How to E-EAT Your Way to the Top of Google
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As a digital marketing agency partnering with many clients, we play close attention to Google’s occasional nuggets of information. Google’s advice is crucial for keeping up-to-date and helping clients stay competitive in the digital marketplace.
Understanding Google’s algorithm is like trying to grasp the offside rule (in football!!) without ever seeing a game but mastering E-EAT principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is like having a roadmap to success.
Originally introduced in 2014 and later (2023) updated to include an extra ‘E’ for Experience, these guidelines are Google’s way of ensuring that the content ranking at the top is not just good—it’s very very good. This especially applies on sensitive “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) topics.
Note: YMYL is a term Google uses for web pages or content that could impact future happiness, health, money, or safety. Google holds these pages to higher standards because they have a significant impact on users’ lives.
Experience
Proof You’ve Walked the Walk
Experience is about demonstrating that you’ve been on the front lines, not merely watching from the periphery. It’s about validating your direct understanding of your products or services, supported by authentic narratives, images, or footage.
Tactic to show experience
Use customer stories to improve your brand’s story. In the online world, storytelling is very powerful, especially when it uses the real experiences of your customers. Think of your brand as a story.
Every customer interaction creates a special story filled with achievements, challenges overcome, and unforgettable experiences.
Encouraging customers to share their experiences makes them active contributors to your brand’s story. This adds authenticity and depth to your narrative. It goes beyond just being observers.
Step 1: Establish a Sharing Platform
Make a special place on your website or social media for customers to tell their stories. This could be a simple form for written stories. It could also be a hashtag for social media posts. Additionally, it could be a place to upload photos and videos. Simplify the sharing process to encourage active participation and make it an engaging experience for all contributors.
Step 2: Incentivise Participation
Encourage customers to share their stories by featuring chosen narratives in your marketing, website, or social media. This rewards contributors and shows your audience the real impact of your products or services. Public recognition validates the contributor’s effort and underscores your brand’s commitment to valuing customer experiences.
Step 3: Guide Content Creation
Offer guidance and prompts to assist customers in crafting compelling visual content. You can ask them to share a video or photos that demonstrate how they use your product or service. Additionally, they can provide a short story about their experience. Such guidance ensures that the content shared is not only engaging but also aligns with your brand’s messaging and values.
Step 4: Curate and Showcase Stories
Actively curate the stories shared by your customers, selecting those that best represent your brand’s values and impact. Display these stories prominently across your digital platforms, creating a curated gallery of genuine experiences. This collection combines personal stories to show how your brand impacts people’s lives in a meaningful way.
Step 5: Foster a Community of Storytellers
Encourage ongoing engagement by responding to and interacting with the stories shared. This interaction builds a strong community of supporters and storytellers, strengthening the bond between your brand and its audience. Acknowledging each story individually highlights your brand’s dedication to its customers and enhances the sense of community.
Conclusion
Every review, photo, or video shared shows how good your brand is and how it affects people. This creates a story that attracts new customers, keeps existing ones loyal, and improves your brand’s reputation. By valuing each customer’s contribution, you create a meaningful story that connects with your audience.
Experience Case Study: Granite 5
Using Case Studies to deliver E-EAT
Granite 5 uses case studies to highlight the impactful website & digital marketing work we’ve done for our clients. These stories not only showcase our successes but also demonstrate how we continuously improve and refine our strategies. By sharing detailed examples of our work, we aim to show potential clients our expertise, experience, and authority in the field, building trust and encouraging them to get in touch.
Showcasing Our Skills and Continuous Improvement
Our case studies primarily focus on our strengths in website design, development, and optimisation. They also highlight our commitment to a continuous improvement program. Here, we use data to make ongoing enhancements in a website’s design, usability, functionality, and performance. This approach emphasizes our dedication to delivering top-notch results from the start and ensuring they keep getting better.
Wide-Ranging Experience
The variety in our case studies shows the breadth of our experience across different sectors. We tackle digital challenges with innovative solutions tailored to each client’s needs. These stories give potential clients a clear picture of our ability to understand and navigate the complexities of digital marketing, offering confident and competent solutions.
Establishing Our Authority with Real Results
Our case studies prove our authority in the digital marketing world. They detail the significant results and achievements we’ve secured for our clients, confirming our status as industry leaders. This evidence-based showcase of our work builds our credibility and makes Granite 5 a trusted partner in digital marketing solutions.
Building Trust Through Transparency
We present our case studies with thoroughness and transparency, crucial for building trust. Potential clients can see the real impact of our work, gaining insight into our processes and the tangible benefits of partnering with us. This openness makes choosing to work with us an informed decision.
Inviting Engagement
Our case studies are more than just impressive stories; they’re an invitation. By showing the successful paths we’ve taken and our commitment to ongoing project enhancement, we encourage businesses to see the potential in partnering with us. This engagement invites potential clients to start a conversation, explore our services, and find out how Granite 5 can help achieve their digital marketing goals.
Conclusion
Our case studies offer a glimpse into our successful projects and our approach to digital marketing, from initial designs to continuous improvements. They not only showcase our skills and dedication but also build trust with potential clients. By demonstrating our commitment to excellence and data-driven results, we invite businesses to connect with us and discover how we can drive their digital marketing success together.
Expertise
Not Just Talking the Talk
Expertise is showing you know your topic/field well and can address customer concerns perfectly. It’s about using your knowledge to solve problems, not just to show off fancy phrases and acronyms.
Tactics to deliver expertise
Launching a blog can turn your website into a busy place with lots of information, guidance, and community. It’s not just about adding content for SEO. It’s about creating a space where your expertise stands out, providing knowledge to those looking for solutions.
Think of your blog as a library. Each post is a book filled with helpful advice and stories that connect with your readers.
Step 1: Define Your Content Pillars
Start by finding the main topics that show your knowledge and meet your audience’s main needs and interests. These pillars should include all your knowledge and experience, making your blog a complete resource. For instance, if you’re in the wellness industry, your pillars might include nutrition, exercise, mental health, and holistic therapies.
Step 2: Craft Engaging and Informative Content
Make various posts for each content category, like guides, articles, knowledge, stories, and case studies. Diversity engages your audience and shows your knowledge and practical advice.
- In-depth guides provide detailed information on specific topics, helping readers understand subjects they are interested in.
- How-to articles provide step-by-step instructions, empowering readers to tackle tasks or solve problems on their own.
- Industry insights inform your audience about trends, research, and developments, making your blog a trusted source for current information.
- Success stories demonstrate how individuals or businesses have conquered obstacles or accomplished objectives with your assistance. These stories inspire and provide relatable examples of what one can achieve.
- Case studies show how your products or services have made a difference, giving proof of their value.
Step 3: Engage With Your Readers
Make your blog interactive by inviting comments, questions, and discussions. Respond to feedback, address queries, and participate in the conversations that unfold. Engaging with your blog’s community builds trust and authority for your brand. You can ask industry experts or happy customers to write guest posts, which will bring new ideas and improve your content.
Step 4: Promote Your Blog
Use social media, email newsletters, and other channels to share your blog posts with a wider audience. Encourage sharing by including social media sharing buttons on each post and crafting catchy, share-worthy headlines. You can change blog content into infographics, videos, or podcasts to reach different parts of your audience in their preferred formats.
Step 5: Measure and Adapt
Use analytics to track the performance of your blog posts. Look at metrics like page views, engagement, time spent on page, social shares, and comments to understand what resonates with your audience. This data will guide your content strategy, helping you refine your approach and focus on topics that generate the most engagement.
Conclusion
By launching a blog that serves as a treasure trove of insights, tips, and relatable stories, you’re not just sharing information; you’re creating a dynamic platform that draws readers into a deeper relationship with your brand. This approach positions you as a trusted authority in your field, builds a loyal community around your brand, and enhances your overall online presence.
Expertise Case Study: ODC Glass
Elevating E-EAT through Expertise
Google’s E-EAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is pivotal in determining a website’s quality and its subsequent ranking in search results. For a premium architectural glass installer like ODC Glass, specialising in sliding doors, winter gardens, and glass garden rooms, harnessing E-EAT via a strategic content strategy is crucial for driving traffic and engagement.
Showcasing Expertise and Experience
ODC Glass has woven E-EAT into its content strategy by developing blogs and articles that exhibit their expertise and experience. This tactic not only addresses potential customer queries about design options and specialist products, such as solutions for houses on the coast or with limited space but also positions ODC Glass as a leader in the architectural glass industry. By focusing on demonstrating their knowledge and prowess in the field, ODC Glass effectively communicates their expertise to both customers and search engines.
Inspiring Through Project Highlights
Furthermore, ODC Glass has leveraged the power of showcasing projects through captivating imagery and videos. This content strategy fulfils a dual purpose: inspiring potential customers and providing concrete evidence of their capabilities and success in delivering top-tier projects. Emphasising project highlights, the installation process, and offering design ideas significantly contributes to the website’s authoritativeness and trustworthiness.
Results and Ongoing Progress
The implementation of this content strategy has yielded visible results. ODC Glass has experienced an uptick in website traffic and a substantial increase in engagement. This success highlights the significance of E-EAT in the digital arena and demonstrates how businesses can utilise content to attract and retain customer interest. Although still in progress, the positive indicators suggest that ODC Glass’s approach to boosting their E-EAT through expert content delivery is an effective strategy for growth and customer acquisition.
Conclusion
In summary, ODC Glass’s content strategy, centred around demonstrating expertise, authority, and trust, exemplifies the effectiveness of E-EAT in enhancing online visibility and engagement. Through targeted content that showcases their specialised knowledge and project successes, ODC Glass sets a standard for how businesses in niche markets can leverage Google’s E-EAT principles to achieve significant results.
Authority
Earning Your Stripes
Authority is what sets you apart in a crowded field. It’s about establishing your site as a beacon of trust, where quality content and credible links are the order of the day.
Tactics to Show Authority
Keeping your website’s content fresh and up-to-date is akin to ensuring your wardrobe reflects the current season’s trends (if that’s your thing!) – it shows you’re in tune with the times and understand the current climate. In the context of your website, this means regularly revisiting, revising, and revitalising your content to ensure it remains relevant, accurate, and engaging. Here’s how to implement this tactic effectively:
Step 1: Audit Your Existing Content
Begin with a comprehensive audit of your existing content. Identify which pieces are evergreen (still relevant regardless of the date) and which are dated. Look for content that can be updated with new information, trends, data, or insights. This audit will help you prioritise which articles to refresh and provide a roadmap for keeping your site current.
Step 2: Update for Accuracy and Relevance
For content that’s no longer accurate or relevant, update it with the latest information. This could involve adding new research findings, reflecting changes in laws or regulations, or incorporating recent trends and technologies. Ensure that any statistics, case studies, or references are current, and remove or revise any information, like old news, that has become outdated.
Step 3: Enhance and Expand
Beyond just updating facts, consider how you can enhance your content to add more value for your readers. This might involve adding new sections, incorporating multimedia elements (such as videos, infographics, or podcasts), or including interactive components (like quizzes or tools). By expanding the scope and richness of your content, you turn each piece into a more valuable resource for your audience.
Step 4: Optimise for SEO
As you refresh your content, don’t forget to optimise it for search engines. Update your keyword research to reflect current search trends and incorporate relevant, high-volume keywords into your content. This can help improve your content’s visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs), making it more likely to be found by users.
Step 5: Promote Your Updated Content
Once you’ve refreshed your content, promote it as you would with new content. Share it on your social media channels, include it in your email newsletters, and consider featuring it prominently on your website’s homepage or relevant landing pages. This not only draws attention to the updated content but also signals to your audience that you’re committed to providing the most current and useful information.
Step 6: Establish a Regular Review Schedule
To ensure your content remains fresh, establish a regular review schedule. Depending on your resources and the volume of content on your site, this could be quarterly, bi-annually, or annually. Mark it on your calendar as a recurring task to prevent your content from becoming stale or outdated.
Conclusion
Refreshing your content regularly is a critical strategy for maintaining a dynamic, informative, and engaging website. This practice not only boosts your SEO performance by signaling to Google that your site is a living, breathing entity but also reinforces your credibility and authority with your audience. By keeping your content as current as today’s headlines, you position your site as a go-to resource, encouraging repeat visits and fostering a loyal following.
Authority Case Study: DC Norris
Boosting Website Authority: A Collaborative Effort
DC Norris and its sister company BCH Ltd, both leading manufacturers and suppliers of commercial cooking solutions globally, are embarking on a transformative journey to enhance their digital presence and E-EAT, particularly focusing on authority. Despite having a comprehensive range of website content, including sales and product pages, articles, and videos, they’ve identified a gap in achieving the desired traffic and recognition from search engines.
Comprehensive Content Audit and Strategy Refinement
Recognising the need for improvement, a joint project with Granite 5 is underway, aimed at elevating the authority of both companies’ websites. This initiative began with a thorough audit of all pages, evaluating organic traffic and keyword rankings to pinpoint areas for enhancement. The collaboration is rooted in a shared goal: to ensure the content across these platforms truly meets and exceeds user expectations.
On-Page Optimisation for Enhanced User Experience
The strategic overhaul includes revising on-page elements such as titles, descriptions, and imagery, along with optimising alt tags and word counts. A key focus is on internal linking and assessing what additional information users might seek on each page. By refining these aspects, the project aims not only to bolster the websites’ authority but also to showcase DC Norris and BCH Ltd’s extensive expertise and experience in the food manufacturing industry.
Aiming for Tangible Outcomes
The anticipated result of these concerted efforts is a significant boost in authority, which should naturally lead to an increase in search engine visibility and user engagement. This comprehensive approach to improving E-EAT, especially authority, underscores the commitment of DC Norris, BCH Ltd, and Granite 5 to delivering content that fulfills user needs while demonstrating unparalleled proficiency in their field.
Trust
The Foundation of Every Good Relationship
Trust is about creating a secure and transparent environment where visitors feel safe. It’s the digital equivalent of ensuring the lights are always on, welcoming anyone who knocks on your door.
Tactics to get more trust
In the digital marketplace, your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing is often the first point of contact between your brand and potential customers. Just as you would meticulously prepare a guest room for a VIP visitor, ensuring every detail is perfect, your GBP listing should be optimised to present your business in the best possible light. Here’s how to make your GPB listing a beacon of trust and a welcoming entry point for your brand:
Step 1: Complete Every Detail of Your Profile
Begin by filling out every section of your GBP profile with accurate and up-to-date information. This includes your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and categories. The more complete your profile, the easier it is for potential customers to find the information they need. Think of it as laying out the welcome mat, turning the lights on, and opening the door to your digital storefront.
Step 2: Add High-Quality Photos and Videos
Visuals play a crucial role in making your GBP listing inviting. Upload high-quality photos and videos of your business, including your products, services, team, and physical location. These images give potential customers a glimpse into your business, helping to build a connection before they even walk through your door. It’s akin to showing off the best features of the guest room, ensuring every visitor can envision themselves enjoying their stay.
Step 3: Encourage and Manage Reviews
Reviews are the lifeblood of your GBP listing’s credibility. Actively encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews by making the process as easy as possible. You might send follow-up emails after a purchase or service, including links to your GBP listing and instructions on how to leave a review.
Once reviews start coming in, be assiduous in managing them. Respond to each review, whether positive or negative, with personalised messages that show you value feedback and are committed to customer satisfaction. This level of engagement demonstrates your business’s commitment to excellence and builds trust with both current and potential customers.
Step 4: Utilise the Q&A Feature
The Q&A feature on your GBP listing allows potential customers to ask questions directly on your profile. Monitor this section closely and provide clear, helpful answers. This not only serves the individual asking the question but also provides valuable information to others who may have similar enquiries.
Step 5: Keep Information Current
Regularly update your GBP listing to reflect any changes in your business, such as new hours, services,promotions or contact information. Keeping your information current ensures that customers always have access to accurate details, reducing confusion and building trust in your brand’s reliability.
Step 6: Use Posts to Engage and Inform
GBP Posts allow you to share updates, offers, events, and news directly on your profile. Use this feature to engage with viewers and keep your listing active. Regular posts can inform potential customers about what’s new with your business, special promotions, or upcoming events, making your GBP listing an ongoing source of valuable information.
Conclusion:
By optimising your Google Business Profile listing to be as inviting and polished as possible, you create a strong foundation of trust with potential customers. Each positive review, detailed response, and engaging post adds to your credibility, making it more likely that visitors will choose your brand over others. Treat your GBP listing as an extension of your customer service and marketing efforts, and it will serve as a powerful tool in building and maintaining trust in your brand.
Trust Case Study: Brake and Service World
Google reviews deliver trust
Brake and Service World, a premier car and van service and MOT centre located in Luton and Letchworth, serves as a compelling example of how a focused local search strategy can significantly impact a business’s digital presence and bottom line. By prioritising customer engagement and leveraging the power of Google reviews, this automotive service provider has not only showcased its commitment to excellence but has also harnessed the principles of E-EAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) to drive remarkable results.
Experience: Engaging the Community
Understanding the importance of experience in the digital domain, Brake and Service World implemented a local search strategy that actively encourages customers to share their service experiences. This initiative has led to the accumulation of over 1,000 Google reviews in just two years, acting as a powerful testament to the quality and reliability of their service offerings. Each review serves as a chapter in the business’s ongoing narrative, vividly illustrating their ability to meet and exceed customer expectations.
Expertise: Demonstrating Industry Leadership
The sheer volume of positive feedback not only highlights Brake and Service World’s dedication to customer satisfaction but also underscores their expertise in the automotive service industry. Prospective customers searching for reliable car and van servicing options are met with an overwhelming consensus: Brake and Service World stands out as a leader in its field. This perception is reinforced by the detailed accounts of satisfied customers, who often commend the technical proficiency and professionalism of the team.
Trust: Building a Foundation for Growth
Trust is the cornerstone of any successful business, especially in industries where safety and reliability are paramount. The strategy to amass a significant number of genuine, positive reviews has effectively established Brake and Service World as a trusted name in automotive care within their local geographies (and further afield). This trust is not only reflected in the loyalty of returning customers but also in the attraction of new clients seeking services backed by a strong reputation.
Impact: Doubling Online Revenues
The impact of integrating the E-EAT principles into their local search strategy has been profound. Online revenues for Brake and Service World have doubled annually over the last three years, a direct result of their enhanced digital presence and the trust they’ve built within the community. This financial success underscores the effectiveness of their approach, marrying traditional customer service excellence with savvy digital marketing strategies.
Conclusion: A Strategy That Drives Forward
Brake and Service World’s journey illustrates the principles of E-EAT are not static metrics but dynamic forces that, when leveraged correctly, can propel a business to new heights. Their continued commitment to encouraging customer reviews is a clear strategy that not only showcases their experience and expertise but also solidifies their trustworthiness in the eyes of both Google and potential customers. As they look to the future, Brake and Service World remain poised to maintain their momentum, proving that in the digital age, a well-navigated E-EAT strategy is key to sustaining growth and success.
Wrapping It Up
Achieving a top position in Google’s SERPs is less about gaming the system and more about playing a fair and strategic game. It’s about making sure every piece of content you publish is aligned with the E-EAT principles, ensuring your audience and Google alike know you’re playing by the rules and excelling. In the end, it’s not just about winning; it’s about earning the respect of your peers and providing value that stands the test of time.
Hear about James, our SEO specialist
James works at the intersection where science meets digital marketing, using over twenty-five years of sales and marketing expertise in his DM role at Granite 5. His background in the scientific method has been instrumental in shaping his approach to digital marketing, allowing James to blend analysis with imaginative strategy seamlessly.
As a CIM-certified professional marketer who considers himself a bit of a search wizard, James’ enthusiasm for deep-diving into SEO data transforms the complex web of search analytics into actionable, forward-thinking strategies for our clients.
