Since August 2018, the acronym E. A. T. has been on the lips and fingers of many small business SEO experts after the medic update. Many websites that have been trying to improve visibility on Google have met this acronym at least once.
Google added YMYL (your money or your life) and E. A. T (expertise, authority, trustworthiness) to their medic update, but for this article, we will be discussing the E. A. T.
What is E. A. T?
E. A. T. stands for Expertise, Authority and, Trustworthiness. It is the set of principles used by Quality Raters (Q.R.s) to check if the pages ranking high in google are trustworthy and deserving. The websites that are focused on health, wealth, and happiness have a lot to do with E. A. T.
Expertise refers to content being written by an expert in the field. The authority aspect means that the author must be well known in the industry. If he or she has won an award in the industry, it means he is recognised.
The trustworthiness here is dependent on the track record of the website if the website has been known for creating accurate posts. Any link to fraudulent posts reduces the integrity of a site.
How can a small business thrive with E.A.T?
E. A. T is only a part of SEO, but using it as a guideline for your website can go a long way with improving online visibility. Here are a few ways you can meet up with the E. A. T. standard for your website.
Have a good author profile
A good author profile will present you well to the public. Anyone that reads your profile should know that you are qualified to speak on the topic. You should write out a few points about your experience at the top of your page and write the complete profile after the content.
Create expert content
This will require hard work and proper keyword research. Also, you need to know what the intention of your searcher is before you create any content. Your aim should be to fulfil their quest and even go beyond it. Emphasise the essential places by highlighting the texts.
When creating your post, consider the kind of questions the post will ignite and create content that will answer them. This will keep your audience following you and prove your expertise.
Add the location of your business to your pages
Pages that promote real-life business rank higher because it fulfils the authority requirement. Adding the physical location of your office or market place will make your website more visible. This is an essential small business SEO tip that many business owners ignore.
Present yourself trustworthy
People, as well as Google, will trust you more when your website is secure, and you have a page of terms and conditions for the business. Anyone that reads it will understand the way you run your business and follow suit. Also, if transactions can be carried out on your website, you should have a clear return policy.
Conclusion
If you own a small business, ensure you keep to the E.A.T guidelines in mind to maximise your space in the online world. If you need any further assistance or support with your online visibility reach out to me today.