Google’s guiding principle of E-A-T, which stands for expertise, authority, and trustworthiness, is to determine the value and quality of content on the internet. E-A-T isn’t an update or algorithm per se but more a measuring signal to Google for how much they can trust the quality of the content on a given website.
The standards of E-A-T are pretty straightforward: make sure your website’s content is up to snuff. E-A-T is especially important for local businesses and can have a major impact on your local ranking. To help improve your business’s local listing, we will unveil some helpful E-A-T tactics to build into your SEO strategy.
E-A-T and Your Google Business Profile
If you want to have any leg to stand on, your first priority is setting up a Google Business Profile. A Google Business Profile is a way to provide valuable and thorough information to users and search engines about your business. It also plays a big role in the E-A-T evaluations Google makes about various entities in their Knowledge Graph.
The Knowledge Graph is basically Google’s huge filing cabinet. It contains all the information gathered from various sources. The information is then presented to users in the form of an infobox on the right-hand side of your search results.
The Knowledge Graph is a mix of the data pulled from your Google Business Profile as well as any additional information from other sources. This is exactly why having a complete and consistent about your business is so important not only on your GBP but also on your website and other local directories.
In creating your Google Business Profile, we have three words for you: Bling it out. Include as much information as you can about your business and utilize all the available features available – even the optional ones. Here are some helpful tactics:
- Have s steady stream of high-quality positive reviews
- Get customized images up that show your business, staff, products, services in action
- Make sure your store hours and contact information are up-to-date
- Share your COVID-19 protocols and leverage all the different features that Google offers related to COVID
- Leverage all the different categories and subcategories Google offers as well as attributes and product/services feature Google offers
- Utilize Google Posts
Google E-A-T and Your Website: Talk About Yourself
Another local E-A-T strategy that can really improve your search ranking is to talk about yourself. No, really. A website can be evaluated as very authoritative if it provides a lot of information about who you are and what you do. You can accomplish this by including a lot of information about your local business, such as:
- History/About Us Page
- What Users/Customers Can Expect from Your Business
- Contact Information
- Location Details
- Information on All Your Products/Services
- Reviews (anywhere people are talking about the business)
- Articles/Blogs
Other Local Ranking Google E-A-T Factors
Create More Expert-Led Content: Include more written content from a position of authority or expertise. Your published articles should be the go-to resources for readers interested in a given topic. This can come from anyone within your team who is well-versed in your line of business.
It’s also very helpful to list your staff/employees on your website along with bios about their experience. E-A-T is all about understanding your level of expertise, and what better way than by showcasing your local team of experts.
Identify Strong Back Link Opportunities: Research reputable sites and start pitching your content to them. Additionally, include backlinks from other authoritative sources in your own articles. High-quality links are one of the fundamental pieces of E-A-T. Trust is a strong factor with Google, and in building strong backlinks, you’re also building trustworthiness for consumers and search engines.
Write for Humans: One extreme benefit humans have that no chatbot or online tool can compete with is relatable experience. The human brain has insights and knowledge that aren’t always available with online content and SEO tools. Google is all about enhancing the user’s experience and will connect them with sites that embrace that. Focus your writing on the needs of your readers. People are searching for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) content, so provide relatable messaging that speaks to their personal situations.
Final Thoughts
E-A-T is centered around enhancing the user’s experience and is essential for local businesses. If the right tactics are applied, it can not only help your local SEO, but also improve brand awareness, online reputation, and overall conversions. Is your business optimized for local SEO? Contact our team to learn more about how we can help boost your online visibility and connect customers to your business.