Since the internet has evolved, users have come to terms with the fact that not all websites are created equal. Some websites are a lot more trustworthy than others. However, not all users are akin to this way of thinking. This becomes troubling if a user were to believe incorrect information in a more sensitive niche such as health or finance. This is why Google created the term Y-M-Y-L.
So, what is YMYL and why is it important for SEO? YMYL stands for Your Money or Your Life and, in Google’s words, refers to “pages or topics that could potentially impact a person’s future happiness, health, financial stability, or safety”. It’s important for sites within YMYL niches to show expertise, experience, trust, and authoritativeness, otherwise it’s less likely users will trust the website.
Read on for more information about YMYL and its importance, and what you should do to help your SEO in this area.
YMYL has been used in Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines to specify websites that have pages or topics that have the potential to impact (whether positively or negatively) a person’s happiness, health, financial stability or safety. It was originally called “Your Money or Your Life” for the reason that untrustworthy websites that tried to con users out of their money were looked at as Highwaymen who wanted to take your money and/or to cause harm.
However, since its inception, Your Money or Your Life should now be considered as Your Money or Your Life, Your Health, Your Politics, Your Religion, Your News, Your Ethnicity, Your Sexual Orientation, and more. As these are sensitive topics with a large amount of disinformation around them, Google is being more careful about showing websites within these niches to users.
YMYL is used in conjunction with another SEO acronym known as EEAT (known formerly as EAT). EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. A website must show these with as much information as possible if their content is considered to be within a YMYL niche, otherwise they have less chance of being promoted on Google’s search results.
Read our recent blog, What is E-A-T in SEO & Why Is E-A-T Important? to learn more about why EEAT is so important in SEO, particularly for YMYL niches.
Considering whether your website classes as YMYL is very important for SEO as it means you have to rigorously optimise for EEAT across the website. Google has specifically stated this within their Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines.
Many users automatically trust the search results on the first page of Google, therefore it is important that Google ranks the most trustworthy sites higher than the rest. Google will be even more careful about sites within YMYL niches, and therefore it’s important to consider YMYL for SEO.
YMYL websites will need to be optimised by applying EEAT throughout the site pages. There are many different methods to do this, but the main thing to understand is that Google doesn’t want to rank websites created by people or businesses that have no idea what they’re talking about. Therefore, when applying EEAT throughout your website you have to think “how can I make my website look like it’s created by someone with experience, expertise, trustworthiness, and authoritativeness within my niche?”
We have many ways you can do this and have outlined them below:
Creating an About page for the business or website is a great way to help your users understand how your website can help them. This is where you should put information about why the website or business was founded, who it was created by, when it was created, along with your mission and values. Basically, give the most relevant information anyone would want to know when considering using your website/business.
While the About page covers the whole business/website, your Meet the Team page should contain general biographies of your staff. It doesn’t have to contain all the team – maybe you only put the senior management team on – but this makes your website/business look more legitimate.
It’s a good idea to add qualifications & experience within the biographies – showing the experience and expertise of your team to users. Don’t forget to add professional photos.
Every blog post should be finished with a small biography of who wrote the content. This shows the user that the information conveyed in the article was created by someone with experience within this area and is therefore trustworthy.
Put your company address and contact details on your contact page and/or in your footer. This shows users and Google that this is a real business with real people.
Adding policy pages to your footer shows that you abide by data protection laws, along with other regulations. It is advisable that every website has a Cookies Policy, Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, and (if the website creates a lot of blog content or news articles) an Editorial Policy.
An SSL certificate shows a user whether the connection on the website is secure, or whether the information a user inputs could potentially be viewed by unwanted parties.
Real, positive testimonials and reviews convey a message of trust and expertise to users. This also improves the chance of a user submitting an enquiry or making a conversion, as they will trust the product or service more.
Make sure blogs are citing other trustworthy sites that back up any claims you make. Otherwise, the content will be considered less trustworthy.
The first thing a user wants to know when they land on a website homepage is “what do they do?” It should be very easy to find out what your business or website does, in layman’s terms, on the homepage.
A structured, professional website will always look more trustworthy than an unstructured, spammy mess. Consider using white spaces, headings, subheadings, and spacing out content. This is especially true for mobile versions of webpages.
Becoming active on social media and linking to these channels from the website shows users that you are a real, active business.
Update your Google Business Profile and try to actively get reviews. Google Reviews help Google and users understand whether a business is genuinely helpful to their clients / customers.
There are many different examples of YMYL niches. Below we’ve included sites within the niches as examples.
If you think your business falls under YMYL niches, get help from our expert SEO content writers at Wildcat Digital. We have experience writing for a wide range of YMYL niches, including healthcare, finance, education, eCommerce and more. Get in touch today to begin increasing leads and conversions through improved search rankings, organic traffic, and a better overall user experience.
SEO Account Director
Founder
Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.
Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.
Content Strategist Team Lead
With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.
Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.
SEO Account Director
Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.
Head of Operations
Nadea joined Wildcat in 2021 and has since overhauled the way we work. She has a background in various administrative, operations and HR roles, which gave her the experience and skills needed to lead and organise a growing business.
Outside of work, Nadea loves anything that keeps her active, but she especially enjoys hiking, camping and mountain biking.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a background in sales, Molly is a natural Account Manager, brilliantly handling any issues that come her way. Having joined us as a Digital Marketing Executive, and working part-time through her final year of University, Molly is a shining example of how hard work pays off. She is now an SEO Account Manager with a particular interest in Content and Client Management.
In her spare time, Molly loves to get out in nature, hiking and exploring the Peak District. She also loves cooking and likes to unwind with a bit of yoga.
PPC Team Leader
Libby joined Wildcat in 2021 as our first PPC hire. With a degree in Digital Media Production, a Master’s in Digital Media Management and previous experience in Social Media Management, Libby hit the ground running and has since climbed the ranks to Senior PPC Account Manager and has a particular interest in the eCommerce sector.
Outside of work, Libby likes gaming, and cooking and likes to keep active by lifting weights.
SEO Account Manager
Jasmine joined Wildcat in 2022 with a strong background in SEO and Account Management. At the time, she was finishing up a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has since worked her way up to SEO Account Manager. Jasmine excels at content writing and promotion, and particularly enjoys finding creative ways to join the dots on multi-channel campaigns.
In her spare time, Jasmine volunteers at a charity, helping combat loneliness & social isolation experienced by older neighbours. Outside of Wildcat, she owns a catering company, Savery Grazing, creating delicious grazing tables & platters for a range of events. She also loves skiing and exploring the Peak District.
Senior PPC Executive
Prior to joining Wildcat, Braden founded and ran his own Social Media Management agency where he gained valuable skills in growing brands’ online presence, which has since proven invaluable in his role at Wildcat.
Outside of work, Braden is a big football fan, regularly travelling to Pride Park to support Derby County. He also enjoys watching and playing snooker, hiking in the Peak District, and attending air and car shows.
Senior SEO Executive
After spending ten years managing businesses, restaurants, cafes and event spaces across Sheffield, Jon decided to change careers and joined Wildcat as an SEO Executive in 2022. He especially enjoys the client management side of the job, helping them to understand digital marketing and ways in which they can build their business’s presence online.
Outside of work, Jon likes to keep fit with running, badminton and football, and also loves music.
Senior SEO Executive
Rachel joined us as a graduate, having recently graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English Literature. Since joining, Rachel has proven herself to be a Content Queen, and particularly enjoys getting stuck into projects that allow her to explore her creative side.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including rugby, singing, reading, and spending time with her family and three labradors.
Team Lead & Technical SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Computer Science and SEO experience dating back to 2017, Dariusz has a wide range of SEO skills and knowledge. His specialist knowledge of Technical SEO has firmly landed him the title of Wildcat’s Technical Wizard, and he has recently taken on the responsibility of Team Leader for the Panthers Team.
In his spare time, Dariusz loves hiking, experimenting and trying new coffees and loves learning new things. He is currently learning more about CRO and AI and how this could benefit our clients.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Film and TV production, and a varied career history, Jamie made the move to marketing with a Masters degree in Digital Media Management. He has since worked in SEO at Agencies across Sheffield, before joining Wildcat and working his way up to SEO Account Manager. Jamie has a particular interest in backlinks and Digital PR and has recently gained a client a valuable backlink from Forbes!
In his spare time, Jamie is an avid foodie and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines. He also loves to travel and spent a year travelling to Australia after university.
SEO Executive
Andy joined Wildcat in 2023 after starting his digital marketing career in-house for a local Sheffield company. Since joining, he has developed a strong interest in Technical SEO and has strong skills in Account Management.
Outside of work, Andy loves music and plays in a couple of bands. He also enjoys rock climbing, cycling, photography and good food.
Client Success Coordinator
Siena joined us in 2023 with a background in sales and digital marketing. She leads on client relationships across the company, ensuring that our customers are happy throughout their journey with us, from their initial consultation through to onboarding and beyond.
Outside of work, Siena enjoys travelling and getting stuck into the local culture. She likes to make the most of her experiences and particularly enjoys watching sunrises and sunsets from beautiful locations around the world.
Senior SEO Executive
Thea has a wealth of experience in SEO, having previously worked for other Digital Marketing Agencies in Sheffield. She has a particular interest and skills in Technical SEO, but is more than willing to get stuck in and give anything a go.
Outside of work, Thea spends most of her time with her children, but also loves reading, photography and gardening.
PPC Executive
Before joining Wildcat, Tom worked across different industries, building skills in sales and customer service. He later developed a passion for digital marketing whilst working on personal marketing projects and freelance ventures, and gained numerous certifications in PPC and Social Media.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys staying active by going to the gym and hiking. He also loves travelling and motorbiking.
Head of Growth
Rich joined us in May 2024 to head up our growth team. With years of experience helping other agencies to grow, Rich joins us at an exciting time as Wildcat is working on a five-year plan to become one of the biggest agencies in the UK.
Outside of work, Rich is a father to three children, which keeps him very busy! He’s also recently started running again to keep fit and loves a bit of DIY.
SEO Executive
Kezia joined us in July 2024 after completing a CIM Certificate in Digital Marketing and gaining experience in Content SEO at another Sheffield agency.
In her spare time, Kezia loves to get outdoors, bouldering, hiking and travelling.
SEO Executive
Amy joined Wildcat in 2024 with a background in journalism, having worked as a News Editor and Editor-in-Chief at The Sheffield Tab. She is naturally interested in Content SEO and research, so will no doubt prove to be a content power-house.
In her spare time, Amy loves watching crime shows, listening to music and hanging out with her dog, Eddie!
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