In case you haven’t heard the buzz online, the Google core update that rolled out in August 2024 has had a major impact on page views and user traffic for more than a few websites. As per Google, the update aims to improve search results so they’re geared toward reader service and are “genuinely useful.”
Sounds vague, right? It all ties back to Google’s focus on E-E-A-T, which stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness. In other words, page rankings on search aren’t just about SEO, but a whole slew of factors. Now, instead of working on optimizing a page with the likes of keywords and meta text, creators need to also strongly consider things like brand reputation, site longevity and topic authority, to name only a few factors. It also means that many of those old pages on your website have likely all but disappeared from search engine results, since they probably contain outdated links and old information that’s no longer relevant to today’s user set.
So, what can you do?
Optimize that old content! Here’s what to consider:
1 | How many pages you have
If you’re working with just a few pages on your site, it shouldn’t be too much of a project to go through page by page and make sure all your content is SEO- and reader-friendly. It should have headers, alt text and all the good SEO practices in place, but it should also include content geared toward readers and topics in which your site has authority and expertise.
If you’re working with hundreds (or thousands) of pages, this will understandably be a bigger lift. But never fear! The key is to identify content that’s strongest for the site in terms of E-E-A-T. From there, plan to take on a few pages each day or week to optimize them for SEO and content as best as possible.
2 | Your E-E-A-T topics
In addition to cleaning up content, it’s also essential to take time to identify the topics that your site can keep up with in terms of E-E-A-T rankings. If you’re a tech company sharing recipes, that’s not going to fare well with Google’s expertise and authority ranking. If, on the other hand, you have a team of experts writing about security breaches and internet privacy best practices, you’re likely to have a whole lot more authority and trustworthiness.
3 | Your online presence
At the core of Google’s E-E-A-T policy is brand reputation and longevity. While longevity can only be achieved through time, reputation can be built through crafting quality content, focusing on a niche (and doing it well), and sharing that content with the community at large. In addition to auditing your site, consider what your social media presence looks like, how engaged your newsletter subscribers are, and how often people are linking back to and sharing your content. When it comes to building an online reputation, remember that it’s a long-distance marathon, not a sprint, so every little bit counts.
Want to learn more about content optimization and make the most of your business’s online presence? Reach out to TMCC’s experts at newbusiness@todaymediacustom.com.
