How to Boost Google E-E-A-T Signals in 2024? Know It All Now!
Explore how Google’s E-E-A-T in 2024 is different from the earlier E-A-T and how it is impacting SEO. Learn about credibility signals, personal entities, and building trust. Also, check the myths and realities related to Google EEAT.
In 2024, Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is reshaping SEO (search engine optimization), especially when AI is bringing a paradigm shift.
This article will help you understand the latest developments, which emphasise personal experiences and their impact on the credibility of content. Understanding E-E-A-T is crucial for creators and businesses that are aiming to provide valuable and trustworthy information.
Also Read: SEO vs SEM: Which is Better? A Complete Guide 2024
E-E-A-T: What Is It?
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s an evolution of the original E-A-T concept introduced by Google.
Let’s try to understand each of them in an easy-to-understand way:
- Experience: Google recognizes that first-hand experience is crucial for expertise and credibility, especially for topics that impact people’s health, finances, safety, or well-being. If you’re writing about a topic, Google wants you to have direct experience with it to add value.
Suppose there are two people: Anita and Sarita. Both are writing a review on a heritage resort in Darjeeling (West Bengal, India). While Anita stayed there for 3 days, Sarita never visited the hotel.
If both of them write a review on the hotel, Anita will be able to include more personal experiences. However, Sarita will write a general review, which lacks specific personalised information.
In that case, Google will give more importance to Anita’s review than Sarita’s review.
But if Sarita writes a review of the same hotel by sharing personalised experiences (which she may have heard from one of her friends), then Google will give the same importance to both the reviews written by Sarita and Anita.
2. Expertise: Demonstrating your knowledge and authority in a specific field is essential. Google values content that is created by experts who truly understand their subject matter.
Suppose you are an expert in financial writing, which you have been writing for many years. Let us assume that you also have a proven track record. So, every article you write on finance will have a touch of expertise, which other general writers are not able to write. After reading both articles, Google will understand which article has that expert touch. It will attribute search engine rank on the basis of that expertise.
3. Authoritativeness: Building a strong reputation and authority within your niche is extremely important. High-quality content comes from trusted sources.
Your content will be considered authoritative if it has the following attributes:
“Authoritative content refers to blogs, articles, and pages that are considered trustworthy and accurate. Such content provides valuable insights, in-depth analysis, and well-researched information. Often, it is also written by experts in a particular field, or backed up by credible sources.” Source: SEOClarity.
4. Trustworthiness: Users need reliable information. Can your readers or target audience believe what you share? Are they trustworthy? A trustworthy content creator always inspires confidence and provides accurate and helpful insights.
“Trustworthiness is evaluated by looking for any signs of bias, false information, or malicious content.
For example, a website about medical advice should be written by someone with experience in the medical field and should provide accurate, up-to-date information.” Source: MyGreatLearning
Why Does E-E-A-T Matter?
If you prioritise E-E-A-T, it will benefit both users and content creators. But how? Let us explore the top 3 reasons why EEAT matters to you.
- To Get Better Search Results
Google aims to show websites on top of their SERP (Search Engine Results Page) that are reliable and valuable content for any query. By focusing on E-E-A-T, you can create content that helps your target audience get value. Once it happens and you provide higher-quality search results, Google will give your content or website a higher rank in its search engine.
2. Investment in Expertise
Brands and content creators who invest in genuine expertise and authority help to stand out. Whether it’s YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics or everyday content, trust matters. Once you give authentic, expert, original content to your customers and readers, and stand out from the rest, Google also gives you a higher ranking.
3. Beyond YMYL Pages
E-E-A-T extends beyond sensitive topics. Users appreciate content from those with first-hand knowledge. Imagine reading an iPhone review by someone who used the product or a restaurant guide from someone who visited those places.
So, the next time you write a blog or an article, keep E-E-A-T in mind to provide your users:
- Better-researched, high-quality content
- Better user experience
- A solution to their queries
Also Read: An SEO Guide to Google E-E-A-T
How To Use E-E-A-T for Better SEO and Higher Google Ranking?
Remember, E-E-A-T isn’t a direct ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. However, it’s a guideline used by human quality raters to evaluate overall content quality. Here’s how you can optimize for E-E-A-T:
1. Be Genuine: Share your real-world experience. If you’re writing about cars, bikes, or any other topic, draw from your personal encounters.
2. Building Authority: Consistently creating high-quality content and including personal experiences while writing content will give you mileage in getting a higher search engine rank. Showcase your expertise through well-researched articles, guides, and reviews.
3. Earn Trust: Be transparent and reliable. Users appreciate honesty. If you recommend something, back it up with facts and personal insights.
Remember, E-E-A-T isn’t just about algorithms. User experience matters the most. Is your target audience getting what he/she is asking for?
If you keep doing it consistently, you will build trust with your audience. So, keep creating high-quality and valuable content by keeping EEAT in mind. Google will definitely take note of this and give your website a higher rank on its organic search engine results page (SERPs).
Google EEAT: Myths & Realities
Myth #1 — EEAT Is a Ranking Factor
Reality: You may have heard that E-E-A-T directly impacts your website’s ranking. But let’s get the facts straight.
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) isn’t a traditional ranking factor. Instead, you may consider it as a mindset for creating content that helps you provide your users and target audience with a better user experience.
Google introduced the concept of E-A-T in its Quality Rater Guidelines back in 2014. However, they have added an additional “E” recently to give importance to experience in a domain.
These guidelines help independent Google evaluators (known as “Quality Raters”) assess content quality. While E-E-A-T doesn’t affect a website’s rankings directly, it sets a high bar for content quality worldwide, which resonates better with your audience.
Therefore, focus on providing helpful, people-centric content that meets users’ expectations. When you do that consistently, your target audience’s trust on your content and brand increases naturally.
Also Read: Google Ranking Factors for 2024 (The 10 Most Important)
Myth #2 — EEAT Is a Checklist
No, it is not a one-size-fits-all checklist.
It is nuanced and varies across businesses and niches. Different types of content have different user expectations. In December 2022, Google emphasized this by adding an extra “E” to create E-E-A-T, where the additional “E” stands for Experience.
Why the emphasis on experience? Users crave insights from those who’ve lived it. Formal expertise matters, but so does practical familiarity. Take Kevin Espiritu, founder of epicgardening.com. Despite lacking formal horticulture qualifications, he built an audience by sharing real-world gardening experiences.
Remember, trust (the “T” in E-E-A-T) is foundational. It’s not just about demonstrating E-E-A-T on your site. It is also about off-page signals. What others say about you matters as much as what you say about yourself.
Therefore, share your expertise, build trust, and let E-E-A-T show you the growth path.
Read Also: Complete SEO Checklist for 2024
Final Words on Google EEAT Signals
With the advent of AI and the fast-changing landscape of the digital world, Google has started to refine its Knowledge Vault and prioritise personal entities. As a content creator, you must align with E-E-A-T principles. It demonstrates expertise, builds authority, and earns trust.
By focusing on genuine experiences and reliable insights, you can enhance your online presence and contribute to a more trustworthy digital landscape. Get your webpage, landing page, or website rank number at №. #1 rank of Google’s organic SERP by adhering to the guidelines mentioned by EEAT.
