What is YMYL Content? A Beginner’s Guide to Google’s Guidelines

Published Date: July 23, 2024

Written By:

Lyndon Bell

Lyndon Bell

With more than 25 years of editorial experience, senior content specialist Lyndon Conrad Bell started his career in print before successfully transitioning into digital environments. Having both edited and contributed to a number of national consumer and industrial magazines, along with well-known online publications of both types, Bell is uniquely positioned to curate and develop B2B, as well as consumer-facing content on a wide range of topics.

What is YMYL Content? A Beginner’s Guide to Google’s Guidelines

Table of Contents

Do you rely on Google search for every little or big question you have? Well, you might want to know about YMYL content. YMYL stands for “Your Money Your Life.” This phrase is used for any type of content that could potentially cause harm and impact the reader’s health, financial stability, happiness, or safety. Let’s dive deeper into the concept of YMYL.

YMYL in SEO

Google has extremely stringent expectations when it comes to YMYL content, as it has the power to impact people’s lives. For example, if someone searches online for “What is the fastest way to lose weight” and stumbles upon a website that offers unhealthy or potentially dangerous advice, they could end up negatively impacting their health. To avoid a scenario like this, Google has higher standards for YMYL content than usual.

Google prioritizes adhering to the “strictest standards of trustworthiness and safety” for YMYL searches. To meet this goal, they scrutinize YMYL content for quality and accuracy, making it harder to rank highly for these queries.

Therefore, carefully consider the topics and keywords you aim to rank for based on your brand, industry, and goals. Google prioritizes providing the best, most relevant search results to users, regardless of how you feel about your content. For YMYL content, the top results must be factually accurate, current, and beneficial to searchers.

As a reader, some questions to ask yourself before considering the expertise of YMYL content are, “Is the author an expert?” “Does the author have any credentials?” etc.

YMYL and the Content it Covers

Shopping: YMYL content includes shopping websites or any website that allows you to make purchases online, such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, etc. The accuracy, security, and reliability of these sites significantly impact users’ financial well-being and safety. They provide products and services that consumers rely on for various needs, ranging from everyday items to specialized goods.
Finance: Websites offering inaccurate or misleading financial advice on taxes, investments, loans, retirement planning, home purchases, etc., can lead to financial losses and drastically impact someone’s future, which is why all financial websites also come under YMYL.
Health and Safety: Any medical advice related to medicine, drugs, or healthcare also falls under YMYL content because it has a direct impact on a person’s well-being and quality of life. Incorrect or misleading medical information can lead to harmful decisions, misdiagnosis, improper treatments, or even life-threatening situations.
Legal: Websites that give advice on legal issues such as divorce or civic topics such as immigration or policies also come under Google YMYL content as they can directly influence critical aspects of people’s lives. Legal advice can impact personal rights, financial stability, and overall well-being. Incorrect or misleading legal information can result in serious consequences, including financial loss, legal penalties, or compromised personal rights.
News: Sites like The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, etc., that report on local, national, and international events and issues also fall under Google YMYL topics because the information they provide can significantly influence readers’ decisions and actions.

Optimize for YMYL Now!

How Google Ranks YMYL Content and Steps You Should Take?

When it comes to YMYL SEO, understanding how Google ranks YMYL content differently from non-YMYL content is crucial. Google holds YMYL content to exceptionally strict standards of quality and trustworthiness. Here are essential steps you should take to ensure your YMYL content performs well in search rankings.

Create High-Quality Content

What is YMYL content without thorough research, accuracy, and relevance? High-quality content is fundamental for YMYL SEO. Google YMYL standards emphasize that content should be well-researched, up-to-date, and written by experts in the field. To meet these standards, you should:

Conduct comprehensive research to provide accurate and detailed information.

As National Debt Relief’s SEO and Content Marketing agency, we at AdLift took great care to ensure that the content we were optimizing was accurate and from trustworthy sources. NDR’s audience comprised of individuals seeking information on how they can reduce or eliminate their debt – basically information that is affecting their personal life. We therefore ensured that the content was in-depth, well researched, and accurate.

Make sure that your content is regularly updated to reflect the latest developments and information.

For example: As Loanmart’s SEO agency, AdLift ensures that the content on their website is routinely updated to reflect the latest regulations and information. This content contains accurate and useful financial resources for Loanmart’s target audience.

User-Generated Content

While user-generated content (UGC) can be valuable, it’s important to monitor and curate it carefully within YMYL topics. UGC can enhance your site by providing diverse perspectives and building community trust. However, it must be accurate and relevant. Implement moderation systems to ensure that user contributions meet your quality standards and do not misinform or mislead other users.

For instance, on a health website, a user might share their personal experience with managing cholesterol. This can offer valuable insights and support to others, but it must be reviewed for accuracy to ensure it doesn’t spread misinformation about treatment options.

Link Externally to Your Content

External linking is a key component of YMYL SEO. Linking to authoritative sources enhances the credibility of your content. When writing about YMYL topics, referencing reputable websites and studies helps build trust with your audience and search engines. Additionally, external links provide readers with access to further information, enhancing their understanding and experience.

For example, when discussing health-related topics like the benefits of vaccination, linking to reputable sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) not only strengthens the credibility of your content but also provides readers with authoritative information they can trust.

To further elaborate this, let’s explore another example. As achieve.com’s SEO and Content Marketing agency, AdLift implemented a carefully strategized content marketing strategy that invited backlinks from reputed websites that commanded authority.

Build Links to Your Site

Building a strong backlink profile is essential for YMYL SEO. High-quality backlinks from reputable sites signal to Google that your content is trustworthy and authoritative. Engage in outreach to industry experts, collaborate with influencers, and create content that naturally attracts links. Participating in relevant online communities and contributing valuable insights can also help build your site’s authority.

Boost Your Author’s E-A-T

E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

These are critical factors in Google’s evaluation of YMYL content. Here’s how to enhance E-A-T:

Expertise: Ensure that your content is created or reviewed by experts in the field. Include author bios that highlight their credentials and experience.
Authoritativeness: Build your site’s authority by consistently producing high-quality content. Make sure to earn backlinks from reputable sources and engage with the community.
Trustworthiness: Display transparency by providing clear contact information, a detailed privacy policy, and an easily accessible about page. Encourage positive reviews and add testimonials to build trust with your audience.

To increase E-A-T, AdLift established a content creation strategy for National Debt Relief that consisted of reliable and informative blog posts. These blog posts addressed common debt-related queries, discussed financial literacy, and discussed the benefits of NDR’s services.

This content encouraged readers who were looking for debt management solutions to consider NDR and established it as a thought leader among its peers. All these strategies led to a 56% increase in leads.

Create a Positive Brand Reputation

Your brand’s reputation significantly impacts how Google ranks your YMYL content. A positive online presence and user feedback contribute to your site’s perceived trustworthiness. To cultivate a strong brand reputation:

Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, reviews, and social media interactions promptly and professionally.
Provide Excellent Customer Service: Your customer service should be top-notch, as this will reflect positively in reviews and testimonials.
Address Negative Feedback: Actively address and resolve any negative feedback to demonstrate your commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.

Winning the YMYL Game

Navigating YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content within Google’s guidelines is essential for any website aiming to rank well in these critical areas. To succeed in YMYL SEO, content creators must prioritize high-quality, well-researched, and expert-driven content. Leveraging user-generated content responsibly, linking to authoritative sources, and building a robust backlink profile further enhance credibility.

Emphasizing E-A-T is crucial, along with fostering a positive brand reputation through excellent customer service and proactive engagement. By following these simple steps, you not only align with Google’s expectations but also provide valuable, reliable, and safe information to your audience, ultimately enhancing user trust and search engine rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)