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SEO is something content marketers have to tweak and refine continuously. SEO practices that matter today can change tomorrow.
Looking at SEO as only keywords doesn’t provide you with the big picture. In developing or improving an SEO strategy, companies need to consider the differences between E-A-T vs. YMYL.
In this post, we’ll break down the two concepts and examine how they impact SEO and content marketing.
Key Takeaways
- E-A-T and YMYL are two principles that Google uses to quantify the quality of content. They do impact ranking.
- Beneficial purpose is another factor search engines use to rate page content.
- Creating consistent, high-quality, user-focused content is the best way to achieve top rankings.
E-A-T vs. YMYL: The Basics
Google keeps its lips fairly tight on how its search ranking algorithm works. Experts in SEO play detective to figure it out, but sometimes Google offers a glimpse at what’s behind the curtain.
Google released its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines in response to a leaked version published online. It’s a 175-page document, so it’s heavy with details.
In the overview, the guide speaks to Search Quality Raters, those that actually “rate” on several parameters, including Page Quality (PQ) and Needs Met (NM). While the guide is for these “raters,” it’s also a goldmine for context for content marketers. However, keep in mind these are clues, not the definitive answer on search ranking.
The real find in this document is the explanation of key models they use to determine if content is low or high quality.
And a foundational factor to understand when it comes to quality is ‘beneficial purpose’, which is an aspect of ranking Google uses. It sets the stage for E-A-T and YMYL principles.
YMYL is an acronym for Your Money or Your Life.
E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness.
What Is Beneficial Purpose?
In the guide, Google defines beneficial purpose as websites and pages that should help users. In turn, if pages have the intent to harm or deceive users, they will receive the lowest PQ rating.
Image: Google
The document says that pages should be user-centered and that common beneficial purposes include sharing information, expressing an opinion, entertaining, selling products or services, and posting questions. Google makes its user the priority and wants websites to do the same thing.
What Is YMYL?
This concept is another aspect of rating and ranking. Google makes it clear that deception and dishonesty on pages won’t perform well. YMYL takes it a step further with this idea of content that spreads inaccurate and untruthful information that can actually harm a person. If misinformation affects the user’s happiness, health, safety, or finances, Google will mark it as YMYL.
Thus, if your content fits into the realm of advice for these areas, then it must do no harm. If you develop this kind of content, it must be accurate and true. Google also breaks down YMYL topics:
- News and current events
- Civics, government, and law
- Finance.
- Shopping
- Health and safety
- Groups of people
- Other (fitness, nutrition, housing information, college, job hunting)
This category is wide-ranging, and the guide tells its raters to use their best judgment in evaluating if a page falls into this category.
