Rank Fast with these Topical Authority Tactics Ep.589
In this podcast episode featuring SEO Specialist Matthew Bertram, the focus is on demystifying Topical Authority in SEO and providing actionable…
Link Building
Algorithmic Brand Optimization: Interview with Google’s Gary Illyes Ep. 576
Gary Illyes of Google confirms links remain important ranking signals but sites can rank without them, and that no-follow links are now treated as hints to help Google discover spam and low-link-density languages.
Key takeaways
- Sites can rank without external links, especially on the mature English-language web, but links matter more in competitive or low-link-density language areas.
- EAT is not a ranking signal itself; it is guidance written for human quality raters explaining what Google algorithms look for.
- AMP helped start a web speed revolution by pushing publishers to optimize page load times, even those who never implemented AMP directly.
About this episode
This is an old interview with Google Webmaster Trends Analyst Gary Illyes. Understanding Algorithmic Preferences: Incorporating Branding, E-A-T Concepts, and Optimization for Search Engines and Social Media Platforms. We deemed it immensely valuable to revisit this information from the archives, particularly in light of all the algorithmic changes that have been happening in the SEO industry over the last 36 months.…
Questions this episode answers
Does Google use no-follow links for ranking?
Gary Illyes says Google treats no-follow as a hint rather than a directive. This lets Google discover spam, malware, and content in low-link-density language areas it previously could not see. He does not confirm no-follow links are used directly in rankings but says it is a possibility.
Can a website rank on Google without any external links?
Yes, according to Gary Illyes. He cites examples of small brand sites with no external links ranking in top positions for commercial queries. He notes it is easier to rank without links on the mature English-language web, but harder in competitive niches or lower-resource language areas.
What is EAT and how does it affect Google rankings?
Gary Illyes says EAT is not a ranking signal. It is documentation written for human quality raters to explain what Google algorithms look for regarding content quality. He recommends reading the raters guidelines document and points to Marie Haynes, Glenn Gabe, and Jennifer Slagg as credible interpreters.
How can small businesses compete with big brands in Google search?
Gary Illyes recommends that small businesses specialize in a niche, optimize images so they appear in visual search, and create a distinctive brand experience that gets people talking. He uses a Zurich bakery that focused on croissants and offered fast delivery as a real example of this working.
In their words
I don't think that machine learning changes. No, us using machine learning in search changes all that much externally. Basically, the same rules apply. It's just we are combining signals in ways that we haven't thought of before
Gary Illyes
you have to come up with something special that will make people remember you. Because if they remember you, then their friends will remember you as well by extension because they will talk about you.
Gary Illyes
Terms defined in this episode
- No-follow hint
- When Google treats a no-follow link attribute as a hint rather than a directive, meaning it can still crawl and use that link to discover spam, malware, or ranking signals rather than ignoring it entirely.
- EAT
- Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Gary Illyes describes it as guidance written for human quality raters explaining what Google algorithms look for, not a direct ranking signal.
- LDCP
- Language Demotion Country Promotion. A Google signal that boosts search results geographically relevant to the searcher and demotes results in languages they are unlikely to want.
- Site move tool
- A feature in Google Search Console that transfers all existing signals from an old domain or site structure to a new one when a site is rebranding or migrating, unless the move involves spammy activity.
Full transcript is being added.
This episode answers
Matthew Bertram
AI keynote speaker · Owner & CEO, EWR Digital · President, ModalPoint
Matthew Bertram is an AI keynote speaker, creator of DIG™ (Digital Information Governance), and owner and CEO of EWR Digital. He helps energy and industrial leaders win visibility in AI search (GEO and AEO), is President of ModalPoint and CMO of the Oil & Gas Global Network, hosts The Best SEO Podcast, and has authored eight books including LLM Visibility. More about Matthew Bertram.
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