharing authentic information with our readers, but the information might be outdated. There are some affiliate links in the article. Learn how we can help you become financially free here.”

At the start, the company gave a clear disclaimer to the audience and told them about the information and affiliate links. They aren’t portraying themselves as perfect, instead appearing simple due to which visitors become inclined towards seeing the company as nice, honest and humble. 

How Can You Apply It?

If you apply these tips, then you will also appear more trustworthy. 

• Add necessary contact information.
• Keep updating your content. 
• Add citations from reliable sources.

Make Your Website E-E-A-T-Friendly

If you are getting overwhelmed by a lot of information available on the internet and think that making your website E-E-A-T-Friendly is extremely hard. Then I’m going to make this task much easier for you. Here are the five best through which you can achieve it. 

Content Is The King 

I can’t emphasize the importance of high-quality content enough. If you produce high-quality content and ensure a good page experience for your user, then half job is already done here.

When writing content, user experience, expertise and authority. Make your paragraphs short and easy to navigate. Your page should also be easy to navigate and shouldn’t confuse readers with a lot of information. 

Make reading easier for visitors. It will decrease your bounce rate and increase daily visitors to the page. But how can you achieve it? Just ensure that your website is;

• Easy to navigate
• Quick loading speed 
• Mobile-friendly website 

Industry Related Keywords 

You should create content that ranks on Google so that anyone who comes and sees your website gains valuable information. But don’t just write content on any keyword with a low density just for the sake of visitors.

Your keywords should be relevant to your niche. That way, you will only attract your target audience and not attract people who are not interested in your services. Using individual keywords is also a good strategy, but keyword clusters will improve your website.  

Well-Researched Content 

Everyone wants to be viewed as an expert, and what’s the best way to do it? Let me tell you that it’s not copying others’ content. This strategy is good if you are simply thinking about posting content just for the sake of it. But from an E-E-A-T point of view, it’s a terrible idea. Google wants creators to create content that’s unique and well-researched. 

Many people just copy content from one site and then paste it on their site. But Google can detect it easily, and by doing this, you are putting your site at risk of getting penalized. With unoriginal content, chances of ranking high on search engines are almost zero. 

Update Your Website ‍

‍You are creating new content that’s original, valuable and detailed. That’s great. But that doesn’t mean you should forget about your old content. Keep updating it and add relevant information according to the algorithm changes and the latest news.

For example, a law firm discussing the latest Camp Lejeune lawsuits needs to update the information about lawsuits to provide the latest information to the visitors. 

It makes your content evergreen. Over time, outdated content loses its worth and irrelevant information can confuse visitors about your industry knowledge. 

Tell Your Credentials

Don’t let fear or insecurity stop you from putting your name and relevant credentials in the author bio. With this, Google can easily tell that the content is from a trustworthy source, and people can benefit from it. 

The same thing applies to the About Us page of your website. Users visit it to learn more about you and search for your authenticity, authority and awards. Utilize this space properly for your benefit. Generally, you must add these things;

• Awards and certifications from organizations
• Education and qualifications
• Mention any research papers, publications, or ebooks. 

Social Media Promotion

Many website owners understand the importance of promoting third-party apps to improve scores. If you share your content on social media, you can reach a wider audience. Moreover, you can build a positive reputation for your website. With this strategy, you can outperform your competitors and get stronger E-E-A-T signals. 

Safety Of Site With HTTPS

For Google website security is the primary factor for E-E-A-T. So if you think your website ranking is severely hit because of Google E-E-A-T update then you should have an SSL certificate. You should also focus on other factors of a website such as;

• Backlinks 
• Reputation of author
• Mentions from trusted sources

How To Check If A Website E-E-A-T is Weak?

Google has provided a clear example of a good E-E-A-T score. It can vary depending on the niche. 

• Lacks Experience: someone who always eats at a 3-star restaurant gives reviews to a 5-star restaurant. 
• Lacks Expertise: an article is written about how to scale your business to 7-figures by someone who has no idea how to start a business. 
• Lacks Authority: content is not from authoritative sources such as a cooking website providing taxation forms for new jobs. 
• Lacks Trustworthiness: a shopping website that has a lot of negative reviews or no reviews at all. 

How Google Finds E-E-A-T Scores?

With E-E-A-T, you are telling Google about your website quality. To find the score of a website, Google uses Search Quality Raters. A team that is responsible for checking and evaluating every site’s content based on the latest SEO updates.

So we can say they are the judges who will check the E-E-A-T of your site. And based on that evaluation, decide whether your site is worth ranking. They follow extensive guideline systems, some of which are;

• Personal experience of the author in niche 
• The expertise of the writer or main creator in the particular industry
• Authoritativeness of the site owner, content and the website 
• Trustworthiness of the site owner, content and the website 

By now, you can understand that Google not only checks your content for E-E-A-T. There are other factors as well that shouldn’t be ignored.

Can I increase My E-E-A-T score?

It is a big strategic approach to ensuring that you position yourself as an expert and Google views you as one. You can improve your score by following these tips. 

• Creating original content
• Positioning yourself as an authority in the industry
• Collaborating with industry experts for content
• Work on every page of your website, including the About Us page

Let’s Do an E-E-A-T of Your Site

Search engine optimization in itself is a complex and vast topic. It can confuse people, and the time to see results becomes 10x high if you are inexperienced. Above all, one mistake and your brand reputation is tarnished forever.

At echofish, we ensure you impress Google with your content and attract more visitors. We are a team of experts that can make your website E-E-A-T skyrocket. Contact us today.