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Google’s search quality raters guidelines are freshly updated. The search engine refined its YMYL content and added extra clarifications on low-quality pages, among other things, Search Engine Land reports.
Here’s what’s new:
Updated language to align with the newly published Search Quality Rater Guidelines: An Overview
A refined YMYL that focuses on topics requiring extra accuracy to prevent harm
Low and Lowest Page Quality sections are more clear now and emphasize that E-A-T types and levels depend on the page’s purpose
The language used in the document is more applicable for all device types (new screenshots, updated examples, etc.)
YMYL Topics
What is YMYL short for? The acronym stands for ‘Your Money, Your Life’ and is a description of a specific kind of content. This refers to content that can persuade a reader to decide something related to their money – or their life. It means that that particular content can harm someone. For example, content about what to do during an earthquake, vaccines, etc.
In the previous document, Google had these topics broken down into seven categories. Now – there are no such categories. Instead, the Quality Rater Guidelines now define YMYL by what harm can it cause to the reader and others around him.
These topics can impact health, financial stability, the safety of people or the well-being of society. As Google states, that can happen because:
The topic is harmful or dangerous (criminal acts, violent extremism, etc) The topic can cause harm because it’s not trustworthy and accurate (health, investing money, voting rights, etc.)
Also, Google added a new table of fresh examples that clarify this more:
Photo Source: Screenshot of Google’s Guidelines linked in the text
Low-Quality Pages, E-A-T & YMYL
How do you know if your page is labelled as ‘low quality? According to the new document, you get a low rating if a page has one or more of these:
An inadequate level of E-A-T (expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness) for the purpose of the page
The quality of the main content is low for the purpose of the page.
There is an unsatisfying amount of helpful MC (main content) for the purpose of the page.
The title of the MC is exaggerated or shocking – so no clickbait!
The Ads distract from the MC or interferes with it
Not enough information about the creator of the main content for the purpose of the page – no good reason for anonymity
Negative reputation of the website or MC creators
A lack of E-A-T could potentially mean a low-quality rating, and that low-quality and harmful pages can happen on any type of website. That’s why more information about the creator is a good thing, especially for YMYL content where E-A-T is critical.
I believe E-A-T has significance, in that it tells us the direction Google wants SEO and content to go in… but it stops there. If you are strictly looking for E-A-T to rank and ignoring that Google is still in fact and algorithm, you will lose in the SEO game. — Marvin Dominguez (@MarvDominguez) July 28, 2022
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