If you were already familiar with Google’s E-A-T guidelines, you’re likely feeling a little confused by the extra E. Where did it come from? Is it a typo? Or has Google’s appetite for acronyms grown that little bit bigger?
In this article, we’ll talk you through E-E-A-T and what the extra E stands for! Let’s tuck in…
What does E-E-A-T stand for?
So, what does E-E-A-T stand for? The acronym stands for the individual content quality guidelines that helps business owners and marketers alike ensure that the quality of the content they produce meets Google’s impeccably high standards.
If you wish to rank well in Google and outshine your competitors, you’re going to need to play by the rules and prove that you have plenty of:
Why did Google add another E to their E-A-T guidelines?
Google added an additional E to their content quality guidelines in April 2023. The additional E was added to indicate that Google is now interested in evaluating the quality of a piece of content based on how much direct experience they have with that particular topic.
But why?
This largely comes down to the rise of AI. With the likes of ChatGPT taking the world by storm, the number of people publishing content on a daily basis has increased significantly – not all of it good.
In fact, millions of ‘marketers’ have become overnight experts because they can rely on AI software to pump out thousands and thousands of words for them with very little effort or input on their behalf at all.
The main issue with this clearly comes down to ‘experience’. Why should Google prioritise a business and their website if they have sprung out of nowhere and posted dozens and dozens of blog posts in a matter of weeks?
There’s only one way to differentiate yourself from the overnight experts and that is by establishing your first-hand experience on a given topic. Why should your readers take your advice when you write about the best digital marketing strategies?
For example, this SEO company on the Gold Coast has been in the game for over a decade so it is clear that they have plenty of experience in digital marketing. As such, when they produce content on the subject, their experience will lend to their expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
Which is the most important letter in the E-E-A-T family?
According to Google, trust is the glue that holds the other guidelines together. This is because they need to be able to trust you to be a reputable and reliable source of information before they start rewarding you with more viability in the SERPs and recommending you to their users.
This is why more and more people are adding more information to their websites, indicating who owns the website and who contributes content to the website (e.g., guest bloggers, thought-leaders, and influencers).
How can you prove your experience in your field?
The best way to prove your experience, as briefly mentioned above, is to add as much information to your website as possible.
- Flesh out your ‘About Us’ page and let people know more about your experience (or collective experience) in your industry.
- Create detailed author bios for any people who contribute content to your website.
- Add case studies and real-life success stories to your website.
- Don’t forget to include as much social proof as possible from your satisfied customers, previous and existing.
Conclusion: Strut your stuff!
In an AI age where there are so many overnight experts trying to dominate the rankings and snatch up as much business as possible, it’s becoming all the more important to prove to your audience and the search engines that you don’t just talk the talk, but walk it as well!
