As Google and other search engines have continuously changed their algorithms through the years, one aspect is becoming more and more evident: Quality content is one of the most important factors on your website.

But what the heck does that even mean to the average business looking to improve their search engine ranking?

It means the tricks of yesteryear just don’t work anymore. Ask anyone in the business seven to eight years ago, and they’d tell you the easiest way to rank was to cram as many keywords into a piece of content as possible and not worry about if the content makes sense. As long as Google saw all those keywords, you’d have a good chance of ranking for them.

Not so anymore.

Google is smart. Trying to “keyword stuff” just won’t work anymore. Instead, Google wants content that’s unique, informative and useful to your visitors. If you don’t meet that criteria, not only could you not rank, but Google could actually penalize your site.

To clarify further, Google looks for three factors when it comes to content: Expertise, Authority, and Trust (E-A-T).

E: EXPERTISE

Chances are, you are pretty knowledgeable in your industry. In fact, you might call yourself an expert. That expertise has to come through in your content. If you speak from your personal experience and demonstrate you know what you’re talking about, Google will be more likely to consider you an expert.

So what’s that look like? Let’s look at attorneys. Attorneys are expected to give insight into local laws, industry jargon, etc. because they’re experts on it. However, if you run a fashion blog, giving “legal advice” won’t do you any favors, because Google probably won’t see you as an expert on that topic to begin with.

Takeaway: Google perceives content to be of a higher quality when it’s relevant to the website’s overall niche or industry vertical. Try to create a robust library of content that covers your industry knowledge and frequently asked questions. Recognize that content topics “outside your wheelhouse” are less likely to compete for high ranks.



A: AUTHORITY

Authority is, perhaps, one of the hardest attributes to attain — or even figure out how to. CNN, Facebook and highly-visited industry sites are good examples of authority sites. So how do you build the authority of your own site? While there are no exact parameters set, the most common way is build your audience.

This happens a few ways. Maybe your content gets shared around on social media, and tons of people visit your site. Or, you may get a powerful backlink from an authority site, driving visitors to you. Bottom line is, you can’t cheat your way to the top here. You have to create awesome, engaging content that drives visitors. Plain and simple.

Takeaway: Authority doesn’t come easy, and it must be earned. Start by trying to drive traffic through regular content updates. Avoid “clickbait” tactics, though, like gimmicky headlines. The more time people spend on your site and share it, the more authority you build.

T: TRUST

Trust is a multi-faceted factor. One of the best ways to show Google that people trust your business is to have plenty of positive reviews — especially on third-party sites. However, your content also has a good bit to do with your online trustworthiness.

The general rule is that you want to keep fresh content on your site. This not only gives visitors an incentive to keep coming back, but it also shows Google that you’re relevant. The combination of repeat visitors plus relevance demonstrates to Google that people trust you and your brand.

Takeaway: Keep your site active and your highest-traffic pages updated. Remind customers to leave reviews, and follow up with them to avoid bad sentiments later on. Also, avoid tactics like keyword stuffing or deceptive wordings, which can lead to a bad audience experience and possible Google penalties.

What Happens When You EAT?

Google wants to know that people want to visit your site, and that your site deserves to be visited. When its algorithms see that you are an expert in your industry and have a large audience that trusts you, there’s a greater chance that you’ll be pushed up the rankings.

After all, Google’s main goal is to show the most relevant, helpful sites when a query is made. And if you’re clearly a great resource for people, then Google will want to send more people your way.

While there is plenty of technical work you have to do on the backend of your site, creating amazing content that your potential audience will want to read is one of the most important things you can do. Otherwise, you may as well be creating a site for robots — which Google hates!

Come Feast with Us!

If writing really isn’t your thing, or you just don’t have time to create website content, don’t worry. The content writing experts at Antarsia Marketing have your back. From blog content to case studies and everything in between, our content creators have years of experience in a variety of different industries, and we can help you EAT your way to the top of the rankings.



Contact us online today for a free consultation to learn more about our unique content marketing strategies!