![Making experience and expertise your content advantage Making experience and expertise your content advantage](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-01-at-16.21.30-800x446.png)
Google probably won’t ever tell us how its algorithms work – but that doesn’t mean it won’t drop a few hints.
Google’s Search Quality Rater guidelines mention E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness) 126 times – which is a pretty big indicator that this is important, according to Melissa Fach, lead SEO content manager at Kelley Blue Book & Autotrader.
Leveraged correctly, ensuring your content delivers E-E-A-T to a high standard can supercharge your SEO, she explained.
Here’s how you can use experience and expertise to your content advantage, as presented by Fach at SMX Advanced.
Experience is a priority
Google updated its E-A-T guidelines in December 2022 to add an extra ‘e’, which stands for experience – and it’s a factor all SEOs should prioritize when it comes to their content strategy. Fach explained:
- “The experience aspect is really great because anyone can learn to write about any topic – but only someone with experience can provide the insights people need to make a decision that could impact their life, whether it be health or financial or even just what they’re going to eat for dinner.
- “So does your content demonstrate it was produced with some degree of experience, such as actual use of a product? Or has the writer actually visited a place they’re discussing?”
- “There are some situations where really what you value most is content produced by someone who has first-hand life experience.”
Demonstrate your expertise
The level of expertise leveraged in your content can help Google to understand the quality, making it an important consideration, Fach said:
- “In August 2022, Google launched its first helpful content update and asked, does your content clearly demonstrate firsthand expertise in a depth of knowledge?
- “Please go read the guidelines on that. Be helpful as quickly as you can by adding value. Remember consensus because accuracy is a critical effort. The level of effort will help Google determine if your content was written by a human or by AI.
- “I also suggest you have a very detailed strategy for winning With every piece of content that you produce, prove that you are a true expert. Experts have experience and thus are authoritative on the topic. You’re going to have to prove that in your content in new ways.”
Think about authoritativeness
Authoritativeness is vital in E-E-A-T because it establishes credibility and trust, ensuring that content is reliable and valuable to users. This, in turn, contributes to improved search rankings and user satisfaction, according to Fach:
- “It’s important to think about how you will always be the most authoritative voice in your field. Think about what will keep you above everybody else in the space.”
Trust is crucial
The word ‘trust‘ is mentioned 213 times in the latest update of Google’s guidelines, which means SEOs should pay close attention to it: