Search Generative Experience will likely change how consumers search for and receive information, influencing how content creators, including journalists, will produce it.

As AI influences search results, Google is expected to continue emphasizing E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) in content discovery results, whether in AI or regular search. This means Google judges pages based on the credibility of the page, author and website.

While this may seem like good news for publishers with decades of archives, SGE is also expected to factor in online presence, including social media, as additional signals of experience, credibility and authority.

“E-E-A-T is not a direct Google ranking factor. But Google wants to serve results with strong experience, expertise, authority and trust. So it is an important concept in SEO,” Semrush reports. “Plus, high E-E-A-T can improve user trust. And lead to more conversions on your site.”

While we don’t know all the details, this evolution in search is an opportunity for journalists and publishers to think about online engagement a bit differently. In the not-so-distant past, journalists were encouraged to engage on social media as a way to build growth and distribution. Now, these same practices represent an evolved content strategy. Social media will continue to help professionals build their personal brands, share insights, and engage with their audience, and these signals could significantly influence their perceived authority.

KHQ shares 15 years of learning

During a recent sharing session for LMA’s Family and Independent Media Sustainability Lab, KHQ, a television-based media organization serving the Spokane, Washington, region, shared its approach for building talent loyalty which contains many of the elements of a successful E-E-A-T strategy.

KHQ, a local news broadcaster, used to claim ownership over social media pages created by its on-air personalities, aka talent — a common practice in the early days of social audience building. Now, however, individuals are encouraged and rewarded to build and own their own presence, so long as it follows station policies.

This approach provides incentives for direct interaction between journalists and their audiences, bypassing the traditional route through the main station page, said Neal Boling, general manager. This not only makes the talent more relatable and accessible but also capitalizes on their competitive nature by encouraging the growth of a personal audience, Boling said.

Because talent can now “take their audience with them,” should they move stations or markets, they have more incentives to cultivate engagement — enhancing the broadcaster’s reach while offering journalists the opportunity to build their personal brands.

Boost expertise and authority

Here are four suggestions from KHQ that other news outlets can implement with their own journalists.

  • Start with clear guidelines: Update social media policies to clarify expectations for online interactions, ensuring consistency and professionalism.
  • Provide incentives for audience building: Set engagement targets and reward journalists for audience growth and interactions, recognizing the value of personal branding in enhancing overall authority.
  • Promote individual pages: Journalists can find or build community on more social platforms than ever before. LinkedIn, Reddit and Threads are a few where journalists may feel more comfortable.
  • Monitor and adapt: Regularly review social strategies and adjust based on evolving best practices and the dynamic landscape of digital search technologies.

Bonus: Journalists’ profiles on your websites should include links to their most recent and important articles, as well as social accounts including LinkedIn. This is not an audience-building tactic, but signals authority and expertise in generative search results.

Google has openly shared that Search is constantly being tested, evaluated and updated. Direct audience is still important and these suggestions will also help build trust with existing and new audiences.