Although the first mention dates back to 2015, it was from 2018 onwards that the SEO world began to talk about it in a widespread way. EATThis concept was cited by Google itself in its "search rater guidelines," the guidelines used by the search engine's "human" team to help evaluate the performance of its various search ranking systems. Now, four years later, Google has decided to update these guidelines in a very interesting document that highlights the incorporation of a new concept: the EEAT. 

Before EEAT… what was EAT in SEO?

As Google itself explains, "Their automated systems are designed to take into account many different factors when ranking quality content. After identifying relevant content, our systems attempt to prioritize the most useful content. To do this, they identify a set of factors that can help determine which content demonstrates..." knowledge (expertise), authority (authoritativeness) and reliability (Trustworthiness). These three concepts gave rise to the acronym EAT.

Although it is not a factor that influences the ranking itself, Google has always acknowledged that its systems "They give more importance to content that is closely related to EAT on topics that could significantly affect the health, financial stability or safety of individuals, or the well-being of society."We refer to these topics with the acronym YMYL, from the English "Your Money or Your Life"; that is, topics related to money or life.

As we explained to you at the time, lYMYL sites are websites that contain:

  • Medical information.
  • Legal information.
  • Financial information.
  • Safety information.
  • Purchase information.
  • Information that influences your current or future life.

When quality raters evaluate YMYL sites, they follow a strict set of standards. Therefore, these sites must satisfy both Google's search algorithms and the page quality raters. This barrier can be overcome by creating the best content. If it is accurate, reliable, and relevant, the page quality will be significantly higher. Among the standards that raters check, The acronym EAT was found.

 

Okay, so… what changes with the EEAT?

In its new edition of December 15, 2022, the search rater guidelines Google incorporates a new concept: EEAT. That is, they add a new member to that family of three concepts to consider when evaluating the quality of content: "experience".

But let's let Google explain it to us:

"EAT earns an E for Experience: Does the content also demonstrate that it was produced with some degree of experience, such as actual use of a product, having visited a place, or communicating what a person experienced? There are some situations where what you really value most is content produced by someone who has life experience. first-hand on the subject in question.

For example, if you're looking for information on how to correctly complete tax returns, you'd probably want to see content produced by an expert in the accounting field. But if you're looking for reviews of tax preparation software, you might be looking for a different kind of information—perhaps a discussion in a forum among people who have experience with different services.

The new "E" for Experience in the EEAT considers to what extent does the content creator have the necessary first-hand experience to talk about a specific topic. "Many types of pages are trustworthy and achieve their purpose well when created by people with a wealth of personal experience. For example, what would you trust: a product review from someone who has personally used the product or a 'review' from someone who hasn't?"Google clarifies.

 

What do the other letters in EEAT mean in SEO?

Expertise

As we said, the E in Expertise assesses the extent to which the content creator has the knowledge or skill needed to talk about the subject. In other words, to what extent is the creator an expert on a specific subject? In the example provided by Google itself, Which would you trust more: electrical installation advice from an expert electrician or from an amateur who has no knowledge of electrical wiring?

Of course, Google is aware of the confusion that the difference between expertise and experience can generate, and strives to clarify it, as you can see in this table:

Authoritativeness

This parameter takes into account the extent to which the content creator or website is known as a reference source For the topic: that website or content creator is often among the most trusted sources for a particular subject. As Google explains, The official government website for obtaining a passport is the sole, official, and authorized source for obtaining or renewing a passport.

When is a level of authority considered high?

  • When other websites and content creators in your niche cite your content.
  • When people mention your name or brand in topics relevant to your industry on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media.
  • When your company's search volume is high, a brand search is any query containing your company name. This is an indicator of authority because people are specifically looking for something, and they wouldn't do so unless there was a significant level of online reputation.
  • When your content gets links from websites with high EEAT.

Trust

It is without a doubt, the parameter that Google values ​​most in these initials EEAT in SEO. This "T" considers to what extent the page is accurate, honest, safe and reliable.

"The type and amount of trust needed depends on the page, for example:"

  • Online stores need secure online payment systems and reliable customer service.
  • Product reviews should be honest and written to help others make informed purchasing decisions (rather than exclusively to sell the product).
  • Information pages on YMYL topics must be accurate to avoid harm to individuals and society.
  • Social media posts about non-YMYL topics may not require a high level of trust, such as when the purpose of The publication is intended to entertain its audience and the content of the publication is not at risk of causing harm.

Google highlights that Unreliable websites have a low EEAT rating. regardless of their score in the other parameters.
"For example, a financial scam is not trustworthy, even if the content creator is a highly experienced and skilled scammer who is considered the go-to resource for carrying out scams.", Google explains in an extreme example.

In this regard, Google recommends reviewing:

  • What the website or content creators say about themselves on the "About Us" page on the website or content creator's profile page. Is the website or content creator a reliable source based on this information?
  • What others are saying about the website or content creators: independent reviews, references, news
    articles and other credible sources of information about the website or content creators.
  • What you see on the page, including the main content and sections such as reviews and comments

Google emphasizes that the website or content creator may not be a reliable source if there is a clear conflict of interestThus, product reviews from people who own the product and share their experiences can be very valuable and reliable. However, reviews from the product manufacturer or "reviews" from an influencer who
charges for promoting the product "They are not very reliable due to the conflict of interest."