Recently, during a discussion about a new project, a client posed an interesting question about how I measure E-A-T, or "expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness," within the context of SEO.
If you’re not familiar with E-A-T, it originates from Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines. These guidelines are a set of instructions used by Google’s thousands of human reviewers, known as "Search Quality Evaluators," to manually assess the quality of web content.
Understanding Google’s internal processes can be challenging, but from what reliable sources at Google suggest, E-A-T is specifically applied to YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) websites, i.e., those offering medical or financial advice.
Google strives to avoid providing misleading or unreliable advice that could affect financial or physical well-being, hence the emphasis on the integrity of information on these sites.
Although my client’s website wasn’t in a financial or medical field, I didn’t advise them to overlook E-A-T, even though Google doesn’t apply E-A-T universally. Expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness are vital for every business, both online and offline. Being recognized and trusted in any industry is crucial.
I consulted Eric Enge, my co-author on "The Art of SEO," about whether E-A-T is strictly for YMYL or more broadly applied. He noted that Google uses E-A-T particularly for YMYL sites but that the principles are relevant to other sites as well.
Chris Silver Smith suggests in an article that Google uses numerical scores to determine E-A-T. He theorizes that if E-A-T quality is partly numerical, it weighs more heavily for YMYL pages/sites than for entertainment or non-YMYL content. Yet, E-A-T is still relevant to e-commerce pages.
If you agree with insights from these SEO experts, following E-A-T guidelines benefits SEO, irrespective of your niche. Even if E-A-T is confined to certain industries, the techniques for building authority should be part of every SEO strategy.
However, measuring E-A-T is notoriously challenging.
How does Google assess authority?
Different SEO experts have varying theories about the signals Google employs to evaluate authority and assign rankings. We know authoritative backlinks help, while click-through rates (CTR) are less clear, as per Google’s Gary Illyes. Content quality and online reviews also contribute.
Google’s decision-making process is opaque, partly due to machine learning algorithms. These are complex, and even Google engineers can’t always decipher specific decisions.
Chris Silver Smith’s article suggests Google’s authority assessment is "holistic," using a wide range of signals and metrics. Focusing on one signal isn’t enough; backlinks are crucial, but a site needs good coding, reviews, and content too.
The key is in how you represent your brand online, from site coding to PR strategies.
Holistic SEO
Describing Google’s rankings approach as "holistic" might sound vague, but optimizing your site isn’t difficult if you rely on common sense. Gain backlinks, create quality content, and maintain a well-functioning site for a good start.
Beyond basics, establishing a solid reputation online and offline is crucial. Be transparent about who you are. Detailed "about" pages that humanize your company are advisable. Aim for exceptional customer experience and responsiveness to reviews. Provide expert advice freely.
Link building remains key, but quality trumps quantity. A publication in a high-profile outlet like Harvard Business Review holds significant value.
Building authority takes time. Consider questions like: Is there an expert in your company who could do a TEDx talk? What’s the most respected industry publication, and how can you contribute there? What connections might assist?
If unsure, hire a PR agency or study PR yourself.
Trust metrics
Addressing my client’s query on measuring impact: a successful PR/link campaign enhances traffic and rankings.
Quantifiable metrics like Majestic’s "Trust Flow" and LinkResearchTools’ "LRT Trust" can be insightful. They reflect your link profile, suggesting trust levels. Aim for a Trust Flow of 50+ and an LRT Trust score of 5+, focusing on individual pages.
While incremental E-A-T changes are hard to track, monitoring these scores offers a sense of trust trajectory. Tools like Majestic provide historical trust data over 18 months.
Conduct customer surveys and monitor brand sentiment regularly. Address negative sentiment promptly.
In SEO, success requires sustained effort, not just one link or viral content. It demands dedication over time to climb to the top.
