Navigating Alphabet Soup: Google's E-E-A-T and Y-M-Y-L Algorithms.
Welcome to the fascinating world of Google algorithms - and two of the most searched for - E-E-A-T and Y-M-Y-L. In this post, I’m going to dive into two peculiar acronyms: E-E-A-T and Y-M-Y-L. While they might sound like a friendly pair of robots, they are, in fact, crucial elements of Google's ranking criteria. Join me on a somewhat light-hearted journey as I unravel the mysteries of these intriguing algorithms and discover how they impact our online experiences in search.
Back in 2014, it was originally E-A-T, then in December 2022 Google deiced to add another E and made it E-E-A-T, just for giggles. Well, to be fair, they had a point - experience is well important. * waves *.
E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness
Imagine you're attending a cooking class. Would you prefer a teacher who knows their onions (pun intended) or someone who confuses salt with sugar? Google's E-E-A-T algorithm has a similar philosophy. It aims to determine the expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness of websites and their content.
Experience:
How much experience do you have on the subject matter, and how can you show it? Take the cooking class, to show experience as a cook I’d create content all around cooking, from recipes (show proof with photos, reviews etc), to equipment and so on.
Expertise:
Google values content that comes from individuals or organisations with subject matter expertise. For instance, a health-related blog post would carry more weight if written by a qualified medical professional, rather than Tom Blogs down the road who once buried a potato to cure a wart. Gross, a bit useless, but you get my drift.
Authoritativeness:
Being an authority in your field can boost your website's ranking. Establishing your credibility through reliable sources, references, and backlinks can help Google recognise you as a trustworthy source of information - this is where our favourite SEO talk of backlinks comes in. Not any old backlink mind you, we want relevant links from authoritative websites that are gonna back up what you are saying. Grand.
Trustworthiness:
Building trust with your audience is essential. Provide accurate and well-researched content that aligns with professional standards. Also, clearly display your privacy policies, contact information, and credentials to instil confidence - basically, don’t create a hokey site. No one likes it.
YMYL video
Y-M-Y-L: Your Money or Your Life
Now, this ain’t some Adam Ant highway robbery algorithm (sadly). Instead, it focuses on content that can significantly impact a user's well-being, finances, or safety. Google's Y-M-Y-L algorithm scrutinises such "Your Money or Your Life" topics more closely, aiming to provide accurate and reliable information.
So what in the blazes does that mean?
Financial Matters:
Content related to personal finance, investments, taxes, and banking falls under the Y-M-Y-L category. Google takes extra precautions to ensure the advice and information provided are trustworthy and accurate. Because, this stuff is really important, and is really is your money too.
Health and Safety:
Advice on medical conditions, treatments, nutrition, and safety procedures are considered Y-M-Y-L topics. Google prioritizes content from reputable sources, such as medical professionals, research institutions, and recognized health organizations. Your life part there.
Legal and Safety Concerns:
Information that could impact users' legal rights, personal safety, or security, such as legal advice, emergency procedures, and cybersecurity, falls within the Y-M-Y-L spectrum. Google emphasises accuracy and trustworthiness in these areas. Again, money and kinda your life too.
The Overlap and Importance of E-A-T and Y-M-Y-L
While E-E-A-T and Y-M-Y-L algorithms focus on different aspects, they often overlap as is the way with algorithms. Content that falls under the Y-M-Y-L umbrella must demonstrate strong E-E-A-T signals to rank higher in search results. Google wants to ensure that websites delivering critical information are both authoritative and trustworthy.
Building a Solid Online Presence:
Now that we (hopefully) understand the fundamentals of E-E-A-T and Y-M-Y-L, how can we use this knowledge to improve our online presence? Here are a few tips:
Showcase expertise: Highlight the qualifications, certifications, and experience of authors and contributors to establish expertise.
Curate reliable sources: Cite authoritative references and link to trustworthy websites to strengthen the credibility of your content.
Engage with the community: Foster user interaction through comments, forums, or social media. Encourage discussions and respond to inquiries to build trust and show your commitment to helping users.
Display credentials: Clearly showcase professional affiliations, certifications, awards, and other trust-building elements to bolster your website's authority.
Prioritise accuracy and quality: Thoroughly fact-check and review content
