A long time ago someone asked me what makes a testimonial hold up in the court of law? It’s usually the character and credibility of the person giving the testimony right? Are they an expert? Are they an authority on the subject? Are they trustworthy?
If you’re around me very long, you’re going to hear me refer to the E-A-T acronym when thinking through search engine optimization strategy.
E-A-T stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
The concept comes directly from Google and their ever-changing search algorithm that evaluates the overall quality of a web page. The concept has been around for a while, but is becoming more and more important in carving out your niche on the internet and establishing your visibility.
At the core of this algorithm is the desire to provide the best possible result to people searching the internet, so the page that can demonstrate more expertise, authority and trustworthiness will often rank higher.
So if SEO is part of your marketing strategy, it’s worth considering developing your E-A-T as part of your overall strategy in establishing long term organic search presence on the internet. E-A-T SEO is especially important to consider if your website has thin content (less than 5 pages) and you sell higher ticket items.
How to add E-A-T to your small business website?
1. Show your contact information
Anonymous businesses don’t establish credibility. You’re a real company with real people. Make sure your name, address and phone number available.
2. Write SEO-friendly content
Creating content that answers people questions about your industry, product or service is a fantastic way to build authority. By demonstrating your knowledge and providing valuable insight, you can engage new search areas as well as foster trust with your ideal client.
*Bonus is that you can use this articles to post on various communications channels (email, social).
3. Show your credentials
Do you have professional certificates, membership logos, awards that you can add to your website. You don’t have to overdo it here…your website is still about the user, but showing that your business is credible will help build authority.
4. Get more reviews
It’s no secret that 97% of consumers check online reviews before buying a product to get additional insight. There is nothing like peer reviews to establish your credibility with potential customers. We highly recommend started with your Google Business Profile (previously Google My Business) when gathering reviews.
The Future of E-A-T in SEO
Google is really good at discerning the search intent of the person and then serving up the most relevant content. They will continue to refine and adjust their service to provide great search results. It’s at the core of their business model.
The businesses that know their audiences extremely well and can delivere great content laced with expertise, authority and trustworthiness will grow in search ranking competitiveness.
Matt McComas is the Co-Founder of Center Street Digital and leads it’s efforts to provide SEO success for their small business clients…including developing E-A-T content.