How Does Google’s YMYL Update Affect Law Offices?

Gaining organic traffic to your website from unpaid Google searches is key to an effective digital marketing campaign. Google is constantly modifying the algorithms it uses to rank web pages, and this is a big challenge for digital marketing firms.

Google’s major algorithm update, known as YMYL, stands for Your Money or Your Life. According to Google, this update covers “pages or topics that could potentially impact a person’s future happiness, health, financial stability, or safety.”

Websites that provide legal information and services are explicitly noted under YMYL guidelines. When Google introduced the YMYL update, they declared its focus on the following industries:

• Financial
• Medical
• Legal
• News
• Public information

What Is E-E-A-T

When YMYL was first introduced in 2014, Google announced that searches for companies within the YMYL category would be subject to a strict set of guidelines known as E-A-T, which stands for Expertise, Authority, and Trust.

In December 2022, Google added another “E” at the beginning of the acronym for Experience, changing it to Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust or E-E-A-T.

In determining search results for YMYL pages, Google claims to “give more weight in [their] ranking system” to E-E-A-T factors, which they explain in the following way:

• Experience was added to the guidelines to differentiate E-E-A-T content from auto-generated text using artificial intelligence (AI). Google looks for original content written from a unique perspective that demonstrates first-hand knowledge of a subject or product. Opinions, photographs, and other evidence that content comes from an actual organization or person are indicators of experience.
• Expertise includes writer qualifications and credentials. Google favors pages that demonstrate considerable knowledge about topics, with writing rich in detail and information.
• Authoritativeness is closely linked to expertise. Google rewards the overall reputation of the website’s content among influencers in a particular area. Strong backlinks, comprehensive content, credible primary sources, and a highly rated Google Business Profile all enhance a website’s authoritativeness.
• Trustworthiness is largely dependent on the first three E-E-A-T factors. Being transparent about your sources, providing contact information, and creating comprehensive website content will enhance trustworthiness.

Making Sure Your Website Is E-E-A-T Compliant

A well-optimized website is the cornerstone of a marketing campaign that leads people in your area using Google queries to your services. Your website must be designed to convert clients and convince them to call your office or fill out the submission form.

You will want your website to have a professional look so it makes a good first impression on visitors. It should also feature the right technical structure and authoritative content that covers various topics related to your services.

YMYL websites cannot contain inaccurate, outdated, or fraudulent information to rank well in Google queries.

When building and maintaining your website, you’ll want to take the following steps to attract qualified leads from Google queries:

• Make it easy to contact you.
• Encourage client reviews.
• Update content often.
• Check facts carefully.
• Make your site easy to use.
• Encourage links from directories.
• Get mentions from other websites.
• Follow UX and UI best principles.
• Avoid contradicting expert consensus.
• Demonstrate your legal credentials.
• Avoid errors in spelling, grammar, and syntax.
• Provide visitors with helpful information.
• Closely monitor your comments section.
• Don’t come off as too “salesy” or promotional.
• Demonstrate that you represent a real organization.
• Create comprehensive content about targeted keywords.
• Optimize content to match search intent from common user queries.
• Publish frequent and informative content about the services you provide.
• Provide Your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) throughout your website.

SLS Consulting, Inc.—Let’s Grow Your Business Together

If you’re unhappy with the ROI you’re getting from your digital marketing campaign, SLS Consulting, Inc, will update your website or build you a new one.

Our websites have a conversion rate of five to seven percent, which is much higher than the industry average of only two to three percent.

Contact SLS Consulting, Inc. to schedule a FREE consultation today by calling (323) 254-1510.