Google E-E-A-T: Should We Search For Other Articles With High Backlink Profiles?

 Learn more about the four things Google considers about the content on your page and how it affects rankings.

Today's question comes from an SEO question from Fadi, who asks:

When Google says humans first, does that mean we should look for other articles with high backlinks instead of searching for keywords when trying to find a topic to discuss?

Google has told us that if we want to rank well, we must provide content that includes experience, expertise, authority, and trust—commonly referred to as E-E-A-T.

But how do you know if your content contains E-E-A-T?

How do you know what to write?

Let's answer these questions.

What is E-E-A-T?

So, let's talk about E-E-A-T – how can we make our content convey expertise, expertise, authority and trust?

Here are four things Google cares about the content on your page and how it affects rankings.

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

So, it looks at things like the creator experience.

Do they have a background in the field they are writing about? Did they work in industry? These things are important to Google.

Google cares about experience. The people behind the site seem to know their stuff. She wants to see proof that the content is accurate and reliable.

Skills can be anything from formal education to real-world experience.

Authority is important to Google. She wants to see that the site is respected in the industry and trusted by others.

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

Finally, trust is a big factor for Google.

Google wants to make sure that the information it displays to its users is legitimate and not suspicious. It looks at the transparency of the content, its accuracy, and whether the site has a good reputation for being honest.

All of this may seem like common sense, but Google takes it very seriously. It has a full set of guidelines that residents must follow.

Therefore, read through these guidelines and make sure your website complies with the E-E-A-T standards if you want to rank it.

Are backlinks a good way to measure a site's E-E-A-T?

SEO professionals have traditionally viewed links as a primary metric for determining a site's relevance and ability to rank.

It's not always a good idea to solely rely on backlinks to assess a site's E-E-A-T.

It's important to understand that not all backlinks are created equal, and some can be harmful to a site'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 the number of backlinks it has.

A site that ranks well due to high-quality content and a positive reputation is more valuable to its users than a site that relies solely on backlinks.

Overemphasis on backlinks can lead to unethical practices such as link farming and buying backlinks. Search engines may penalize a site as a result of these actions, lowering its ranking and damaging its reputation.

Consequently, when Google states "humans first," it does not imply to find the site with the most backlinks.

Read Google's latest quality assessment guide and understand what Google looks for in your site's content.

Look at the content of the sites that are ranking and make sure your content is clean and better than competing keywords.

When we dig deep into the “People First” ethos, it emerges as a comprehensive vision to deliver exceptional user experiences through valuable, relevant and engaging content driven by expertise, authority, trust and transparency.

This shift in focus illustrates an important truth: our messages are for humans, not algorithms. We must solve problems, answer questions, and engage in real conversations.

Does this change indicate a need to focus on articles with high backlinks? Backlinks are, without a doubt, an important component of the search engine optimization (SEO) mechanism.

It indicates the perceived authority of a website, indicating that the content is worth its salt in the sea of information on the Internet.

But should keyword research take a back seat in this scenario? Not even a speck.

Keyword research is a compass that guides our audience's needs, queries, and search patterns. It's an important tool in our arsenal that helps us understand user intent and deliver content that matches it.

The truth is that these two strategies are not competing. They are allies in our quest to create a comprehensive SEO strategy.

Consider this: You discover an article with a high backlink profile, and you tend to create a similar article.

But without keyword research, how do you know if your audience is actively searching for this information?

Conversely, finding a golden keyword is only half the battle. If your content doesn't provide value, you're unlikely to get backlinks that indicate quality to Google.

It's also important to understand that your backlink analysis tool doesn't know what Google knows.

Sites that will engage in massive link buying schemes will likely have a large backlink profile on your tool.

Google discounts the majority of purchased links.

You need to analyze sites that have a large number of backlinks. They just do a poor job of building links.

Google's "human first" approach calls for a harmonious blend of both approaches.

It's about creating content that satisfies user intent (highlighted by keyword research) and ensuring it's valuable and engaging (as indicated by a high backlink profile).

In the grand scheme of things, Google's "human first" philosophy doesn't ask us to abandon tried-and-tested SEO practices.

Instead, it forces us to remember why we use these strategies to serve the human consumer in the first place.

In light of this, mastering backlink profile analysis and keyword research becomes an indispensable part of an effective, human-first SEO strategy.

In conclusion

In short, while backlinks are important for SEO, they shouldn't be the only metric for determining a site's experience, expertise, and credibility.

Instead, SEO experts should focus on building a strong brand reputation through high-quality content and ethical marketing practices.

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