The Definitive Guide To SEO Audits
Post-Google Leak: E-E-A-T Components & Machine-Readable Proxies
In May 2024, internal Google API documentation was accidentally made public, revealing over 14,000 ranking attributes. This comprehensive guide maps each E-E-A-T component to its leaked machine-readable proxies, explains Google's previously secret ranking systems like NavBoost and Quality Tiering, and provides a complete audit framework for optimisation.
Key Ranking Systems Revealed
NavBoost System CRITICAL
Google's user interaction system that adjusts rankings based on Chrome browser data. Uses a 13-month data window to track how users engage with search results.
Quality Tiering System
At indexing, Google's SegIndexer places documents into quality-based tiers using scaledSelectionTierRank. Your tier determines visibility ceiling.
High Quality
Medium
Low Quality
Chrome Data Integration
Contrary to previous denials, Google uses Chrome browsing data including scroll depth, navigation patterns, and time-on-site to inform rankings.
Fresh Spam Sandbox
New domains are placed in a sandbox using hostAge attribute. Fresh sites face additional scrutiny until trust signals accumulate.
E-E-A-T Components & Leaked Attributes
originalContentScore
isAuthor, author
lastSignificantUpdate
productReviewPUhqPage
docImages
bylineDate, syntacticDate
- Author bylines on all content
- Original photography/media
- Substantive update history
- First-person experience shown
- Remove anonymous content
siteRadius (penalises straying)
site2vecEmbeddingEncoded
EntityAnnotations
QBST (expert terminology)
onsiteProminence
ugcDiscussionEffortScore
ymylHealthScore/ymylNewsScore
geotopicality
- Site structure shows topical cohesion
- Remove off-topic content
- Implement entity schema
- Strong internal linking
- Geographic expertise defined
Homepage PageRank
PageRankPerDocData
authorObfuscatedGaiaStr
queriesForWhichOfficial
predictedDefaultNsr
nsrDataProto
authorityPromotion
unauthoritativeScore
isLargeChain, siteSiblings
- Backlink profile quality audit
- Author bio pages created
- Social/professional profiles linked
- Brand search volume growing
- Cross-property linking
pandaDemotion, navDemotion
serpDemotion
GoodClicks/BadClicks
clutterScore
spamrank, scammness
anchorMismatchDemotion
KeywordStuffingScore
GibberishScore
badSslCertificate
brickAndMortarStrength
- Valid SSL certificate
- Remove thin/low-quality pages
- Reduce intrusive ads
- Fix navigation issues
- NAP consistency verified
The Virtuous Cycle of Quality
7-Step E-E-A-T Audit Framework
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Google leak and why does it matter for SEO?
In May 2024, approximately 2,600 pages of internal Google API documentation were accidentally made public, revealing 14,014 ranking attributes. This matters because it confirmed theories SEOs debated for years: domain authority exists (siteAuthority), Chrome data influences rankings, and user engagement metrics directly impact positions via the NavBoost system. Google confirmed the documents are real, though potentially outdated. Understanding these proxies helps focus optimisation efforts on what Google actually measures rather than speculation.
What is NavBoost and why is it the most important revelation?
NavBoost is Google's user interaction system that uses Chrome browser data and click patterns to adjust rankings. It tracks metrics over a 13-month window including goodClicks (positive interactions), badClicks (poor experiences), lastLongestClicks (extended engagement), and unsquashedClicks (genuine, valuable clicks). This confirms that user satisfaction is mechanically hardcoded into rankings—not just a theoretical best practice. Sites with positive click patterns get promoted; sites with negative patterns get demoted. Focus on creating content users actually want to engage with.
How does Quality Tiering affect my site's ranking potential?
Google's SegIndexer places documents into quality-based tiers at indexing time: Base (high quality), Zeppelins (medium), and Landfills (low quality). Your scaledSelectionTierRank determines which tier you're in, and this acts as a ceiling on your ranking potential. A page in "Landfills" cannot outrank a "Base" page regardless of other optimisations. To move tiers: eliminate thin content, improve E-E-A-T signals, reduce spam indicators, and build genuine authority. This is why content pruning often improves overall site performance.
What are the most damaging demotion signals to avoid?
The leak revealed multiple demotion signals: pandaDemotion (site-wide penalty for thin/low-quality content), navDemotion (poor navigation/UX), serpDemotion (bad search result behaviour like high bounce rates), anchorMismatchDemotion (misleading anchor text), clutterScore (too many intrusive ads), scammness (deceptive practices), KeywordStuffingScore, and GibberishScore. Additionally, badSslCertificate and spamrank (linking to spammy sites) trigger trust penalties. Audit for all of these—even one active demotion signal can cap your ranking potential.
How do I build author authority using the leaked attributes?
The leak shows Google tracks authors via authorObfuscatedGaiaStr—linking author entities across the web. To build author authority: create comprehensive author bio pages on your site, use consistent bylines across all content, implement sameAs schema to connect to social profiles and other publications, encourage authors to publish on other authoritative sites in your niche, and ensure Google can verify the author is a real person with genuine expertise. This is especially critical for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content where ymylHealthScore and ymylNewsScore apply additional scrutiny.
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