April 23, 2026
#136 Your 2026 Google CV, How to Boost Your Online Reputation, EEAT & Visibility
<p>In this SEO and AI Overviews focused episode of the 90-Day Website Mastery Podcast, Jonny Ross and Pascal Fintoni pick up where they left off in Episode 54: answering a practical question about your 2026 Google CV.</p><p>And they walk through the first letter of Google's E-E-A-T framework: Experience, using the brilliant Ahrefs guide by Mateusz Makosiewicz and Joshua Hardwick as the foundation.</p><p>Two practical website tools are shared: one for cleaning up images with AI, the other for auditing your backlink profile, alongside two powerful calls to action around accessibility and responsible AI. If you are serious about building a website that works harder for you in the age of AI search, this episode delivers the blueprint.</p><h2>❓ I've Googled Myself and Captured My Results. What Do I Do With My 2026 Google CV?</h2><ul><li>Start with a sense check: does what you see feel right? Is there anything missing, outdated, or that simply should not be there?</li><li>Look beyond your website and identify how many different sources mention your name or business. Having 10+ varied sources is far more powerful than just your website and LinkedIn profile.</li><li>Switch to Google's AI Mode on a laptop or desktop and pay close attention to the right-hand panel as it shows you exactly which sources are being used to describe you to potential clients.</li><li>Score your Google CV against three scenarios: OK (information about you, from you only), Good (lots of information from you), or Excellent (information about you from you AND from others).</li><li>The 'from others' category is critical. Remember: reviews, recommendations, case studies, press mentions, third-party features, and backlinks all contribute to a richer, more trusted online presence.</li><li>Treat this as your baseline and revisit and repeat every three to four months to track your progress. Use a tool like NotebookLM to help you analyse and compare results over time.</li><li>This exercise is not just about search rankings, it is about understanding what a decision-maker sees when they are deciding whether to trust you with their business.</li></ul><br/><h2>❓ What Is E-E-A-T and Why Does It Matter for My Website and AI Visibility?</h2><p>Based on the Ahrefs guide by Mateusz Makosiewicz and Joshua Hardwick, Jonny and Pascal break down Google's E-E-A-T framework:</p><p><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/eeat-seo/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ahrefs.com/blog/eeat-seo/</a></p><ul><li>E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness — it comes from Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines, a handbook used by human reviewers to evaluate search result quality.</li><li>It is not a direct ranking score or a penalty system, it is a trust architecture that helps Google understand which content and creators genuinely deserve to be surfaced.</li><li>The doctor analogy sums it up: you want someone who has lived through a health concern (Experience), has medical training (Expertise), is recognised by other doctors (Authoritativeness), and runs a legitimate practice (Trustworthiness).</li><li>AI Overviews and AI Mode are increasingly pulling from off-site authority signals — branded web mentions, backlinks, and branded search volume. Well-known and trusted brands are more likely to appear in AI-driven results.</li><li>This episode focuses on the first E: Experience. Expertise, Authority, and Trust will be explored in future episodes.</li></ul><br/><h2>❓ How Do I Demonstrate Experience on My Website to Satisfy Google and AI Search?</h2><p>Experience comes down to one core question: has this person actually done the thing they are writing about? Here is how to make it visible:</p><ul><li>Use your own photography and video, even imperfect, behind-the-scenes content proves you are genuinely doing the work, not just describing it.</li><li>Write behind-the-scenes content that shows the process, not just the polished end result. Share the difficulties and the lessons learned.</li><li>Feature genuine customer reviews, testimonials, and detailed case studies with real, measurable outcomes throughout your website, and not just on a single testimonials page.</li><li>Use first-person language deliberately in your content. Stop hiding behind the royal 'we' as people trust individuals.</li><li>Make your experience explicit and avoid under-communication. If you have 40 years of experience, say so clearly in the content and do not assume people will find it in your footer or About page.</li><li>Add author information boxes to articles and blog posts so readers and Google can clearly attribute content to a real, credible individual.</li><li>Reference industry speaking engagements, certifications, awards, and professional development.</li></ul><br/><p><strong>For B2C Independent Retailers (Jonny's perspective):</strong></p><ul><li>Show the product journey, not just the product . For example explain your testing, selection process, and what you rejected and why.</li><li>Write product descriptions in the first person to communicate genuine, hands-on knowledge.</li><li>Turn customer reviews into content and create a 'Real Customers, Real Stories' section and feature before-and-after photos customers send in.</li><li>Create a 'How We Choose What We Stock' page. This signals to Google and to buyers that a real, knowledgeable human is behind every product listed.</li></ul><br/><p><strong>For B2B Professional Services (Pascal's perspective):</strong></p><ul><li>Publish real case studies with real numbers and not vague testimonials, but actual outcomes and data.</li><li>Write content that references the messy middle, as we say, in other words the real client problems, unexpected challenges, and lessons learned along the way.</li><li>Feature the people doing the work, not just the brand, Google and clients are trusting individuals, not logos.</li><li>Document client work in progress with permission including video walkthroughs and process explainers create undeniable proof of hands-on involvement.</li></ul><br/><h2>❓ What Tools Can Help Me Improve My Website Images and Backlink Profile?</h2><p><strong>Cleanup.Pictures (Jonny's pick): </strong><a href="https://cleanup.pictures" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://cleanup.pictures</a></p><ul><li>A fast, AI-powered tool that lets you upload an image, mouse over any object, person, or defect you want removed, and reconstruct it cleanly in a single click.</li><li>Ideal for website managers and content creators who need quick image fixes without switching to complex editing software.</li><li>Perfect for product photography, event images, and any visual content where distractions or imperfections need removing.</li><li>Visit: https://cleanup.pictures</li></ul><br/><p><strong>Ahrefs Backlink Checker (Pascal's pick): </strong><a href="https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker</a></p><ul><li>Use this free tool to run a baseline audit of who is currently supporting your search ranking and brand mentions through backlinks.</li><li>Discover which websites feature you, identify broken or outdated links, and spot opportunities to build new linking relationships.</li><li>Analyse competitor backlink profiles to uncover potential new linking partners and publication opportunities.</li><li>Remember: you do not ask for a link, instead you present an offer of your time and content so that you earn a feature within that platform.</li><li>With AI Overviews changing the traffic landscape, backlink quality is becoming more important than ever for establishing off-site authority signals.</li><li>Visit: https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker</li></ul><br/><h2>❓ What Are the Two Most Important Website Changes I Should Make Right Now?</h2><p><strong>Jonny's Call to Action — Add an Accessibility Toolbar:</strong></p><ul><li>An inaccessible website means you are actively excluding a significant proportion of potential customers and sending negative signals to Google at the same time.</li><li>Most CMS platforms including WordPress, Squarespace, and Shopify offer plugins or add-ons that can dramatically improve your accessibility score with a single installation.</li><li>Adding an accessibility toolbar with features like font resizing and contrast toggles is one of the fastest, highest-impact improvements you can make right now.</li></ul><br/><p><strong>Pascal's Call to Action — Add an AI Ethics Article and an AI Pledge to Your Website:</strong></p><ul><li>A significant AI backlash is building so do not wait for the media to define your relationship with AI. Take the initiative and show your hand first.</li><li>Write an article in your own words explaining your responsible and ethical approach to using AI in your business (this also directly supports your E-E-A-T Experience signals).</li><li>Add a dedicated AI Pledge to your website footer, alongside your Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions — treat it as a fundamental part of your brand's trust architecture.</li><li>If you need a starting point, explore the Human-First Responsible AI Pledge framework: https://humanfirstresponsibleaipledge.org/</li></ul><br/><h2>🎯 Key Takeaways (with timestamps)</h2><p><strong>01:33</strong> – Introducing the 2026 Google CV: the concept explained</p><p><strong>03:09</strong> – Listener question: "I've Googled myself,what do I do now?"</p><p><strong>05:33</strong> – The three Google CV scenarios: OK, Good, and Excellent</p><p><strong>07:41</strong> – How to use Google AI Mode to audit your online reputation</p><p><strong>09:38</strong> – Website Stories: introducing the Ahrefs E-E-A-T guide</p><p><strong>12:28</strong> – Deep dive: focusing on the first E: Experience</p><p><strong>15:48</strong> – Practical ways to demonstrate Experience on your website</p><p><strong>19:34</strong> – Website Engine Room - Jonny's pick: Cleanup.Pictures - AI-powered image
