This week we discuss Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines and what the algorithm wants to see. There are over 14,000 quality raters and their purpose is to ensure that Search is showing the most relevant and reliable sources. The raters use the guidelines to determine how well the content aligns with the search. This rating system will dictate the rankings for each search query. Google encourages content that fulfills the user intent by rewarding a higher ranking.
Raters look at the following categories:
- “fits” the query
- is comprehensive
- is up to date
- comes from an authoritative source
- satisfied the user, or whether the user would want to see additional results
We go on to highlight two important terms, YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) and E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Google has redefined YMYL to focus on the topic rather than the page. The new guidelines analyze the risk of harm in impactful categories like health and financial security. The content that presents YMYL topics with a positive reputation receives the highest rankings. We emphasize that if your website covers topics that fall under YMYL, they need to demonstrate strong E-A-T.
Low-quality pages lack important information or are considered problematic by the guidelines. An important change we note is that the level of E-A-T required is based on the topic and the purpose the page serves. With YMYL topics, the source and their reputation as an expert play a big part.
If your page content is a YMYL topic, E-A-T is critical. The topic can be deemed harmful to others regardless of a high reputation or expert source. Original content also plays an important role in the quality rater. Unique and original content must be:
- Original
- Accurate
- Comprehensive
- Clearly communicated
- Professionally presented
- Reflect expert consensus
Any website can have harmful main content. That is why it is so important to monitor it and regularly check for inaccuracies.
Why does it matter? Google wants the user’s best interest to be the focus. Search results should fulfill the user’s needs. Google is doing this through its updated guidelines. To recap, the shift in the YMYL definition has been implemented to check for harmful or misleading information. This change has put an emphasis on E-A-T when the content falls in the YMYL category. The bottom line is that Google wants to rate content that meets user intent, and this is how they are accomplishing it.
Fusion One Marketing is a full-service digital marketing company headquartered in Birmingham, AL. Fusion One specializes in Local SEO, Social Media Marketing, Pay Per Click, and Website Designs. Fusion One Marketing was created in 2011 with its main focus on helping small and medium businesses navigate the digital marketing world. Our goal for businesses is simple “More Calls – More Businesses.”
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