Months after their helpful content update, Google is making a huge addition to their search guidelines. The major search engine uses a principle known as E-A-T, which stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. It is one of the primary barometers that Google uses to evaluate and rank SEO content and search results. But the company is making an important change to its ranking procedure.

Last month, Google announced that they’re adding an extra letter to E-A-T: another E for “experience.” A website’s content will now be measured on whether it’s coming from a source that has experience and is familiar with a particular subject. E-E-A-T, also called “Double-E-A-T,” is giving more value to first-hand accounts and experts who have the appropriate background in their fields. When you think about it, the concept makes sense.

Let’s say you wanted to learn more about Hawaiian culture. You probably wouldn’t get the best information from someone who’s never been there and has only seen pictures and movies about it. No. You’d rather listen to a Hawaiian resident or cultural expert who has authentic and accurate knowledge about Hawaii. That’s what Google is doing. When you’re searching for something, they’ll provide you links and results to websites with specialized knowledge and experience in a specific field.

So how does the new E-E-A-T affect content creators, bloggers, and copywriters?

What the New E-E-A-T Means for Content and SEO

Experience and credentials will matter so much more on Google moving forward. Websites and content creators cannot just write about complex topics such as investing, politics, and news without having a credible background. For example, say that an astronomy blog suddenly wrote an article about real estate investing. It wouldn’t receive a favorable SEO rating in terms of the experience guideline. Plus, as a reader, how likely are you to believe what they’re saying is accurate? You’d much rather learn about real estate from a realtor with wider knowledge and expertise.

Creators and websites now need to prove that they know what they’re talking about and have the experience to back it up. They can do so through various ways, such as:

• Publishing educational blog content

• Writing thoughtful leadership pieces

• Creating e-books and white papers

• Utilizing social media

• Receiving reviews and testimonials

• Displaying badges and awards

• Having a user-friendly website

This and many other SEO strategies are sure to help your website rank amongst the top and reach your target audience – and People First Content can help.

How E-E-A-T Elevates SEO in Specialized Industries

At the end of the day, it should be seen as good news, because there’s a lot of blurred lines and false information online. Those with authority and expertise (and it’s actually backed) should get recognition. Just think about it, in fields like law, medicine, and finance, where trust and expertise are essential, Google’s E-A-T guidelines play a big role in boosting SEO (and thankfully pushing away the fakes).

So, showing off your authority through certifications, case studies, and proven experience is key. For example, if you’re a lawyer whose focus is DUIs, then focusing on DUI lawyer SEO (with the help of an agency, of course) means that you can provide content highlighting legal expertise and real client success. 

Essentially, the info you provide is true and authentic, and that alone builds up a lot of trust (and maybe a bigger success rate for clientele). The same goes for medical or financial industries—producing accurate, credible content helps build trust and improve search rankings in highly competitive fields.

Conclusion

The new E-E-A-T is a testament to how important creating quality content is for search performance. It’s not just about writing on a trending topic with the hopes of getting easy traffic and engagement. But instead, it’s about delivering valuable content that will benefit people. It’s all about putting people first, which is what we’re all about here at PFC.

Want to work with a company that delivers high-quality content? We’d love to chat! Get in touch to get started.

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