If you work in the world of SEO, you know the importance of E-A-T—expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness—in Google website rankings. But did you know that Google made some revisions to its quality rater guidelines in December 2022?
Not only has Google crowned “trust” as the most important ingredient of E-A-T, but it’s tacked on a second E to the acronym. E-E-A-T (or “Double E-A-T”) codifies a long-standing factor in high-quality information. It also adds more nuance to the face of content on the internet.
What’s the new E in E-E-A-T?
Experience. Google is giving credit to content created by people who have actual experience with the topic at hand—such as those providing reviews, examples, anecdotes, or other feedback about the topic. That means that Google rankings are giving higher consideration to user intent, and not always prioritizing expertise over experience.
So how does it work from the user’s perspective? Say you need a lawyer and search “employment attorney in Chicago.” Online customer reviews of Chicago-based employment attorneys—not just the law firms’ websites—may help you identify the ideal resource for your needs. Depending on your search terms, Google now provides more tailored results—in this case (pun intended), placing reviews about Chicago employment attorneys at the top of the search results above the bio pages of Chicago-based employment law firms.
Google states that this new approach makes the search engine “better able to capture the nuances of how people look for information and the diversity of quality information that exists in the world.”
So, what does this mean for your company’s enormous B2B website? How do you beef up your site’s “experience”?
There are several things you can do to improve your website’s experience rating and boost your search engine rankings. Start with these tips:
- Create content highlighting your customers’ experiences with your company’s products and services. Customer quotes, use cases, video testimonials, and particularly case studies will always be invaluable for your visitors—and for search engines—because they’re relatable, useful, and engaging. B2B marketers love them because they reinforce key marketing messages. So, load up on glowing testimonials that authentically capture what makes your company great.
- Encourage moderated user-generated content. User-generated content—like forums or comments sections—can be a rich source of real-life material when people are searching for community opinions and support instead of expert guidance (or marketing language). And your company’s engaged, actionable, respectful moderation is key to ensuring a high-value experience for those who take the time to participate. You can also create hashtags for user communities from the same industry, business size, geographical region, or role so they can share their experiences with your company’s services on social media. Then, repost those stories on your own accounts (with their permission). Or hold a contest inviting customers to submit examples of how they’ve achieved success using your products—and share the winning submissions online. And don’t forget to encourage comments on your blogs and social media posts.
- Diversify your contributors. You can embrace a broader spectrum of experience by including a variety of backgrounds and identities as sources for the content on your site. Feature subject-matter experts, analysts, and academics from a range of geographies and institutions. And highlight your team’s knowledge and experience through contributor bios or a detailed “About Us” page that includes links to contributors’ articles and content on other sites, too. Inclusivity can make you more approachable, welcome a wider audience, and plump up the E-factor for users’ searches in an organic and uncontrived way.
The Content Bureau can help you amplify experience throughout your site—as well as expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. If you’re ready to “Double E-A-T” your way to the top of search results—reach out!
