Google’s expert John Mueller is in the headlines again. This time, Google Answers if Links or Content Determine E-A-T Scores. In this article, we’ll touch upon what is E-A-T and everything about how it matters.
A question has been raised investigating what factors define E-A-T scores. The question stipulates that links have anything to do with the E-A-T scores or are solely based on content. John Mueller took the opportunity to expose the concept of E-A-T scores or whether it is a technological determinant or SEO determinant.
Contents
But First, What Is E-A-T?
E-A-T is short for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
The Google third-party quality raters are responsible for scanning these qualities- expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness when assessing website ranks with the approved new algorithms.
Google has maintained E-A-T as a prototype for the ranked websites, especially concerning sensitive subjects like health and economics search results.
Google has maintained a quality raters guide that empowers the quality raters on how to evaluate for E-A-T. E-A-T is a subject of interest for the publisher community because it influences the website ranking.
Google even advises the publishers to refer to the guide to assess their websites. Due to the same reason, many publishers make great efforts to learn E-A-T to enhance their website ranking. Even many in the search community assume that E-A-T has to do something scoring.
The query:
“What’s up with E-A-T? Is that determined by quality backlinks or more on the subject and thoroughness of the pages?”
The person who raised the query was trying to figure out the technical and SEO determinants that can influence high E-A-T scores.
John Muller begins by sharing E-A-T framework information and how Google utilizes it. He asserted:
“So E-A-T is an abbreviation for Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. It’s something that comes from our quality rater guidelines.”
Algorithm Insights Are Not Introduced In Quality Raters Guidelines
John Mueller further ridicules the thought that Quality Raters Guidelines is not a Google algorithm manual, although it includes insights into Google’s algorithm.
In rating websites, John Mueller specifies that Quality Raters Guidelines are not loaded with the algorithm insights. It only advises the quality raters to pay consideration to distinct subjects. John Muller further said:
“The quality rater guidelines are not kind of like a handbook to Google’s algorithms, but rather it’s something that we give folks who are reviewing changes that we make in our algorithm. And especially, E-A-T is specific to certain kinds of sites and certain kinds of content.”
Google Answers If Links Or Content Determine E-A-T Scores
John Mueller unquestionably reveals that Google doesn’t support something like an E-A-T score. He further continues by saying that it doesn’t have any relation with the SEO part.
John Mueller explanation:
“So… from that point of view, it’s not something where I would say Google has an E-A-T score and it’s based on five links plus this plus that. It’s more something that, our algorithms over time …we try to improve them, our quality raters try to review our algorithms and they do look at these things.
So there might be some overlap here, but it’s not that there’s a technical factor involved, which would kind of take specific elements and use them as an SEO factor. But it is something I would look into, especially if you’re running sites that map into the broad area where Google has mentioned E-A-T in the quality rater guidelines.”
E-A-T Is A Guide Misinterpreted As A Ranking Factor
Google advises the publisher community to refer to the Quality Raters Guidelines to rank their websites. John Mueller especially suggests websites with sensitive content to seek guidance from the E-A-T. To implement an accurate system to rank search results of brand-new algorithms that are following evaluation. QRG generation has takes place.
Google viewpoints on QRG:
“We work with external Search Quality Raters to measure the quality of search results on an ongoing basis. Raters assess how well a website gives people who click on it what they are looking for and evaluate the quality of results based on the expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness of the content. These ratings do not directly impact ranking, but they do help us benchmark the quality of our results.
To ensure a consistent approach, we publish Search Quality Rater Guidelines to give these Raters guidance and examples for appropriate ratings.”
Based on a report, it is coming to the view that some SEOs consider that E-A-T scores do not exist and its only motive is to make sure that consistent strategy is used by the third party to assess the web pages.
So, Google Answers if Links or Content Determine E-A-T Scores.
See also: Google Page Experience Update Rolled Out – Why it Matters