If you’re selling wine online - whether to trade buyers like pubs, hotels and restaurants or directly to retail customers - writing high-quality website content is one of the most important things you can do to attract organic traffic from Google.
But not just any content will do. Google wants to show users trustworthy, informative pages written by people who know what they're talking about. That's where EEAT comes in. It stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness - four qualities Google uses to assess the quality of content.
In this article, I'll break down what EEAT means in simple terms and explain how you can write content that resonates with potential customers AND helps your wine business climb the search rankings.
What Is EEAT (And Why Does it Matter)?
EEAT is part of Google's Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines - the standards real people use to review the quality of websites.
In a nutshell, here's what each part means:
- Experience: Have you actually used the product or worked in the field? Share hands-on knowledge.
- Expertise: Are you an expert in your subject? For wine, that could mean knowledge of grape varieties, tasting notes, food pairings, and sourcing. Do you have a qualification that reinforces your expertise? (If so, shout about it!).
- Authoritativeness: Are you a recognised source of reliable information? Links from respected sites, reviews, and citations can help here.
- Trustworthiness: Do your pages look credible and is the content you are publishing factually accurate?
If the content and blog posts on your website can demonstrate these qualities, it's more likely to rank well on Google and can convert casual browsers into buyers.
How to Write EEAT-Friendly Content for a Wine eCommerce Site
Writing isn't in everyone's set of skills, but to help you get on the right path I've put together six ways to improve your website content using the EEAT principles.
1. Write Expert Product Descriptions
Each product detail page should include more than just the basics. Don't just list "Pinot Noir, France, 2022". Imagine the customer is stood in front of you and they want to buy a bottle of wine. What questions are they likely to ask you? What would you say to them to encourage them to buy that particular bottle? Consider including:
- Tasting notes in plain English
- Food pairing suggestions
- Awards or accolades
- The wine producer's story and location
- How it compares to other wines you sell.
This shows both expertise and experience, especially if you've personally tasted the wine or sourced it from a producer you know - that can help with trust too.
2. Create Helpful Educational Content
Think about what questions customers ask you in the shop, or what they might type in Google. Then start a blog, or an FAQs page, that answers common customer questions, like:
- “What's the difference between natural and organic wine?”
- “How do I store wine at home?”
- “What are goods wines for a summer barbecue?”
This not only shows expertise - it also helps capture informational search traffic and builds trust with your audience. If you start an FAQs page then let us know. Open Imagination can help you further - we have tricks up our sleeves!
3. Page Structure
Whether we like it or not, people's attention spans are waning. To help keep your readers engaged in the digital age, structure the content with meaningful sub-titles (with the appropriate H tags) that include keywords. Break up large paragraphs of text with relevant images.
Stick to the point. If you want to go off on a tangent, then hold back and create a separate piece of content. If you can make a connection between the two, then even better - you can add hyperlinks back and forth which helps Google understand the structure of the website and keeps your readers on the website for longer.
4. Share Your Credentials
If you're a master of wine, sommelier, or experienced buyer, say so! Include a bio on your About or Meet the Team page - mention your background in blog posts, and show your real-world knowledge. That's your experience and authority in action for all to see.
5. Add Author Names to Articles
Google prefers content that has a clear and credible author. If you're publishing blogs or guides, include your name and link to your bio where it explains your experience with wine (see previous tip!). Not only are you providing credibility, you're also including internal links that help Google to identify the structure of your website - killing two (SEO) birds at the same time! Boom.
6. Use Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Social proof is a key part of trust. Make sure your product pages and homepage include reviews from happy customers - retail or trade. Better yet, invite people to review specific wines to create fresh, keyword-rich content. Sometimes referred to as the 'magpie effect' this can entice casual browsers into customers.
7. Make Your Site Transparent
Make sure to display contact details clearly, and include delivery and return policies. These may seem trivial, but they build trust, especially for first-time visitors.
8. Don't Forget About Keywords
EEAT helps you rank better - but to show up in the right searches, you also need to use relevant keywords. For example, instead of repeating “natural wine” ten times (known as keyword stuffing), you might also say “low-intervention wines,” “minimal sulphur wines,” or “unfiltered reds.”
To find out more about how to find keywords and how to use them, we've put together a handy article that explains what they are and how to use them.
Final Thoughts
Writing EEAT content might sound technical, but really, it comes down to this:
- Share what you know, be helpful, and make your website trustworthy.
- If you're passionate about the products you sell, take the time to write content that educates and informs your audience.
- Keep it authentic.
- Google will reward you, and so will your customers.
Do you want help writing SEO-optimised, EEAT content for your wine eCommerce website? Get in touch with the Open Imagination team.
About the Author Marie has over 25 years experience working in web publishing and digital development. She has previous experience as a content writer, web designer and managing teams responsible for the delivery of digital products.