A Memorable Journey: Using EEAT SEO to Create a Dynamic Website Experience

Google search engine optimization has taken many forms over the years, but since March 2024, they have used EEAT SEO as their main set of guidelines. This multi-form process impacts everyone’s website and how they rank on Google searches. Each aspect of the acronym is a different set of guidelines that dictates how Google views your website, the first being Experience. 

Making your website experience easy to understand and navigate goes a long way in ensuring Google views you favorably, but it’s a fine line to walk that some sites struggle to comply with. Google uses its Quality rater to identify whether content is based on first-hand experience or not, provides information, and more. Finding the right balance is the first step in creating the perfect SEO-based website. 

What is EEAT SEO?

EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This was part of a Google core update made in March 2024. It was intended to change the way Google ranked sites by more carefully assessing elements of certain sites to bring those most qualified to the top of searches. This has resulted in SEO adjustments across the board that have forced many sites new and old to make corrections. 

SEO stands for search engine optimization and is the de-facto method that Google uses to rank sites. EEAT is a set of guidelines utilized as the framework for proper SEO structure that sites should closely follow to rank higher. The more elements of EEAT you incorporate into your website, alongside standard SEO practices, the higher Google will place you. 

The E Stands for Experience

The first element of EEAT SEO guidelines is experience. Experience refers to the user experience specifically, from simplicity of site navigation and proper page structure to typos, duplicate copy, and more. While you may think this is easily noted and remedied, there are plenty of elements that you may overlook during your site creation or moderation process. 

Avoid Typos and Poor Grammar

Sounding educated and scholarly is all well and good, but one mistake could spell disaster. Nobody wants to read content that doesn’t abide by the simple rules of grammar and spelling. If the spelling and grammar are bad enough to distract your average reader, you can imagine how Google will treat it. Google penalizes websites that don’t take the time to deliver error-free copy, so always take the time to spell-check, double check, review, and proofread. 

Your copy isn’t just an explanation of your methods and services or a vessel for EEAT, though it does accomplish both of these tasks. Your copy is also the voice of your brand. No matter what type of business you’re running or tone you’re trying to take, you want to have an air of professionalism in your copy. Proper grammar and punctuation goes a long way in selling the professional aspect of your business alongside the EEAT SEO requirements.

Always Use High-Resolution Images

While the pictures on your site don’t have to be on par with Time magazine, Google does look for optimized images. In fact, they tend to dole out penalties for websites that use low resolution, grainy, or otherwise poor-quality photos. Additionally, you’re also punished if you use copyrighted images. Not only does Google dislike you breaking the law, but using copyrighted imagery poses a legal quandary with the owner, usually leading to monetary damages that affect your bottom line and your reputation. 

If you’d prefer to play it safe, you could simply shoot your own photos and optimize the images to fit the parameters of the page. If you’ve got money to spare in the marketing budget, hire a professional to take the desired photos and optimize them for you. Don’t forget to add meta descriptions to every image to further enhance the EEAT SEO score on the page.

Walking a Fine Copy Line

Websites need to have a balance between the amount of images and text. The sweet spot for copy is around 1,200 words, but this copy can’t just be a wall of text. Break it up into multiple paragraphs and sections, ensuring that each section has a photo or image that goes along with the messaging within. Each paragraph should be no longer than four sentences, as anything more looks like a barrage of text and becomes difficult to read. 

Google values readability highly, meaning the easier to read you can make your page, the more favorably Google will view your website. Proper spacing, a fine line between images and text, and using just the right amount of copy will give you bonus points with Google. 

Double Check for Duplicate Content

Indexing issues arise when you have duplicate copy or pages on your website, leaving you high and dry when Google gives you an SEO score. Don’t use copy and pasted text across the website. Don’t use text from another site without proper attribution and quotations. If it's copy that reads the same, word-for-word, on other parts of the website, Google will lower your EEAT score. 

Google considers duplicate content to be indicative of laziness. It also struggles to discern between laziness and plagiarism, so duplicate content is the same as plagiarized content in its eyes. Double and triple check your copy to make sure every sentence is unique across the website, otherwise your experience score will take a nosedive.

Imitation Isn’t Always Flattery

Oxygen is required for human survival. 2+2=4. These are unequivocal, indisputable facts that don’t need to be stated. Websites filled with boring, common knowledge copy are considered filler pieces that offer a negative user experience. If it isn’t new data and insights that lead to learning and understanding, then does it serve a point? This is a core question Google search engine optimization asks, every time their crawlers crawl your website. 

Always ask yourself what the point of your copy is as you write it. If it provides copy that is niche or industry-specific that not everyone knows, then it’s worth having it on the website. If it’s general copy that states what is already well-known or well established facts, then Google and your readers don’t want to see it. 

Bad Headlines Don’t Engage With Readers

You’ve likely seen them before. An article title sounds so outrageous that you feel compelled to click and make sure they’re telling the truth. Unfortunately, they weren’t, but they still got your click and that’s all that matters. 

Click-bait headlines are obnoxious, unnecessary, and provide a false promise that Google (and every reader) can’t stand. Stick to the basics, but make sure your titles aren’t too basic. A boring headline fails to engage just as easily as a click-bait title. 

Try to make a title engaging while utilizing an important keyword to enhance your page SEO. Not only is this good practice for improved writing, but Google’s EEAT score will consider it more valuable than if you made the title or headline exclusively the keyword. 

Creating a Compelling Website Journey for Google’s EEAT SEO

Combining everything outlined above, anyone can create a website that ranks well for the experience part of Google’s EEAT analysis. This doesn’t guarantee you a top spot on Google searches, but it does give you a leg up over the competition. 

If SEO or user experience isn’t your forte, don’t fret. GROW Marketing Agency follows SEO and EEAT guidelines to keep your website functional, stylish, and most of all, consistently ranking. Climb to the top of the Google rankings ladder and carve out your niche in the market with our expertly crafted web and marketing services. GROW your business in ways you never thought possible and EEAT up the competition when you rely on GROW Marketing Agency for your next project.