Calling All Wealthy Affiliate Members-Eating Up Google's EAT Metric Via GMB Feature

byFamilyman82

2.6K followers

4 years ago

Wealthy Affiliate GMB Feature Idea

Here at Wealthy Affiliate, we have the helpful SiteComments feature, which essentially mimics website engagement in the eyes of Google's Ranking Algo but what if...

We as a community, were to take that one step further but instead of engagement we use the power of the WealthyAffiliate.com Community to our advantage with the EAT (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) metric of that same algorithm.

In laymen terms, we create a feature, similar to SiteComments, but for GMB (Google My Business) listings or direct reviews on sites/businesses where the function exists.

You know, like for reviews and quality feedback.

After all, there are plenty of studies that SEO's, a lot smarter than me, have done that show correlations with positive/neutral GMB reviews and higher, site wide, rankings in the SERP's.

Not just an increase in Local Business SERP's either!

What Is E-A-T & Google's Inclusion Of It

OK, after reading my opening sentence again, I realize that mimic was probably not the best of ways to describe the power behind Wealthy Affiliate Websites SiteComments Feature.

So, for whom that offended, I slightly apologize!

I say slightly because, well, think about it...

That's what we are essentially doing.

Nobody here is doing it solely out of the kindness in their own heart.

It is, as it clearly states, a give and take kind of thing and folks are reaping monetary and SEO reward/value.

We're all in it to win it, and with all the drastic search algorithm updates Google has been rolling out, we need all the help we can get as the little guys. (And Gals)

Sorry ladies, just a figure of speech, no disrespect intended.

Now back to the matter at hand - Leveraging the power of the Wealthy Affiliate Community and yielding it for search visibility purposes.

First off, let's briefly discuss E-A-T, what it is and how Google is using it.

So, What Is E-A-T?

E-A-T is an acronym for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness that indicates whether a website or business is one of the top dogs of a certain niche or industry.

That's simple enough, right?

Well yes, as far as definitions go but, the way in which Google determines these signals in their Algorithm is any but simple.

In fact, they use a variety of signals to determine a site's E-A-T so they can correctly rank that site or business in the search engines.

There are 3 important things' to point out here:

1. Google says they do not have a specific E-A-T score that they give sites
2. That one of the signals are directly tied to Google's quality raters (actual flesh and blood human beings)
3. The almighty customer review and/or positive brand mention is one of the most influential signals

Which makes sense, if you think about it.

Google is and has been moving their SERP's to better reflect searcher intent and user experience.

So those sites that give off this sort of high quality searcher/user signals are rewarded handsomely with high Google Search Standings.

It's not just about links anymore its more about we the people. (User Experience)

With Great Community Power Comes Greater Member Resposibility

Don't get me wrong here, I am already aware of the eventuality of, Let's call them not so committed members, trying to abuse or game this system in hopes of skyrocketing there website rankings.

However, Google as a whole has improved their ability to weed thru the BS and sniff out, then devalue, the not so moral signals being put out there by these such individuals wanting to push things' to damn far.

So there are obviously some details and quality guidelines that, we as a community, would need to iron out before being deemed as one of the full-blown Wealthy Affiliate Features.

You know things' like:

• NO SPAMMING AT ALL OF ANY KIND
• NO LINKS IN REVIEWS
• Only one review, per person, per WA members site or GMB listing
• Only So many allowed reviews, per member a month
• Reviews given would have to be done at members site/GMB listing level (Not from WA platform like with SiteComments)
• Have the list of requests hosted at WA but not linked together like site comments
• And many more that elude me at the moment

Now I am sure many of you are reading this right now and are thinking this is on the shady side of things' but I assure you this can be done in a responsible and moral manner.

It will take great minds coming together to find that common, quality controlled, morally sound ground.

But we have some of the best minds in the biz here so I am highly confident that if any one community or membership group can solve it...

The Wealthy Affiliate Community can!

An Alternative Wealthy Affiliate Feature Theory

This is just a thought but it is one that I have harbored for the better part of my membership here at WA.

Even one that has been acted on with other members early on in my Wealthy Affiliate Membership.

Now, I won't call you fellows out by name because, well, I just won't but you know who you are.

You also know that this was something a small group of us were doing a handful of years ago.

It is, what I called, A Social Share Club and did so for obvious reasons.

It goes a little something like SiteComments and Feedback but instead of commenting on each others sites we were socially sharing each others content on our social channels.

A 1 for 1 kind of game, which has an end result of what are essentially back links to your site.

Albeit they are no follow but if you know anything about SEO than you are aware that even no follow links have their fair share of link juice.

Or Link equity, however you prefer to say it.

This, to me seems like a no-brainer as well and something that all of us WA members, free and paid, should be leveraging as a community.

Anywho, that is just another idea for the bigwigs here at WA to possibly consider adding to their repertoire of power features at a Wealthy Affiliate Members disposal.

I'll leave it to you to decide which but if any of my outlandish Wealthy Affiliate Feature Ideas sound like a good idea to you than help make them possible by bringing them to the attention of the power that be (WA owners) by showing your support in the form of a Like and/or Share.

Our community is what we make of it, so Let's make it as powerful of a tool that it can be. If you want to act on these ideas with me independently than shoot me a PM and Let's get crackin' (Reviewing and Sharing)