If you’ve been reading up on Google’s most important ranking factors, you’ve probably come across “E-A-T” more than once.
If those three letters are nothing more than a spoonful of alphabet soup to you, you’re not alone. E-A-T is one of the tools that Google uses to figure out whether the content on your website is relevant to searchers. By understanding E-A-T, you’ll be able to create content that will help you outrank your competition and get way more leads.
In this post, we’re going to define E-A-T, unpack its importance to Google, and how you can implement these strategies yourself.
What is E-A-T?
If you’ve found yourself researching Google’s top-ranking factors, you’ve probably come across “E-A-T” more than once. In fact, it is mentioned a whopping 186 times in Google’s Quality Evaluator Guidelines.
When Google and the world’s many SEO experts mention this strange acronym, they’re referring to these three considerations:
Expertise
Every business owner should set out to demonstrate their expertise. When the content on your website conveys your professional experience and in-depth knowledge of your services, you’re doing just that. It’s all about providing clear, accurate, and relevant information. Give the people what they want and show them you’re an expert at the same time!
Authority
Google—and potential customers—want to know that you are a professional in all respects. If customers are searching for an electrician, they probably want a certified electrician, not an amateur. Google will recognize you as an authority if other websites are linking to your content. These links are called backlinks. If you get backlinks from other high-authority websites, you’ll tell Google that you’re an authority too.
Trust
You can gain or lose a potential customer’s trust in a single instant. Give the customers reasons to trust you. However, the internet is full of people pretending to be experts. To combat this, Google cross-references your contact information with all your citations—business listings, social media profiles, reviews, and references to your business—to confirm that you are the expert you claim to be.
Show Google Your Expertise
Presently, these are three of the most important factors to Google’s crawlers. When Google is scanning trying to determine your website’s ranking, these are three of the most important things they’re looking for. If you demonstrate good E-A-T, you’ll surely see some positive changes.
Knowing what these ranking factors are is one thing, but how are you supposed to demonstrate your expertise, authority, or trustworthiness on a website? It isn’t as complicated as you might think.
Most of the time, Google is looking for what any user is looking for: content that is relevant, accurate, and engaging.
When you have an understanding of what your ideal audience is searching for, right down to the very term they might type into Google (a keyword, as it’s known in the biz), you can craft readable and well-researched content just for them.
Your Authority is Your Advantage
Not sure how to convey a sense of authority? Well, if you are writing engaging content for your website or its partnering blog, you might already be doing that. The better your content, the more likely people are to share it all over the internet. The more people share, tweet, and link to your web content, the better.
When people share your content, you’re not just an expert—you’re an authority.
Building Trust with Google and Clients
Showing your trustworthiness isn’t as tricky as it sounds. Highlight the legitimacy of your business in every way possible: clear contact information, displays of certifications, accurate business address, photos of your storefront, and so on. Oh and don't forget to get lots of reviews and respond to every single one in a timely manner. By showing that you care about customer satisfaction, you show both your clients and Google that you're trustworthy.
When Google knows you’re a professional, they’ll make sure users find your website. When users know you are a professional, they’re more inclined to read your content or even contact you.
Would you like to learn more about Google’s ranking factors? Let us know in the comment section below! If you have any other questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call us at 1.888.667.7186, or email us at website@linknowmedia.com.
I presently have a website with linknow, I have very limited funds and therefore i need to make the best out of the website i have before moving up to the next level, what more can i do as this website is doing nothing for me and my business, understandably not just the fault of the website but unless i have some ideas to move it along i will not be able to stay with the website. I am not sure exactly how i should be playing my part here.