In March 2024, Google unleashed another core update to its algorithm. While Google does not always share insight about its algorithms and how they reward or punish site content, the March 2024 update arrived with some explanation. Google released that its algorithm now considers four key areas when ranking a site: experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E.E.A.T.).
The latest algorithm update arrived on the heels of an uptick in AI-derived content on the web. Not all of the content was impactful, meaningful, and trustworthy, so the core update rewards content that checks off all these boxes. AI content is not punished if it EEATs the right diet, but poorly written, generic, and questionably truthful content feels the pain of a penalty. Here’s how to E.E.A.T. right when writing online content.
Table of Contents:
Experience: The Importance of the User Journey
Google rewards engaging, well-written websites. When directing users to specific websites that align with their search queries, Google demands that the top results adhere to delivering a dynamic experience. There are numerous details that negatively impact the user experience (UX), including:
Typos
Grainy or low-resolution photos
Too much copy on the page
Duplicate content
Rehashed information (i.e., content that isn’t original in scope)
Poorly-written headlines
Spellcheck Is Your Friend
No user wants to stay on a website riddled with spelling and grammatical issues. Poor spelling and grammar distract the user and detract from the website experience. For this reason, Google penalizes websites that do not take care in delivering an error-free copy experience.
Run all copy through a spell-check program and review the grammar, too. If possible, encourage more than one person to proofread all copy before hitting “publish.”
Delete the Amateur Photos—Opt for High-Resolution Images
Websites do not need National Geographic-level photographs to please Google. The bar for photos is not unreasonably high; Google’s penalties and punishments damage sites with poor photos. This means low-resolution, grainy, and poor-quality images. In addition, Google also punishes any unauthorized use of copyrighted images. Of course, publishing a copyrighted image also could land the site in legal hot water with the owner of those photos and result in monetary damages.
Avoid Copy Heavy Pages
Websites need to include a balance of images/graphics and text. The sweet spot for copy is usually around 1,200 words. However, this copy must be broken into smaller paragraphs and sections and include many images and graphics. No one wants to visit a web page that features a massive amount of text and no images of visual appeal. Mix up the elements!
Don’t Get Duped with Duplicate Content!
If you want to avoid indexing issues that render the website nearly invisible on Google, do not duplicate copy. Avoid using any text that is the same; this means that you should never copy and paste text onto multiple pages and do NOT use text from another site without using quotes or a citation.
Google perceives duplicate copy to be lazy; it also cannot discern this laziness from plagiarism. Review all copy and ensure every sentence on each website page is uniquely written.
Imitation Does Not Flatter Google
The sky is blue. This is a fact. Everyone knows it. Do not create a website filled with boring copy that regurgitates information everyone already knows. Copy must inform users and provide new data and insights.
Bad Headlines Frustrate Readers
Click-bait headlines are frustrating and cliche. Don’t write bad headlines aiming to lure users without providing what you promise. Also stay away from writing boring headlines that fail to engage.
Expertise: Show Your Knowledge of an Industry
Google wants to reward content that showcases expertise. When writing site copy or blogs, it’s crucial to include citations and links to sources for any facts or data. In some cases, an individual may be an expert in a given field. Include a bio or other information to ensure visitors understand the background, education, and experience of an author or any company representative or employee.
Authoritativeness: Be the Authority on Specific Topics
Authoritativeness and expertise go hand-in-hand. A website should showcase authority in a given industry or topic. Selling clothing? Include blog topics with expert style advice or seasonal trends.
Many companies also include industry trends and data. Show off your knowledge, but always remember to cite sources.
Trustworthiness: Cite Sources and Show Your Work
Citing sources and back-linking to referenced data is crucial to showing Google the site is trustworthy. Links to sources allow users to search the original source and understand where the author gathered information.
In a time when fake news is a constant source of frustration and concern, Google seeks to reward sites that take the time to research and help users gain insight and perspective. Ideally, all blogs should include two unique and trustworthy sources; examples of trusted sources include:
Online news sources
Government sites
Medical institutions
Accredited colleges and universities
Research papers and journals
How to EEAT Write When Using AI
Google’s March 2024 core algorithm update correlated to a rise in the popularity of AI-derived content. However, Google does not punish sites that post this type of content, as the goal of the update was to set parameters for all website content.
Always review the content when using AI sources like ChatGPT or Google Gemini to create blogs and website copy. Cite sources and consider integrating a human touch into the copy to add perspective or to increase authority.
Gemini shows users the sources for all information. Add these links to encourage user exploration and to build trust.
AI-generated content also can result in “hallucinations,” and even Gemini is prone to this issue. For example, April Fool’s content sometimes displays as fact on Gemini’s sourced results. Always click these source links to better understand where content is derived.
AI is a tool that can be used to enhance and improve content, but the information is not always reliable. The best copy requires a human touch to guide the machine. Otherwise, you might produce a website that Google ignores and fails to index.
GROWing with EEAT
GROW Marketing Agency adheres to SEO best practices. Our clients can expect blog and website content to align with Google’s E.E.A.T. specifications. Soaring to the top of the search engine result pages (SERPs) requires creating a dynamic user experience, showcasing expert knowledge, serving as an online authority, and, most importantly, building trust. You are what you E.E.A.T., and healthy websites always GROW.
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