Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) may not be a direct ranking factor for SEO, but its importance as an indirect influence on the ranking strategy is evident from how Google’s John Mueller keeps reminding site owners to consider it when publishing content. Here’s how you can improve your site’s E-E-A-T score:
1. Brand Reputation Management:
Your brand presence is closely tied to your Trustworthiness level. If you cannot maintain a positive brand reputation online by addressing negative reviews or providing excellent customer service, your site may be perceived as an untrustworthy source of information. Actively manage your online reputation by responding to customer reviews and inquiries, demonstrating transparency in your business operations, and providing genuine value to your users.
2. Page Experience:
Page experience encompasses various aspects of SEO, UI/UX, and content creation, as each department’s efforts contribute to the overall user experience. To improve your E-E-A-T score, prioritize user experience by optimizing your website for speed, mobile responsiveness, and overall usability, as measured by Google’s Core Web Vitals. Ensure that each element of your site is aligned, as a highly responsive site with poor content will not serve the E-E-A-T goal.
3. Technical SEO Health:
While E-E-A-T may not directly influence your ranking efforts, fundamental technical SEO does. They work hand-in-hand, as improving your technical SEO can enhance your E-E-A-T score, and vice versa. Technical SEO influences the Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness of your site. When your E-E-A-T score improves, your chances of ranking also increase.
4. Internal Linking:
Internal linking, the practice of applying relevant anchor texts throughout your content to link to other pages within your site, can help build your Expertise and Authoritativeness. It demonstrates your site’s deep understanding of the topics you cover and provides a smooth navigation experience for users.
5. Structured Data:
Structured data, or Schema markup, is a series of coded scripts you apply to your HTML to provide better context to search engines about your page. Structured data can help build your Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness by providing additional information about your pages, such as author name, organization details, contact information, and more.
6. Content Clusters:
Organizing your content into thematic clusters or silos can help boost your Experience and Expertise scores. By covering a topic in depth across multiple related pieces of content, you establish a topical authority within your niche, improving your Authoritativeness.
7. Content Freshness and Creativity:
Regularly updating your content to maintain relevance is crucial for E-E-A-T. Additionally, presenting information in engaging and user-friendly ways, such as using images, videos, or podcasts, can showcase your Experience and Expertise, while also increasing your credibility and Authoritativeness.
8. Collaborations with Experts:
Cultivating relationships with industry influencers and experts through content collaborations, interviews, or joint projects can contribute to your Authoritativeness score. However, be mindful of the quality and credibility of your partners, as Google may also evaluate their Trustworthiness.
Remember, E-E-A-T is not a standalone checklist but an interconnected set of factors that work together to improve your site’s overall performance and user experience. Tailor your approach based on the specific needs and requirements of your content and target audience.