Step 1: Establishing Expertise
Consistently publish high-quality content on your own blog.
Contribute as an author on other reputable blogs.
Create an About Page that clearly outlines:
Who you or your brand is.
Your experience in the industry.
Any awards or recognition received.
Develop Author Bio Pages that include:
Certifications, degrees, and qualifications.
Other platforms you have contributed to.
Links to media mentions that establish your expertise.
If your site has multiple authors, ensure each has a detailed bio showcasing their credibility.
Step 2: Building Authority
Authority is built when other websites recognize and reference you as an expert.
Ways to prove authority include:
Links & citations from media and press mentions.
Speaking engagements or conferences you’ve participated in.
Content shares & discussions on social media.
Branded search volume (how often people search for your brand).
Wikipedia pages & mentions referencing your expertise.
Evaluate what makes someone else an authority—apply the same strategies to your own site.
Step 3: Ensuring Trustworthiness
Clearly display accurate contact information for your business.
If you operate an ecommerce or transaction-based site:
Provide a clear return policy.
List accepted payment methods.
Mention shipping and delivery times.
Include terms & conditions in an accessible location.
Secure your site with HTTPS for better security (recommended by Google).
Google evaluates external trust factors, such as:
General brand sentiment based on online conversations.
Customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot, BBB, Yelp, or TripAdvisor.
Step 4: Understanding Quality Raters & Google’s Evaluation
Google’s algorithms are advanced, but they still use human quality raters to evaluate websites.
These raters follow the Google Quality Rater Guidelines to assess:
Your website’s trustworthiness and relevance.
Your site’s alignment with Google’s quality standards.
You can review the Quality Rater Guideline handbook at any time to:
Ensure your website meets all evaluation criteria.
Stay updated on any new guidelines introduced by Google.
A handy checklist has been created to help improve your EEAT score—check the link in the notes.
Step 5: Putting It Into Practice
If you’ve been following the course, analyze the site(s) you selected using the EEAT framework.
Evaluate the site through the eyes of a Google Quality Rater:
How would you rate its EEAT score?
What improvements can be made?
If you haven’t completed the previous exercises, review earlier lessons and start your analysis now!
By following these steps, you can enhance your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness, ensuring your website ranks better and builds credibility with both users and search engines.
Step-by-Step Guide: Establishing Trust Through EEAT (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
