Google’s John Mueller answered a query about what determines websites’ E-A-T scores. They asked if the links played a role or if it was a content-based score.
John Mueller responded in a way that discredited the concept of E-A-T scores or that it is a technical or search engine optimization factor.
E-A-T is short for experience, authority and reliability. These are qualities that Google’s third-party quality reviewers are tasked with comparing ranked Internet sites with new algorithms being tested.
E-A-T is an ideal Google product for classified sites, looking for effects on sensitive topics such as fitness and finances.
Since Google’s Quality Reviewers Guide instructs quality reviewers to determine E-A-T and Google also recommends that publishers use the consultant to compare their own websites, many members of the search and publishing network naturally need to be more informed about E-A-T in order to rank them.
Some members of the research network claim that there is some sort of score in question for E-A-T.
Related: Your Guide to Google E-A-T and SEO
The user performing the query was looking to locate which search engine optimization or technical points might be involved in achieving a higher E-A-T score.
The user to know what determines E-A-T for a website:
“What’s going on with E-A-T?
Are you decided through quality backlinks or more on the subject and the rigor of the pages?»
John Mueller begins his with general data on what E-A-T is and how Google uses it.
“E-A-T is short for experience, authority and reliability. This is all that comes from our quality assessment guidelines.
Mueller then debunks the concept that the Quality Evaluator Guidelines (QRGs) involve data about Google’s algorithms and explicitly says that the QRG is a manual on Google’s algorithm.
It makes it very transparent that it is not filled with data about the rule set and that in the context of online page evaluation, quality reviewer rules require quality reviewers to pay attention to experience, authority, and authority to conduct study queries on specific topics.
Mueller continues:
“Quality assessment rules are a bit like a textbook about Google’s algorithms, but rather it’s anything we give to other people reviewing the adjustments we make to our algorithm.
And most importantly, E-A-T is site secure and content secure.
Related: Google Search Quality Reviewer Guidelines: A Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization
Mueller then makes it transparent and unambiguous that Google has no E-A-T scores.
It highlights the fact that E-A-T is what quality reviewers look at, but there are no SEO-related points involved.
John Mueller:
“So. . . from that point of view, it’s nothing I would say Google has an E-A-T score on and is based on five links plus this plus that.
It’s more anything than, our algorithms over time. . . we’re looking for them, our quality evaluators are looking to review our algorithms and they’re looking for those things.
So there would possibly be some overlap here, though, it’s not that there’s a technical issue that’s worried that I would take express elements and use them as a search engine optimization thing.
But it’s anything I’d take a look at, especially if you run sites that have compatibility with the vast domain where Google discussed E-A-T in the quality assessment guidelines.
Google encourages publishers to use a quality reviewer as inspiration for critics of their own sites.
John Mueller’s comments on E-A-T align with this stimulus, especially for those whose content focuses on sensitive topics.
The QRG evolved to provide an objective way to rank search effects for the new algorithms being evaluated.
Google explains what QRG is for:
“We work with quality reviewers from external studies to frequently measure the quality of study effects. Reviewers evaluate the extent to which an online page provides other clickers with what they are looking for and compare the quality of effects based on the experience, authority, and reliability of the content. These ratings do not have a direct effect on the classification, however, they help us assess the quality of our effects.
For a consistent approach, we publish rules for quality reviewers of studies to provide them with appropriate recommendations and examples of reviews.
At some point along the line, some SEOs scored a non-existent E-A-T score based on a document whose sole goal was to make sure third-party quality reviewers used “a consistent approach” to compare Internet pages.
Related: Google Ranking Factors
How our quality reviewers study the results
Watch John Mueller respond after 33:45:
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