E-E-A-T
In the ever-evolving landscape of search engine optimization (SEO), staying up-to-date with the latest trends and strategies is crucial for maintaining your website’s visibility and credibility. One recent development that’s making waves in the SEO community is Google’s updated E-A-T framework, which now includes an extra “E” for “Experience.” In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of E-E-A-T and explore how it can elevate your SEO game in 2023 and beyond.
What is E-E-A-T?
E-A-T, which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, has been a cornerstone of Google’s search quality guidelines for some time. However, in December 2022, Google introduced a significant change by adding “Experience” as an additional criterion.
So, what does this extra “E” signify? Essentially, Google now considers the user experience as a vital factor in determining a website’s trustworthiness and, consequently, its ranking. In this blog post, we’ll break down what E-E-A-T entails, how to optimize for it, assess your site’s E-E-A-T score, and ultimately, how to enhance it.
Why E-E-A-T Matters
E-E-A-T is all about ensuring that the content on your website reflects the expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness, and now, a positive user experience. In Google’s eyes, if your website lacks these attributes, it may not rank as well.
Previously, much of Google’s assessment of E-A-T was linked to backlinks. While backlinks remain relevant, it’s clear that Google aims to reduce its reliance on them over time. Instead, the search giant now looks more closely at the actual content on your website to determine if it conveys a sense of expertise.
Optimizing for the “Experience” Element
Now that we know what E-E-A-T is all about, let’s explore how you can optimize your website to meet Google’s new standards. Here are some key strategies:
- Embrace Entity SEO: Entity SEO focuses on topics rather than just keywords. Google wants to see comprehensive content that covers various aspects of a subject. Use tools like Google’s NLP tool demo to identify relevant entities in your content and ensure your articles are topic-centric.
- Schema Markup: Implement schema markup on your website to provide structured data that helps search engines understand your content better. Plugins like Rank Math can assist with this, making it easier to mark up crucial information, such as author details and expertise.
- Author Profiles: Create detailed author profiles for your content creators. Include their qualifications, expertise, and notable publications. This helps Google recognize your writers as authorities in their respective fields.
- Leverage Wikipedia: If your website is mentioned in the news or has significant industry recognition, try to secure a Wikipedia page for it. Google values Wikipedia links highly, and having one can boost your E-E-A-T score.
- Unique Content: Invest in creating unique and valuable content, including photos and videos. Google rewards websites that provide fresh, engaging, and informative content.
Assessing Your E-E-A-T Score
To gauge how well your website aligns with E-E-A-T principles, consider these methods:
- Backlink Analysis: Conduct a backlink analysis to see if authoritative websites mention or link to your content. High-quality backlinks are still essential for demonstrating expertise and trustworthiness.
- Mentions on Authoritative Sites: Check if your website is mentioned on authoritative websites within your niche. These mentions can significantly contribute to your E-E-A-T score.
- Schema Markup Review: Review your website’s schema markup to ensure it accurately reflects the expertise and authority of your content creators.
- Content Audit: Perform a content audit to identify gaps in your E-E-A-T strategy. Look for opportunities to create more comprehensive and informative content.
- User Experience Assessment: Evaluate your website’s user experience. Ensure it’s user-friendly, responsive, and provides a seamless browsing experience.
In the world of SEO, adapting to Google’s ever-evolving algorithms is essential for maintaining and improving your website’s rankings. E-E-A-T, with its emphasis on experience, is just one of the latest updates that you should be aware of.
By focusing on entity SEO, schema markup, author profiles, and building a strong online presence, you can enhance your website’s E-E-A-T score, ultimately leading to better visibility and increased trustworthiness in the eyes of both users and search engines.
Keep in mind that SEO is an ongoing process, and staying ahead of the curve is crucial. So, start optimizing for E-E-A-T today, and you’ll be better positioned to thrive in the competitive online landscape of 2023 and beyond.