Today’s Ask An SEO question comes from Fadi asking:

When Google says “people first” does that mean we should look for other articles with high backlink profiles instead of searching keywords when trying to find a topic to discuss?

Google has told us that if we want to rank well, we need to provide content that exudes experience, expertise, authority, and trust—commonly referred to as EEAT.

But how do you know if your content has EEAT?

How do you even know what to write about?

Let’s dive in and answer these questions.

What is EEAT?

So let’s talk about EEAT – how do we ensure that our content exudes experience, expertise, authority and trust?

These are the four things that matter to Google about your page’s content and how it affects rankings.

Google wants to make sure that the websites it shows in its search results are reputable and trustworthy.

So it’s about things like the experience of the content creators.

Do you have a background in the field you are writing about? Have you worked in the industry? This stuff is important to Google.

Google values ​​expertise. It wants the people behind a website to know their stuff. It wants to see evidence that the content is accurate and reliable.

Expertise can be anything from formal training to real-world experience.

Authority is a big deal for Google. It wants to ensure that a website is respected and trusted by others in the industry.

We can demonstrate our authority through awards, quotes or positive reviews from other experts.

Finally, trust is a big factor for Google.

Google wants to ensure that the information it displays to its users is legitimate and not shady. It looks at the transparency of the content, its accuracy, and whether the site has a reputation for honesty.

All of this might sound like common sense, but Google takes it seriously. There are a number of guidelines that its reviewers must follow.

So if you’re trying to rank your website, read through these guidelines and make sure your website meets the EEAT criteria.

Are backlinks a good way to measure a website’s EEAT?

Traditionally, SEO professionals have viewed links as a key metric for determining a website’s relevancy and rank.

However, relying solely on backlinks to measure a website’s EEAT isn’t necessarily a viable strategy.

It’s important to understand that not all backlinks are created equal and that some can even be detrimental to a website’s ranking if they come from low-quality sources.

Search engines like Google have evolved to focus more on the quality and relevance of a website’s content and reputation than on the number of backlinks.

A site that ranks well because of quality content and a positive reputation is more likely to provide value to its users than a site that relies solely on backlinks.

Overemphasizing backlinks can lead to unethical practices like link farming and backlink buying. These practices can result in a website being penalized by search engines, causing it to lose its ranking and reputation.

So when Google says “People first” doesn’t mean they’re looking for the site with the most backlinks.

Read the latest Google Quality Raters Guide and understand what Google is looking for in your website’s content.

Look at the content of the websites Are Rank and make sure your content is clearer and EEAT better than your keyword competitors.

Finally

In summary, while backlinks are still vital to SEO, they shouldn’t be the sole metric for determining a website’s experience, expertise, and trustworthiness.

Instead, SEO professionals should focus on building a solid brand reputation through quality content and ethical marketing practices.

By prioritizing these factors, businesses can achieve sustained success and build a loyal user base that trusts and values ​​their offerings.

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