Google EEAT: Optimize your website for better SEO
The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is all about improving your website to achieve higher positions in search results. An important concept that is becoming increasingly relevant here is Google EEAT, or Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. In this article, we dive deeper into exactly what Google EEAT is, why it is critical to your SEO strategy, and how you can apply these guidelines to improve the quality and trustworthiness of your website.
What is Google EEAT?
Google EEAT is an extension of the previously popular EAT principle, which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google introduced the addition of Experience to emphasize the role of actual experience in content.
Why is this important?
Google wants to provide users with the best possible results, and this is especially true for websites that can affect users’ well-being or decisions, such as medical, legal or financial websites (YMYL pages). The EEAT criteria play a key role in this by measuring the quality and reliability of websites.
EEAT is part of the Search Quality Rater Guidelines. that Google uses to assess how well Web sites meet searchers’ expectations. These guidelines are an essential part of Google’s algorithm, which determines how pages are ranked in search results.
How does EEAT work within SEO?
The E-E-A-T principle is not officially a Google ranking factor. It is not about “measurable” data, such as the number of links or keywords on your Web site. Google’s algorithms scan this data to determine how your Web site appears in search results. Expertise, experience, authority and reliability are human concepts that computers do not (yet) fully understand. While difficult to measure, they certainly contribute to improving your website’s SEO. But how does each part of EEAT contribute to improving your SEO?
1. Experience:
Google is increasingly looking at the actual experience of the content creator. Is the writer of an article actually someone who has experience with the topic he or she is writing about? Showing real experience, such as through the use of case studies, customer reviews or real-world examples, helps position your website as valuable and trustworthy.
2. Expertise:
Make sure the content on your website is written by experts in the field. This is especially important in industries such as health, technology, and finance. Displaying subject-matter expertise increases your credibility, making Google consider you an authority in that field.
3. Authoritativeness:
Link building plays an important role here. Websites with strong backlinks from other reputable websites are often seen as authority by Google. This means you need to obtain valuable backlinks from reliable and relevant sources. The stronger your authority, the more trust Google has in your website.
4. Trustworthiness:
Trust is essential to the success of a Web site. Add clear contact information, privacy policies, and security certificates to your Web site. Positive customer reviews and transparent business practices add to the trustworthiness of your site. Websites that include these elements are rated as more trustworthy by both Google and users.
Practical tips for improving EEAT
Now that you have a better understanding of what EEAT is and how it works, let’s look at some practical tips to improve your website’s Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
1. Experience: show user experience
To showcase the experience, use relevant images, videos and case studies that demonstrate the practical application of your products or services. By showing users how they benefit from your product or service, you can build trust.
In addition quality content increasingly important to your SEO strategy, and for good reason. Google is getting smarter at understanding context and relevance, which means it’s looking not only at the keywords you use, but also at how well your content matches your visitors’ search intent.
2. Expertise: Publish content from subject matter experts
It is crucial to publish content written by recognized subject matter professionals. This not only increases your expertise, but it also strengthens your credibility. Work with recognized professionals or have guest posts written by experts to give your website an authoritative look.
3. Authoritativeness: commit to link building.
Link building is one of the most powerful ways to boost your website’s authority. By obtaining backlinks from reliable sources, you can improve your ranking in search results. Focus on getting quality, relevant links that will help your website build more authority.
4. Trustworthiness: Include clear contact information
A trustworthy Web site offers transparency about who is behind the content. Make sure your clear contact information, such as a physical address, e-mail address and phone number, is easily visible. An “About Us” page can help build trust. Show the face behind the company or organization so visitors feel connected. Or add security certificates, such as HTTPS, for example, to ensure the confidentiality of your site.
What is YMYL and why is it important for Google EEAT?
An important part of Google EEAT is the concept of YMYL (“Your Money or Your Life”). YMYL pages are pages that can affect users’ health, finances or safety. For these types of pages, Google has higher EEAT score requirements. This means that for YMYL websites, content must come from experts who provide reliable, well-researched information.
For example, medical information on a Web site should come from qualified health professionals to ensure credibility and reliability. This helps users trust the information they find and gives Google assurance that the information is safe and accurate.
In conclusion, EEAT is a crucial part of today’s SEO strategies and plays a major role in determining how well your website performs in search results. Improving the Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness of your website can help you generate more organic traffic and gain the trust of your visitors.
Want to optimize your website according to Google’s EEAT guidelines? We help you optimize your website for better search engine rankings and more trust from your users. Contact us for professional SEO support and learn more about our SEO training courses and to deepen your knowledge and improve your SEO strategies yourself.