In fairness, so many clients have asked what they can do to get more traffic on their website. The simple answer is of course, more content. I advise them to write regular blog posts. I have only myself to blame for encouraging them to “just write anything”. What I meant of course was to “write about anything”; there’s a subtle difference. By all means write about any subject under the sun, but write it well. A user should feel glad they read it and get something from it. An opinion, an insight, some new knowledge – even just a laugh. They have to get something.
But that’s not what’s happening, is it?
Just yesterday I wasted 10 minutes of my life reading what promised to be “The ULTIMATE Guide to WordPress Security” but turned out to be 500 words of captain obvious nonsense. No specific plugins. No actual configuration tips. Not even basic stuff about file permissions or database backups. Just “make sure you have strong passwords” and “keep WordPress updated.” Seriously?
This happens almost daily. I click on something promising, wait for the page to load (watching those annoying ads populate), scroll past the pointless intro, and find… nothing. Zero meat. No actual insights. Just regurgitated basics anyone could have found in 30 seconds on Google.
It’s maddening for me personally – but it’s downright dangerous for my clients. These small business owners think they’re doing the right thing by “having a blog,” but they’re wasting time and money creating content nobody will ever remember, link to, or find valuable.
Most small business blogs are failing spectacularly. They’re churning out fluffy, lightweight posts that Google ignores, readers forget within seconds, and nobody ever references or shares. They might as well be shouting into the void.
But here’s the thing – it doesn’t have to be this way.
Yes, Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines matter for rankings. But more importantly, they’re actually a brilliant framework for creating content that real humans genuinely value. Content that answers questions, solves problems, and makes readers think “I’m glad I spent time reading this.”
Those four letters – E-E-A-T – completely changed how I approach content creation, both for my own site and for my clients.
What the Heck is E-E-A-T (And Why Should You Care?)
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. On the surface, it’s Google’s way of separating the wheat from the chaff – identifying content that actually deserves to rank.
But dig deeper, and you’ll see it’s actually about making content that readers find genuinely valuable. The kind of content people bookmark, share, and come back to. The kind that answers questions thoroughly and solves real problems.
The first ‘E’ for Experience is the newest addition, added in late 2022. I was chuffed when Google finally recognised that sometimes real-world experience is just as valuable as formal expertise. After all, I’d rather learn WordPress security from someone who’s cleaned up 100 hacked sites than from someone with a certificate but no battle scars. And I bet you would too.
“E-E-A-T is important for all websites that people rely on for accurate information, including shopping websites, news websites, financial websites, etc. It’s also important when it comes to information about hobbies like photography, playing guitar, etc.” – Google Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines
For years I banged my head against the wall creating “proper” content that checked all the SEO boxes but still didn’t perform. It wasn’t until I embraced E-E-A-T principles that things finally clicked. Not just in terms of traffic and rankings, but in actual reader response. Comments, emails, social shares – people started actively engaging with and appreciating what I wrote.
Why Most Blog Posts Are Utterly Forgettable
Let’s be brutally honest about small business blogging. It’s dire.
Most business blogs I come across are:
- Bland and generic (like they were written by a robot)
- Obviously stuffed with keywords (painful to read)
- Shallow as a puddle (nothing you couldn’t find in 100 other places)
- Lacking any personality or actual experience
- Trying to impress Google instead of helping humans
Last month I needed to fix a thorny WordPress caching issue for a client. I read SEVEN different blog posts from web agencies, and not one of them told me anything beyond what was in the plugin’s own documentation. Not a single unique insight. No “here’s the gotcha we discovered.” Nothing to suggest the author had ever actually solved this problem themselves.
What an absolute waste of everyone’s time.
The human cost of bad content goes beyond wasted minutes. It’s the frustration of thinking you’ve found a solution, only to realize you’ve learned nothing new. It’s the disappointment of clicking through to what should be helpful information and finding nothing of value. And for business owners, it’s the opportunity cost of creating content nobody cares about instead of building something truly useful.
If you want your content to earn backlinks, generate leads, and actually build your business, you need to create what I call “reference-worthy content.” Posts so good that people bookmark them, share them, and link to them because they’re genuinely useful.
That’s what E-E-A-T helps you create. Let me show you how.
Experience: Proving You’ve Actually Done the Thing
Google’s algorithm is getting frighteningly good at figuring out whether you’re writing from actual experience or just cobbling together facts from other sources. Here’s how I showcase genuine experience in my posts:
1. I Share Authentic War Stories (Not Generic Advice)
Nothing says “I’ve been in the trenches” like a detailed anecdote about a real situation you’ve faced. These stories are pure content gold – they’re unique to you, impossible for competitors to copy, and readers absolutely devour them.
I often tell the story about the time I had to rescue a thoroughly hacked WordPress site while on holiday in Spain, using nothing but my phone and painfully slow hotel WiFi. It was a nightmare at the time, but it makes for a compelling story that demonstrates I’ve faced real website emergencies – and more importantly, solved them.
Generic advice tells readers to “make regular backups.” Experience-based content tells them: “After losing an entire weekend recovering a site that could have been restored in 15 minutes with a proper backup, I now refuse to launch any site without automated daily offsite backups and have literally fired clients who won’t pay for this basic protection.”
See the difference? One is forgettable. The other shows I’ve learned this lesson the hard way.
2. I Include Specific Details Only an Insider Would Know
The internet is bursting with general advice. What sets experienced content apart are those little insider tips and observations that you can only know from doing something repeatedly.
For example, instead of saying “Regular backups are important,” I might say “When configuring your backup plugin, set it to run at 3 AM rather than midnight – most hosts run their system updates around midnight, and you’ll avoid the server load that could cause your backup to fail. I learned this after three consecutive backup failures for a client nearly cost us everything.”
Those specific details signal to both readers and Google that you’re not just rehashing common knowledge – you’re sharing insights from genuine experience.
3. I Show My Evolution (Because Growth Demonstrates Experience)
I’ve been building websites for over 15 years, and my approaches have changed dramatically as I’ve learned more. Sharing how your thinking has evolved demonstrates genuine experience and intellectual honesty.
“I used to recommend daily backups for everyone, but after supporting hundreds of sites, I now recommend hourly incremental backups for ecommerce sites and daily backups for everything else. The potential revenue loss from even a few hours of missing orders finally convinced me that the extra storage cost is trivial compared to the risk.”
Speaking of evolution, my post on 5 Big Choices for Web Design Customers in 2025 shows just how much the landscape has changed recently.
Expertise: How I Learned to Show I Know My Stuff (The Hard Way)
Look, I’m not naturally comfortable bragging about myself. I’m British, for crying out loud – we’re practically allergic to self-promotion. But after years of watching less knowledgeable competitors rank higher simply because they were better at showing off their credentials, I had to get over myself.
Expertise isn’t about being the smartest person in the room – it’s about demonstrating you actually know what you’re talking about. Here’s how I’ve learned to do it without making myself cringe:
1. I Sprinkle in Credentials (But Only When Relevant)
Early in my career, I’d either hide my qualifications entirely or awkwardly dump them all at once like I was reading my CV aloud. Both approaches failed miserably.
Now I’ll casually mention relevant experience when it supports a specific point: “After cleaning up my 200th hacked WordPress site last year, I noticed a pattern – 83% of them were compromised through outdated plugins, not weak passwords as most people assume.”
See what I did there? The credential (cleaning up 200+ hacked sites) directly supports my insight about plugin vulnerabilities. It’s not random CV-padding; it explains why you should trust my observation.
2. I Go Beyond the Bloody Obvious
I’ve wasted too many hours of my life reading so-called “ultimate guides” that just regurgitate the same basic tips everyone already knows. It’s infuriating.
Case in point: I once spent £30 on an eBook about WordPress optimization that essentially told me to “install a caching plugin” and “use a good host.” Thirty quid for advice I could have given my gran.
That experience fundamentally changed how I create content. When I write about technical topics now, I force myself to include:
- At least three specific tips I’ve never seen in other articles
- Actual code snippets or configuration settings I personally use
- Warnings about edge cases I’ve encountered in real client work
- Concrete examples with measurable results
My article on database optimization doesn’t just say “clean your database regularly.” It walks through exactly which tables collect the most bloat, which cleanup plugin settings are safe to use on a live site, and how I reduced one client’s 2GB database to 300MB without losing any important data.
3. I Challenge Outdated Advice (Even When It’s Popular)
This one’s gotten me in trouble, but I refuse to parrot conventional wisdom when my experience shows it’s wrong.
Three years ago, everyone was banging on about exact-match domains being essential for local SEO. Despite the pressure to conform, I published data from our client portfolio showing that keyword-stuffed domains were actually underperforming compared to branded domains.
I got some heated emails from other agencies, but six months later when Google’s helpful content update confirmed my findings, those same critics quietly updated their advice. By being willing to challenge outdated practices with actual evidence, I established myself as someone who thinks independently rather than just following the herd.
The hardest part of demonstrating expertise isn’t acquiring knowledge – it’s learning to share it in a way that’s both confident and authentic. I’m still working on finding that balance every day.
Authoritativeness: How I Stopped Being an Industry Nobody
God, the early days were rough.
I’d pour my heart into writing these blog posts that I thought were absolute gold. Then… nothing. Crickets. Not a single comment. Zero shares. No backlinks. Just me, refreshing Google Analytics, watching that sad little visitor count (mostly just me and my mum, if I’m honest).
It took me ages to figure out that being an “authority” isn’t something you can just declare. You can’t just slap “WordPress Expert” on your website and expect people to believe you. Authority happens when other people start treating you like one.
So how did I go from digital nobody to someone whose content actually gets referenced? Three things changed everything for me:
I stopped being a selfish git with my links
This is embarrassing to admit, but I used to have this bizarre paranoia about linking to other experts. Like somehow sending traffic to another website was this terrible business mistake.
“Why would I link to them? They’re my COMPETITION!” I’d think, guarding my precious “link juice” like some digital Gollum.
Then I had a proper lightbulb moment. During a local business meetup, I met a marketing director who mentioned they loved an article on my site. Why? Because I’d linked to one of their favorite resources and added my own perspective on it.
That conversation changed my entire approach. I started genuinely connecting my readers with the best resources I could find – even if those resources weren’t mine. I’d link to genuinely helpful stuff and add my own two cents about why I found it valuable or where my experience was different.
And then something bizarre happened. Those same people started noticing. Some left comments. A few shared my posts. Eventually, they started linking back to my articles.
“Websites and pages need enough expertise to be authoritative and trustworthy on their topic.” – Google Search Central Blog
No desperate “please link to me” emails required. Turns out, being part of a community beats trying to position yourself above it every time.
I got properly humbled about data
This one still makes me cringe. Three years ago, I wrote this confident post about mobile optimization where I boldly claimed that certain techniques “doubled conversion rates for most sites.”
A reader called me out in the comments: “Interesting article, but where’s your evidence for these conversion claims?”
I had absolutely none. Just vibes and scattered observations. I cobbled together some vague response that basically amounted to “trust me, bro.”
That public embarrassment was exactly what I needed. It forced me to completely rethink how I backed up my claims.
I went a bit overboard after that (my wife would say obsessive). I started documenting EVERYTHING with my clients. Before-and-after screenshots. Conversion tracking. Ranking changes. I built spreadsheets that would make an accountant weep with joy.
So now when I write something like: “In my audit of 50 Northamptonshire business websites, 98% had accessibility failures that could trigger legal issues,” it’s because I actually counted them, one painful site at a time, not because I pulled a nice-sounding number out of thin air.
The funny part? This approach takes way more work up front, but makes writing so much easier because I’m not trying to sound authoritative – I can just share what happened and let the evidence speak for itself.
I stopped using meaningless marketing waffle
My first case studies were proper rubbish. Full of vague claims that sounded good but meant nothing:
“Client X saw AMAZING improvements after our SEO strategy!” “Traffic EXPLODED after implementing our recommendations!”
Utterly meaningless nonsense that helped no one.
These days I’m almost painfully specific, even when the results aren’t as sexy as I’d like:
“Our content strategy boosted a local plumber’s organic traffic from 432 to 1,670 monthly visitors over six months. This generated 43 qualified leads per month, and their booking rate jumped from 62% to 78% because people were finding detailed answers about their services before calling.”
I’ve actually lost potential clients with this approach. Some folks get scared off when they realize I can’t promise them 10x growth in three months. But the clients I do get now are so much better – they have realistic expectations and appreciate straight talk.
Look, becoming a genuine authority takes time. For me, it was a good three years of consistent work before other industry blogs regularly cited my content. Even then, it wasn’t some overnight transformation – just a gradual shift from being completely unknown to somewhat respected in my little corner of the web.
But once you build that foundation properly, it’s remarkably stable. The best part? It creates a business that doesn’t collapse every time Google updates its algorithm.
Trustworthiness: Why I Stopped Trying to Sound Perfect
Ever notice how the most trustworthy people you know aren’t the ones who claim to know everything? They’re usually the ones who say, “I’m not sure, let me check on that” or “That’s not really my area, but I can point you to someone who knows more.”
I learned this lesson the hard way in my business. At first, I thought being trustworthy meant never showing weakness. Boy, was I wrong.
I finally admitted I’m trying to sell you stuff (shocking, I know)
I used to do this dance around my services. I’d write these “completely objective” articles about WordPress maintenance that would mysteriously conclude that hiring someone like me was the ideal solution. How convenient!
Then I read an article where the author was recommending hosting companies without disclosing they were getting £100+ commissions for each signup. I felt… deceived. And it hit me – my readers probably felt the same way about my thinly-veiled sales pitches.
So I overcorrected. Now I’m almost embarrassingly upfront:
“Full disclosure: I’m about to recommend security practices that, coincidentally, are included in our £30/month maintenance package. Shocking conflict of interest, I know! But I’ll also show you how to do everything yourself if you’re on a tight budget or just enjoy spending your weekends updating plugins instead of, you know, having a life.”
The weird thing? Business improved. Turns out people don’t mind being sold to – they just hate feeling manipulated.
I embraced my inner dunce in some areas
This one was painful for my ego. As the “website guy,” clients expected me to know everything about anything vaguely digital. Social media algorithms? Cloud computing? The best NFT investment strategy?
I used to fake my way through these conversations, offering vague advice that wouldn’t get me in trouble but wouldn’t help much either.
One day, a client asked me about cryptocurrency payment integration. I gave my usual wishy-washy response. They implemented it based on my non-advice and ran into serious tax compliance issues that cost them thousands.
That was my wake-up call. Now I liberally use phrases like:
“That’s completely outside my wheelhouse.” “I’d be making it up if I answered that.” “Let me introduce you to someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.”
Counter-intuitively, explicitly stating my limitations has made clients trust my advice more in the areas where I am knowledgeable. It turns out that admitting what you don’t know makes people believe you when you talk about what you do know.
I stopped pretending the internet doesn’t change every 17 minutes
The digital industry moves at a ridiculous pace. What worked brilliantly in January might get you penalized by May.
I used to see this as a problem. How could I write “definitive guides” if they might be outdated before I finished my cup of tea?
Eventually, I realized this constant change isn’t a bug – it’s a feature of my business. It’s what keeps me employed! So I stopped fighting it and instead made updating content part of my process.
Now I include timestamp notices like:
“[Updated March 8, 2025: Google has changed how they handle nofollow links again because apparently they weren’t confusing enough already. I’ve revised the advice below accordingly.]”
I even turned my commitment to freshness into a selling point. When potential clients mention outdated advice they read elsewhere, I point them to my regularly updated content as proof that I won’t let them implement last year’s best practices in this year’s digital landscape.
For more on the importance of keeping things current (and what happens when you don’t), check out my article on Why Your Small Business Website Needs Regular Updates.
Trust isn’t just some lofty ethical principle – it’s practical business sense. After all, I want clients who stick around for years, not those who feel misled and leave. And the only way to keep clients long-term is to be the kind of person they can actually trust with their digital presence.
My Actual Process for Creating Content That Doesn’t Suck
Let’s drop the theory and get practical. Here’s exactly how I create content that both Google and humans actually appreciate:
Start with real problems, not keyword tools
The classic approach to blogging is so backwards. Find a keyword with decent search volume and low competition, then somehow manufacture content around it. Yawn.
I completely flipped this process. Now my content starts with:
- Questions clients keep asking in consultations
- Problems I’ve solved repeatedly for different websites
- Common myths I’m tired of debunking
- Hard-earned lessons from my own expensive mistakes
This approach naturally checks the Experience box in E-E-A-T because it’s based on actual expertise, not just what some keyword tool suggests might be popular.
Last month, a client asked me why their contact form stopped working after a WordPress update. Rather than just fixing it for them, I turned the solution into a troubleshooting guide. That post now ranks for terms I never specifically targeted, simply because it solves a real problem people search for.
Make content scannable without sacrificing substance
This one was a tough pill to swallow. For years, my analytics showed people weren’t reading my entire carefully crafted posts. How dare they!
Then I caught myself doing exactly the same thing on other sites – scanning headings, jumping around, looking for specific answers.
Now each post includes:
- Clear, descriptive headings (not clever ones)
- Short paragraphs (3-4 lines max)
- Occasional bold text for key points
- Bullet points for lists (like this one)
But here’s the key difference between my approach and those fluffy “optimized” posts – underneath that scannable structure lives deep, comprehensive content. The formatting helps busy people find what they need quickly, while the depth rewards those who want to understand the full picture.
Give the damn answer first, then explain
Ever read a recipe blog that forces you through 12 paragraphs about the author’s childhood memories of grandma’s kitchen before telling you how much flour to use? Maddening.
When someone searches “how to fix WordPress white screen of death,” they want the solution immediately, not a history lesson on PHP errors.
My approach now:
- Direct answer in the first paragraph
- Quick summary of key steps
- Detailed explanation and context afterward
This “answer first” method matches how Google’s featured snippets work, but more importantly, it respects readers’ time while still providing the depth that demonstrates true expertise.
Include actual how-to steps, not just concepts
Nothing irritates me more than finishing a long article and thinking, “Great, but what am I supposed to DO with this information?”
Every post now includes specific, practical steps. For meta descriptions, I don’t just say “write compelling ones.” Instead:
“Here’s my formula for meta descriptions that actually get clicks: [Specific Problem] + [Clear Solution] + [Unique Benefit] in under 155 characters. Example: ‘WordPress site running slow? Our 5-step optimization process cuts load times by 70% without expensive upgrades.'”
See the difference? One tells you what to do; the other shows you exactly how to do it.
THE SACRED COMMANDMENTS OF CONTENT (As Revealed to Me After Much Suffering)
After wandering through the desert of digital mediocrity for forty years (or what felt like it), I have returned with these sacred commandments, etched into stone tablets and delivered unto thee:
I. THOU SHALT PASS THE BOOKMARK TEST
Harken unto this wisdom! Before publishing any content, thou must ask thyself: “If I had not written this myself, would I save it as a holy reference for future days?” If thy answer be “nay,” then thy work is not yet complete.
Lo, this divine question hath saved my followers from the forty plagues of mediocrity and spared the internet from yet more content of no consequence.
II. THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS WITH UNTESTED ADVICE
Blessed are those who speak only of what they know! If thou hast not done it thyself, or verified it with a trusted disciple, thou shalt not proclaim it as truth.
When I created the sacred text on Using Clamp() for Fluid Fonts in Elementor, I tested each holy instruction upon three different WordPress temples. Though it took many hours of devotion, it prevented the gnashing of teeth and the inevitable cries of “this doesn’t work, you false prophet!”
III. THOU SHALT SMITE “ME TOO” CONTENT
Hear these words and tremble! The digital realm groans under the weight of yet another “5 SEO Tips” scroll. If thou hast nothing new, different, or better to proclaim, remain silent.
Seek instead the untraveled paths – topics where thy unique experience allows thee to create content of true value. Though these sacred texts take longer to inscribe, they shall outshine the false idols of trending topics when the long night comes.
IV. EVERY WORD SHALL SERVE A PURPOSE
The final and most sacred commandment: Each post must solve a problem, answer a question, or provide genuine enlightenment. “Publishing for the sake of publishing” is an abomination unto the readers.
This divine law means fewer proclamations overall, but when thy followers receive a new message, they shall know it is worthy of their precious time. Quality shall triumph over quantity – in the eyes of both mortal readers and the almighty search engine gods.
Go forth and create content that honors these commandments, and thy digital kingdom shall prosper for generations to come.
My Quick-and-Dirty Test for Spotting Rubbish Content
Look, I’m not perfect at this E-E-A-T thing. I still publish posts that could be better. But I’ve developed a simple gut-check method that helps me avoid the worst mistakes.
Before hitting publish, I run my draft through these four questions:
Does this sound like me or a textbook?
I once wrote an article about WordPress security that my wife read and simply said, “This doesn’t sound like you at all.” She was right – I’d written it in this formal, detached voice that sounded like a technical manual.
Good content should have your fingerprints all over it. Can readers tell this came from someone who’s actually done this work, not just researched it? Have I included those little “gotchas” I discovered the hard way – like the time I accidentally locked myself out of a client’s site while setting up two-factor authentication? Those war stories are what separate lived experience from regurgitated information.
Would an actual pro in my field roll their eyes at this?
I have this mental image of a grizzled WordPress developer reading my posts and either nodding along or snorting with derision. If I sense even a hint of that imaginary snort, I know I’ve missed something important.
Does the content go beyond the basics everyone already knows? Have I addressed those annoying edge cases – like what happens when you try that “universal” solution on a site with an unusual server configuration? If another pro would think “well, duh” while reading, it needs more depth.
Would anyone actually quote this?
This is my personal favorite test. I ask myself: “Is there a single sentence or paragraph in here that someone might screenshot and share?” If not, I haven’t said anything worth repeating.
The most reference-worthy content includes unique insights, original data, or explanations that make complex things suddenly click. When I shared our data showing that slow-loading websites lost 37% more mobile visitors than desktop visitors, that specific stat got referenced everywhere. Not because it was revolutionary, but because it was specific, useful information that wasn’t available elsewhere.
Could I defend this content to someone who catches me in a lie?
Imagine someone scrutinizing every claim in your post and asking, “How do you know this is true?” Would you have a good answer, or would you start sweating?
I’ve been in that uncomfortable position. A reader once emailed me challenging a claim I’d made about a particular plugin’s impact on page speed. I realized I had no actual evidence – I was just repeating what I’d heard others say. Never again.
Now I make sure every significant claim has either a citation, my personal test results, or a clear disclaimer that it’s my opinion based on experience. I’m also crystal clear about when I’m recommending my own services or products versus giving neutral advice.
Here’s the scary part: if your content doesn’t pass ALL four of these tests, it probably isn’t worth publishing. I know that sounds harsh. I’ve thrown away plenty of nearly-finished drafts because they failed one test or another. But in the long run, your reputation depends on maintaining these standards.
Better to publish nothing than to publish something that damages your credibility. You can always come back to a draft when you have more experience, data, or insights to share.
Images and ALT Text: An Often Overlooked E-E-A-T Opportunity
Here’s something most “SEO experts” completely miss when discussing E-E-A-T: properly implemented images with strategic ALT text can significantly boost your content’s credibility signals.
Strategic image placement enhances E-E-A-T signals
When I audit client sites, I typically find a wasteland of poorly implemented images. Either there are none at all (just walls of text), or they’ve lazily dropped in generic stock photos that add zero value.
Here’s my approach to using images that actually enhance E-E-A-T:
- Place supporting visuals after key claims When I make a strong data-based assertion, I immediately follow it with a relevant screenshot or chart. For example, when discussing how web accessibility affects bounce rates, I’ll include a screenshot of actual Google Analytics data showing the difference between accessible and non-accessible pages. This visual proof dramatically increases trustworthiness.
- Include process images that demonstrate experience Don’t just tell readers you know how to## Images and ALT Text: An Often Overlooked E-E-A-T Opportunity
Here’s something most “SEO experts” completely miss when discussing E-E-A-T: properly implemented images with strategic ALT text can significantly boost your content’s credibility signals.
Strategic image placement enhances E-E-A-T signals
When I audit client sites, I typically find a wasteland of poorly implemented images. Either there are none at all (just walls of text), or they’ve lazily dropped in generic stock photos that add zero value.
Here’s my approach to using images that actually enhance E-E-A-T:
- Place supporting visuals after key claims When I make a strong data-based assertion, I immediately follow it with a relevant screenshot or chart. For example, when discussing how web accessibility affects bounce rates, I’ll include a screenshot of actual Google Analytics data showing the difference between accessible and non-accessible pages. This visual proof dramatically increases trustworthiness.
- Include process images that demonstrate experience Don’t just tell readers you know how to solve a problem—show them with step-by-step screenshots. When I wrote about fixing the notorious WordPress white screen of death, I included screenshots of the actual error logs, the FTP connection process, and the specific code changes needed. These process images signal to both readers and Google that you’ve actually done this work.
- Use custom diagrams over stock photos Generic stock photos of “business people pointing at laptops” do absolutely nothing for your E-E-A-T. Instead, I create simple custom diagrams that illustrate concepts. When explaining site structure, I’ll sketch out actual hierarchy diagrams showing how pages should link together. These unique visuals often become the most-shared part of my content.
ALT text: Where accessibility meets E-E-A-T
The ALT text you write for images isn’t just for screen readers and accessibility (though that’s critically important). It’s also a powerful E-E-A-T signal that most site owners completely botch.
Here’s my formula for ALT text that boosts E-E-A-T while remaining fully accessible:
- Lead with specificity, not keywords Bad ALT text: “SEO diagram” Good ALT text: “Diagram showing how internal links distribute page authority through a website structure”
- Include quantifiable elements when present Bad ALT text: “Website traffic chart” Good ALT text: “Chart showing 43% traffic increase after implementing schema markup in March 2025”
- Reference your experience when relevant Bad ALT text: “WordPress error screenshot” Good ALT text: “Screenshot of the PHP memory limit error I encountered and fixed on a client’s WooCommerce site”
- Keep it under 125 characters Some screen readers cut off ALT text beyond this length, so aim for descriptive conciseness.
I’ve found that properly optimized images with strategic ALT text not only improve accessibility (a key trustworthiness signal) but also provide additional context that reinforces your experience and expertise.
For more on making your entire website accessible (not just your images), see my detailed guide on Website Navigation & SEO: Boost Your Rankings with Smart Site Structure.# How to Improve E-E-A-T: The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Writing Blog Posts Google Actually Loves
In fairness, so many clients have asked what they can do to get more traffic on their website. The simple answer is of course, more content. I advise them to write regular blog posts. I have only myself to blame for encouraging them to “just write anything”. What I meant of course was to “write about anything”; there’s a subtle difference. By all means write about any subject under the sun, but write it well. A user should feel glad they read it and get something from it. An opinion, an insight, some new knowledge – even just a laugh. They have to get something.
But that’s not what’s happening, is it?
Just yesterday I wasted 10 minutes of my life reading what promised to be “The ULTIMATE Guide to WordPress Security” but turned out to be 500 words of captain obvious nonsense. No specific plugins. No actual configuration tips. Not even basic stuff about file permissions or database backups. Just “make sure you have strong passwords” and “keep WordPress updated.” Seriously?
This happens almost daily. I click on something promising, wait for the page to load (watching those annoying ads populate), scroll past the pointless intro, and find… nothing. Zero meat. No actual insights. Just regurgitated basics anyone could have found in 30 seconds on Google.
It’s maddening for me personally – but it’s downright dangerous for my clients. These small business owners think they’re doing the right thing by “having a blog,” but they’re wasting time and money creating content nobody will ever remember, link to, or find valuable.
Most small business blogs are failing spectacularly. They’re churning out fluffy, lightweight posts that Google ignores, readers forget within seconds, and nobody ever references or shares. They might as well be shouting into the void.
But here’s the thing – it doesn’t have to be this way.
Yes, Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines matter for rankings. But more importantly, they’re actually a brilliant framework for creating content that real humans genuinely value. Content that answers questions, solves problems, and makes readers think “I’m glad I spent time reading this.”
Those four letters – E-E-A-T – completely changed how I approach content creation, both for my own site and for my clients.
The Bottom Line: Why Creating Proper Content Matters More Than Ever
I’ll be brutally honest: Creating high-quality, E-E-A-T-rich content takes significantly more time and effort than cranking out fluff. Each of my cornerstone blog posts takes 8-12 hours to research, write, and edit properly.
But here’s the payoff – while my competitors are publishing forgettable rubbish every week, my less frequent but substantially more valuable content consistently outperforms theirs in every metric that actually matters:
- Higher search rankings for competitive terms
- Lower bounce rates (currently averaging 38% compared to the industry average of 65%)
- Longer time on page (5+ minutes for my best content)
- Natural backlinks from other quality sites
- Direct client inquiries specifically mentioning my content
- Actual thank you emails from readers (yes, people still send these when content truly helps them)
In a world drowning in mediocre content, quality isn’t just a differentiator – it’s a survival strategy for both your SEO and your reader relationships. Google’s algorithms get smarter every year at identifying genuine expertise and experience. The days of ranking with thin, keyword-stuffed content are firmly behind us.
As a small business owner, you might not have the resources to compete with major corporations on every front. But creating genuinely helpful, experience-rich content is the great equalizer. Your experience, your expertise, your specific knowledge of your local market or niche – these are assets that no amount of corporate budget can replicate.
I’ve seen local plumbers outrank national chains, boutique agencies outperform global firms, and one-person consultancies attract clients that typically hire teams of dozens – all through the power of creating content that actually helps real people solve real problems (while also satisfying Google’s E-E-A-T criteria).
So please, for the love of all things digital, stop publishing forgettable fluff. Your readers deserve better. Google rewards better. And ultimately, your business will grow faster with five remarkable resources that actually help people than fifty forgettable blog posts that don’t.
Need help implementing these E-E-A-T best practices on your small business website? At McNeece Web Design, we specialise in creating content that actually helps your readers while satisfying Google’s E-E-A-T requirements. Check out our SEO services or contact us today on 07785 326603 for a free content strategy consultation.
What’s the most helpful blog post you’ve ever read about improving website content? Let me know in the comments below – I promise to respond to every comment personally!
