In 2020, the term “fake news” was thrown around like confetti. While Social Media sites were getting slammed, the masterminds behind Google were coming up with a way to ensure that their search engine is synonymous with the words:
- Expertise
- Authority
- Trustworthiness
In 2021, quality content is not just the king, it is the entire royal family.
E.A.T. is not an algorithm. It is a principle and a concept that can be found in Google’s Search Quality Guidelines. There are actual people behind the scenes evaluating the quality of published content. Google has employed thousands of people to comb through every blog and every website to ensure that the E.A.T. principle is maintained.
As of January 2021, Google has 91.86% of the search engine market share worldwide.
Everyone turns to Google for answers, and they take this responsibility seriously. They are putting the onus on website developers and marketers to do the same. If you are looking to increase your traffic and pump up your revenue in 2021 – you need to make sure you incorporate the criteria Google is searching for.
EXPERTISE, PLEASE
When people come to your website, they are looking for solutions and expert advice. However, it is not enough just to be the expert in your field, you must also have expert content. Not only does the content have to be free from errors (grammatical and factual), it also has to answer questions in a way the client can understand.
Successful business owners know when to delegate. Hire experts who know about marketing and content strategy. Marketing professionals will have a team of content writers, site developers, and SEO experts. They will have the analytical tools needed to help you understand the intent behind your target audience’s search terms.
Research will indicate what type of content the user prefers – whether it be videos, case studies, infographics and where they go to get it – Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. A superior content strategy not only focuses on what the user wants, it considers how that potential client wants to receive the information.
AUTHORITY – SHOW ME YOUR CREDENTIALS
Authority is determined by your content and the overall strength of your website’s domain. One way to strengthen your brand’s authority is through link building. When other people in your industry share your content or provide links to your website or blogs, this shows Google you are an authority on that subject.
Being active on social media is a must. Every time your brand or company name is mentioned on social media channels, you are effectively improving your chances of ranking higher on Google. Writing helpful industry blogs that other people share or link to can drastically improve your chances of being considered an authority.
TRUST IS A MUST
Reputation. Transparency. Security.
Your reputation online can make or break your company. Make sure your clients have incentives to write testimonials and reviews – not only on your website, but across social media outlets as well. Set up Google Alerts so that when you or your company is mentioned, you can thank the person who commented.
Does your website have contact information, a T&C page, and a privacy policy that is easy to find? If your business deals in transactions, do you have a transparent refunds and returns policy? Is your website free of click-bait and overwhelming ads? If you answered yes to the questions above, then you are on the right track.
If you haven’t migrated your website to HTTPS and obtained a secure socket layer certificate (SSL), you need to do it now. Security is a major factor in complying with the E.A.T. principles. The tech giant also considers how long your domain has been registered and how long it has been active.
Expertise, Authority & Trust take time. It all starts with quality content. Google is on a mission to improve the end-user’s experience. The term” the customer is always right” has never been truer than it is in 2021.
If you want to show up on Google’s radar, hire the experts.
Contact Fortune Web Marketing to discuss your SEO strategy for 2021.
