In our industry SEO is often viewed as constantly changing and prone to the odd revamp or two. The new discussion around E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness) being an essential ranking factor is a new spin on some old logic that Google will rank sites that display high quality content and links with authorship. However, despite all of the new iterations, the fundamentals of B2B SEO are still the same and highly unlikely to change anytime soon. We stand by the facts that you will always need good keyword research, amazing content, relevant backlinks, and well-structured on-page technical SEO. Or are we just outdated and plain wrong???

Well, lets unpack what potential E-A-T really has. It stands for Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness, which are the three ingredients you can use to cook up a storm and impress Google. To increase your E-A-T, you need to show off your expertise. Let's face it, no one wants to read content from someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. Share your knowledge through blog posts, white papers, and case studies, and don't be afraid to sprinkle in some industry-specific jargon to show off your smarts. Nothing really that new to be honest.

Establishing your authority is another key ingredient. Build relationships with other industry leaders and influencers, and earn sweet backlinks from reputable websites. And let's not forget about trustworthiness - the most important ingredient. Make sure your website is secure (HTTPS) and that your privacy policy and contact information are easily accessible. Encourage your customers to leave genuine reviews and testimonials to build your credibility. And please, for the love of all that is good, don't dump AI-generated content on your site just because it's a new trend. Write content that is well-researched, accurate, and informative. Trust us, your readers will thank you for it.

Last but not least, be transparent and honest in your business practices. Customers can smell in-authenticity from a mile away, so don't try to pull a fast one on them. Play the long game and build a loyal customer base by being honest and genuine.

While E-A-T may be a hot topic in the SEO world, it's important to remember that it's still a concept and not a proven ranking factor. While implementing E-A-T best practices can certainly improve the quality and relevance of your website's content, relying on it too heavily could lead to neglecting the fundamentals of SEO. Things like good keyword research, high-quality content, and relevant backlinks have been proven time and time again to be the building blocks of successful SEO strategies. So, while it's important to consider E-A-T in your SEO efforts, it should be viewed as one of many best practices to implement, rather than a guaranteed path to success.