What do Google’s quality standards mean, and how can you improve your EEAT score?
Google has been talking about EEAT since 2018 and has published specific guidelines for content creation. Content is an important component of every algorithm change. This is also the case with the Medic Update, which is mistakenly called that, even though it doesn’t only affect medical websites (August 2018).
With the latest update to the Search Quality Rating Guidelines, a strong focus was placed on the “EEAT” principles of experience, expertise, authority, and trust. (EEAT has nothing to do with food but stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.) Google uses these principles to assess the quality of a page.
In some cases, major brands have also lost visibility in some niches in the core updates.
YMYL refers to so-called YMYL sites. YMYL stands for Your Money or Your Life. This content is the type of information that, if presented inaccurately, untruthfully, or misleadingly, could directly impact the happiness, health, safety, or financial stability of the reader (Update July 2018).
Algorithm updates and social media are affected by these two pieces of information.
With the publication and revision of the Quality Rater Guidelines, the exact information used for the ranking factor should be published. Webmasters are encouraged to publish high-quality content on their websites. This will also apply to future algorithm updates.
The search quality assessment guidelines were originally published in 2015.
These guidelines serve as a technical reference for Google’s human search evaluators (which Google calls Search Quality Evaluators). These individuals assess how well Google’s algorithm actually does its job. Therefore, the guide is an indispensable tool for webmasters and content developers, helping them create high-quality websites.
The answers lie in EAT, YMYL, and the beneficial purpose, the interaction of which leads to good content that the search engine spits out.
What is EEAT?
EEAT isn’t an algorithm. Rather, according to Gary Illyes at Pubcon 2019, it’s a collection of millions of small algorithms that work together to produce the ranking score, while considering EEAT as a measure of the quality of the page. The whole thing is similar to PageRank.
Is there an EEAT score or a Y-MY-L score?
There isn’t really such a score that is linked to an algorithm, says Gary Illyes, but neither do the quality raters have a direct influence on rankings when they analyze EEAT.
Is EEAT a ranking factor?
E-EAT is not a ranking factor but, like Rankbrain, more of a filter. Google’s over 200 ranking factors, such as page speed, HTTPS, keyword usage in title tags, and so on, that have a direct impact on rankings. E-EAT as a filter does not. It’s more accurately described as a soft factor, as its effect is more indirect.
Does EEAT replace a technical SEO audit?
By no means does it replace a technical audit. The hard ranking factors remain. Rather, EEAT belongs to the area of usability. The better and higher-quality a text is, the better it will be received by users. Therefore, webmasters and content marketing managers should definitely focus on producing high-quality content when developing it.
Are YMYL websites affected by core updates, and is EEAT responsible for the poor performance of such sites after Google updates?
Recent updates have frequently affected YMYL pages, especially those in the health or medical categories. Recipe pages and other pages also need to focus more on content quality. In addition to the content, the site’s architecture (page structure), the large number of advertisements placed on the page (a very high number), and—above all—the extremely poor page speed are also contributing factors to the performance loss.
Can EEAT be easily integrated into websites?
Google says a resounding no here. EEAT is something you have to earn. A website must produce many web pages of the appropriate quality to be classified as high-quality overall. This, of course, also argues for weeding out unimportant topics. But it also argues for optimizing and republishing old blog posts.
What is behind EEAT?
This means Experience – Expertise – Authoritativeness – Trustworthiness
Expertise
You have to understand how to convey your knowledge to others in a way that appeals to people. Google—especially in the person of Johannes Müller—always responds to the question of how to improve rankings by saying you should create great content that the audience loves. But this simple answer encompasses exactly what constitutes expertise.
How do you create such content?
- Keyword research on a topic
- Analyze competitors
- Write better texts than your competitors
Find the balance between comprehensive and simple. Format the text so it’s digestible and add visual aids to create great content. This includes rich media content like video and audio.
Authoritativeness/Authority
Expert status is only great when other experts or influencers cite you as a source of information, and your name is already considered a brand that is used for the relevant topics.
Here are some characteristics that can be used to judge authority :
- Links from relevant and authoritative websites (20 link-building ideas)
- Domain trust factor
- Brand credibility
- Wikipedia Links
This should build a website through link building. This also helps with the trust factor, which brings us to the last point.
Trustworthiness
Expertise and the necessary authority are factors that can influence rankings. But only if they are trustworthy. Or, to put it more precisely: Without trust in the information provided, there will be no top ranking.
Trustworthiness can be increased, for example, through positive reviews in important places such as Google My Business, Facebook, Trustpilot, Tripadvisor, and so on.
To improve the trustworthiness of the site, you should:
- Make clear statements and present a clear strategy to your visitors
- Simplify contact with your visitors
- Assign your website to an office or a real location
- Present terms and conditions and other important business rules in the footer
- offer a secure website via https (SSL encryption)
- Data protection declaration – an important topic not only in Europe, thanks to the GDPR
- As a shop, you should, of course, also define clear rules regarding refunds and return policies. This is also regulated by European law in Europe, but it still helps to present such topics simply and, above all, to simply live by them.
- Present and display your products and services properly, e.g., with safety instructions or assembly instructions, etc.
- To depict knowledge in an author’s biography
- Linking with authorities and associations
- Use of seals and awards that create trust.
Conclusion: Competence, authority, and trustworthiness are the most important factors for lasting top rankings
The Google Quality Rater Guidelines are something everyone who develops website content should read. If you’re wondering why you’re not (or no longer) in Google’s top ten, you should always consider two things:
1. Is the quality of my content right?
2. Is the quality of my backlinks good?
Both topics can be reviewed and improved. Leverage your expertise and present customers with the best information you can offer. This builds trust and helps you achieve a key position in Google and other search engines. This allows you to improve your ranking and clean up your backlink profile —a foundation for top results.
The importance of user reviews and feedback for EEAT
An important aspect of improving EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is the active management of user reviews and feedback. Positive reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Trustpilot, or Yelp increase credibility and trust in the website. It is advisable to actively encourage customers to leave reviews and respond professionally to feedback, whether positive or negative.
Furthermore, incorporating testimonials and case studies on your website can reinforce your perception as a trustworthy and authoritative source. These measures help increase the site’s authority and ultimately improve your ranking in search results.