The digital landscape in Saudi Arabia has grown exponentially in recent years, with more businesses and organizations recognizing the value of a solid online presence in 2021. As an SEO consultant at Seo-riyadh.com, one critical component I constantly emphasize to clients is the significance of E-A-T.
E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness – three elements that Google takes into consideration when ranking websites. In today’s fast-paced online world, merely having a website isn’t enough. To thrive, it’s essential to optimize for these key factors to ensure visibility and success in the local market.
A Comprehensive Look at E-A-T
Let’s examine each aspect of E-A-T in detail to better understand how these factors shape a site’s performance and relevance within Saudi Arabia’s digital market.
Expertise
Building expertise has always been an integral part of improving any business’s online presence. Users seek out content that demonstrates knowledge and experience in a given field. Establishing yourself as a subject-matter expert not only garners trust from your audience but also plays a crucial role in how Google assesses your website’s value.
An excellent way to showcase expertise is through creating well-researched, informative articles or blogs on topics relevant to your industry. These pieces should be comprehensive yet easy to understand by your target audience. Use
- lists
to break down complex ideas and include relevant examples within the context of the Saudi Arabian market. Additionally, inviting guest contributions from known experts adds credibility and varied perspectives to your content.
Authoritativeness
The concept of authoritativeness goes beyond individual expertise. It describes how reliable a source your website is within its particular field or industry, and whether it’s recognized as such by others.
A definite way to improve your site’s authority is by focusing on generating quality backlinks. These are links from other respected sites that point towards your content, indicating their approval or endorsement. Encourage natural backlinking by creating useful resources for users, such as infographics, whitepapers, informative articles, or even instructional videos, tailored specifically for the Saudi Arabian consumer.
Another vital aspect of building authoritativeness is to have a consistent presence on relevant social media channels popular in Saudi Arabia. Engage with your audience by sharing content regularly and responding to queries and feedback to portray a professional image with a human touch.
Trustworthiness
In today’s interconnected world, trustworthiness can be the make-or-break factor for any online business. Trust-centric factors do not just pertain to genuine content but extend to all aspects of your website, including privacy policies, terms of service, and general user experience (UX).
To establish trust in the eyes of both users and search engines, it’s crucial to provide accurate and properly cited information. Acknowledge changes and updates made to previous content and avoid exaggerations or misleading claims. In the context of local market conditions, pay attention to cultural sensitivities and respect traditional customs while publishing content for your Saudi Arabian audience.
Make your website easy to navigate with intuitive layouts, functional menus, proper categorization, and accessible support options. Also, ensure that any transactions conducted through your site employ secure connections and data-handling practices aligned with international standards and the Royal Decree M/18 issued by the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) of Saudi Arabia.
Applying E-A-T Principles for Local Search Optimization
Beyond general guidelines, businesses targeting a specific local market like Saudi Arabia need to tweak their approach to cater explicitly to the audience. Here are some actionable steps to optimize your website’s E-A-T score while keeping the unique characteristics of this market in mind:
Using Local Domain Extensions and Keywords
A .com.sa or .sa domain name can give an instant sense of locality and recognition among users within Saudi Arabia. When it comes to keyword research, perform localized analysis to identify popular search terms relevant to your industry, considering linguistic nuances and regional preferences of your target audience.
Setting Up Google My Business (GMB)
GMB is an essential tool for improving your visibility on Google Maps and local search results. Make sure your GMB page contains complete and accurate information about your business, including contact details, location, hours of operation, descriptions, reviews, and high-quality images.
Focusing on Mobile Experience
According to recent data, more than 86% of Saudi Arabia’s population are active mobile internet users – a number that cannot be ignored. Ensure your website is fully optimized for mobile browsing, with responsive designs, fast loading times, and touch-friendly navigation elements.
Adapting Content to Arabic Language and Culture
Offering content in Arabic not only widens your reach within the local demographic but also resonates with users by demonstrating cultural relevance. Translate your website content to the Arabic language while bearing in mind the layout adjustments required for the right-to-left script used in Arabic reading. Additionally, adopt a tone and writing style sensitive to social norms and values typical to Saudi Arabian society.
Leading Your Online Presence towards Success
With a rapidly evolving digital landscape in Saudi Arabia, optimizing your website’s E-A-T score is becoming increasingly important. By demonstrating expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, you establish yourself as a credible source of information and services to users and search engines. As the online competition within the local market intensifies, taking E-A-T optimization seriously can be the essential difference that propels your business towards success.