We all want Google to love our content. It’s what the internet is all about if we’re being honest. What counts as internet-worthy must have substance, wouldn’t you agree? There’s no secret as to what Google considers top-ranking content material. This blog delves into how that looks and how we can make the most of it.
Google’s EEAT
Google has its own predictive indications of how to rate what content it thinks is going to be a winner. The search quality guidelines for organic content on Google are in the form of this nifty acronym: EEAT – Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
Are you a thought leader in a specific field or creative space? There’s simply no better launch pad than this template in terms of creating valuable content.
Experience
Of all of the ingredients on how to make great content, this one we believe is the most important. A thought leader who hasn’t done the leg work themselves should not be considered a thought leader. Regurgitating someone else’s experience is not the same as a trial-and-error effort made under your own steam.
Experience can show up in different ways, giving viewers and readers a starting point and an end result, demonstrating how one may have grown a list, how one increased conversions, or how one can make money. It’s basically a tried and tested business model. A true thought leader has indisputable experience.
Drawing on past experience can allow you to issue quality content that’s valuable to your audience. There’s no way it can be compared to someone without that solid experience. Experience is the foundation block of the EEAT pyramid.
Expertise
Experience leads to expertise. Expertise can only be established on the back of all those experiences in the past, and likely on many failures, too. And let’s not forget to add the word proficiency to the mix. Something had to spark those experiences in turning you into an expert and no doubt, proficiency was the best matchstick for your fuel.
Have you ever noticed how sometimes the quietest person in the room is often the smartest? An expert hiding in the shadows may be incredibly knowledgeable but prefers to stay out of the spotlight. However, if they are willing to overcome that personal barrier and be the center of attention, the world will likely open its arms wide, ready to embrace whatever bold idea you’re selling!
Authoritativeness
From expertise, we move on to authoritativeness, which comes down to what other people think about you. Testimonials and case studies that you are able to showcase are a stepping stone toward having other people validate your credentials—without you having to constantly do it yourself. That reputation speeds up your content value and from there avalanches into something much bigger: authoritativeness.
If that is not forthcoming, there are other ways to get around it, other credentials to give you a head start. Get certified by Google, DigitalMarketer, Smart Marketer, and YouTube. It doesn’t really matter, as long as you prove to people that what you know is significant, and you’re on your way to building authority. It obviously depends on how many other people in your field are using those same certifications, which could be a lot, but it’s an excellent place to start.
When someone cites your name, or you cite someone else’s name, it gives you an immediate air of authority, of being someone worthy of attention, of having something of value. Authority breeds authority. It’s an investment, too, which needs to be protected.
Trustworthiness
Protect your reputation and protect your brand. Put your best foot forward and give people no doubt that you are a deserving recipient of their trust. It’s quite a feat to build up trust, and all too often, it is so easy to tear it down. One bad review can send your reputation spiraling downward. Mistakes will be made and people will be upset with what you do, but do everything within your power to remedy those mistakes. Go through your process and limit damage to the best of your ability. Show up for people. Show up for yourself.
Solutions 8’s Secret Ingredient
We’ve added our own letter to this acronym and it is “C” for CONSISTENCY. Consistency is that special ingredient that no one can deny. You can have all the experience in the world, you can be the expert of all experts, you can have authoritativeness and trustworthiness and beat out the competition, but if you are not publishing regularly, you disappear from the radar.
Create something every day. The algorithm likes that. People can rely on someone who is posting consistently whether it’s every day or once a week. BE CONSISTENT with the content you’re producing. If you can build on your successes, there’s a strong chance that you will crack the code on valuable content.
If something doesn’t seem to be working at first, you might be surprised to find that something clicks into place after posting regularly for three months. It can help you from an algorithmic point of view and it can help you as a content poster. Understand what your audience wants to hear from you as a content creator.
This could well be the secret formula to make Google love your content!
And another secret formula? Pick the best Google Ads Agency for your business!
Author
Jani is a copywriter at Solutions 8 with a passion for short stories, dancing under the stars, and 80s pop music. Her soul’s purpose is to turn herself into a masterpiece. Her future is filled with green fields, flowers, sunshine, and poetry.