On August 1, 2018, Google confirmed that they had released a broad core algorithm update. According to Google spokespeople, this update means that better content leads to higher rankings and that the goal of the update is to make content more relevant. Google pointed users to their Search Quality Rater’s Guidelines for direction on how to ensure website content is considered “high quality” and will rank well with the new algorithm update.
Among the updates to the algorithm and direction provided by the rater’s guidelines was a strong emphasis on E-A-T, which stands for Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. Websites with high E-A-T ratings are considered to be high quality, and a higher E-A-T score improves your website’s chances of ranking well in Google search results.
So, how can you boost your E-A-T ratings, improve your website’s rankings, and drive more traffic to your site? Here are three ways to score a high E-A-T rating:
- Include the content author’s name and information.
According to the rater guidelines, “Understanding who is responsible for a website is a critical part of assessing E-A-T.” Websites that address life topics (such as health and medical care) and money topics (like finances) must be created by trusted experts on the given topic.
Fortunately, if you run a hearing practice, you have an expert right in your office! On pages that discuss hearing services, treatments, or problems, be certain to list the name of your expert (i.e., the audiologist or licensed hearing professional) and their credentials. Adding brief biography information, such as education, experience, and any additional licenses or certifications can also be helpful in proving the author’s expertise.
- Remove or edit content with a low E-A-T rating.
If you believe a page would receive a low E-A-T score based on lack of expertise, authority, or trustworthiness, consider removing it from the website. For example, if you have a page about hearing care that was written by someone with no expertise in the field, you probably want to cut that page. While one page with low E-A-T content won’t directly impact the E-A-T ratings of other pages, it will affect the overall rating of the website.
Content that doesn’t necessarily require an expert author, such as a page about your practice’s history or your staff, will not damage your E-A-T ranking. In fact, these pages are likely to receive a high E-A-T score because your practice is the expert on your practice.
- Check your website’s technical security.
Trustworthiness is scored not only based on the accuracy of information or the reputation of the author or company; it is also determined by assessing your website’s security. Google Chrome now marks all HTTP pages as “Not Secure.” To have your website marked as secure and gain a high Trustworthiness rating, make sure your site has an SSL certificate and automatically redirects to an HTTPS URL.
With high-quality content created by trusted experts, your site is certain to succeed with Google’s new algorithm. For more information about the Google algorithm update and how to get a high E-A-T score, please contact AudiologyPlus today. We’re eager to help you improve your website and grow your practice.
