# YMYL Content: How to Audit Pages About Health, Money or Safety

> Tell whether a page is YMYL with a three-question test, then apply extra checks: qualified review, primary sources, review dates, and safe wording.

Canonical: https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/seo-content-audit/ymyl-content/
Author: Dex SEO, Editorial team
Published: Oct 22, 2026 · Updated: Oct 22, 2026

## Key takeaways

- YMYL covers topics that can affect health, money, or safety.
- Test each page, not the whole site.
- YMYL pages need a qualified reviewer and a review date.

YMYL stands for “Your Money or Your Life.” Google uses it for topics that could significantly affect a person’s health, financial stability, or safety, or the welfare of society. If you write for dentists, lawyers, accountants, insurers, or clinics, many of your pages are YMYL. They need a stricter review than a typical blog post.

This guide gives you a three-question test to tell whether a page is YMYL, then a short list of extra checks only for the pages that are. It ends with a check list for service pages, blog posts, and pricing pages. For the general audit process, see the [guide to SEO content audits](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/seo-content-audit/).

This guide is about content quality. It is not medical, legal, or financial advice.

## What YMYL means

Google’s guide to [creating helpful, reliable, people-first content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) defines YMYL topics as those that could significantly impact “the health, financial stability, or safety of people, or the welfare or well-being of society.” It says its systems give even more weight to content with strong E-E-A-T on these topics.

Google’s [search quality rater guidelines](https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/hsw-sqrg.pdf) describe YMYL in more detail, with examples. Google suggests reading them to self-assess your content. Keep in mind that raters do not set rankings. Google says their feedback helps it check whether its systems work.

## Is your page YMYL? A three-question test

Ask these three questions about the page, not the whole site:

1.  **Could acting on this page affect someone’s health or safety?** For example, advice on symptoms, medication, or home electrical work.
2.  **Could acting on this page affect someone’s money in a serious way?** For example, taxes, loans, insurance claims, or legal deadlines.
3.  **Could a mistake on this page cause real harm before the reader notices it?** For example, a wrong filing date or a wrong dosage.

If the answer to any question is yes, treat the page as YMYL. If all three are no, a normal quality review is enough.

## Clear, possible, and unlikely YMYL topics

_Fictional examples from local businesses._

| Level | Example page | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Clear | A dental clinic’s page on what to do after a tooth extraction | Readers follow it for their health |
| Clear | An accounting firm’s guide to quarterly tax deadlines | A wrong date can cost money |
| Possible | An insurance agency’s post on how to choose a deductible | Depends on how specific the advice is |
| Possible | A law firm’s page on what to bring to a first meeting | Mostly practical, but may touch legal steps |
| Unlikely | A clinic’s page on parking and office hours | No health or money decision depends on it |
| Unlikely | A firm’s post about its new office | News, not advice |

The same business can have all three levels. Audit each page on its own.

## Extra checks for YMYL pages

All pages should pass the general checks in the [E-E-A-T audit](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/seo-content-audit/eeat-audit/). YMYL pages also need these:

-   **A qualified reviewer.** Someone with the right license or training reads the page before it goes live.
-   **Primary sources.** Claims about rules, rates, or treatments link to the agency, law, or official body that sets them.
-   **A visible review date.** Readers can see when the page was last checked.
-   **Safe wording about outcomes.** No promises of results.
-   **Disclaimers where they apply.** For example, “This page is general information. Talk to a licensed professional about your situation.”

## Who should review, and how to show it

The reviewer should hold the right qualification for the topic. A dentist reviews dental care pages. A licensed accountant reviews tax pages. A marketing manager can review clarity, but not the facts.

Show the review on the page. Add “Reviewed by \[name\], \[credential\]” near the top, with the date. Link the name to a page about that person.

Your structured data can carry the same details. Google’s [Article structured data](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article) documentation includes properties such as `author`, `datePublished`, and `dateModified`. Keep those values the same as what readers see. The guide to [Article schema markup](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/structured-data-for-seo/article-schema-markup/) shows how to set them.

The review step should be part of your publishing process, not an afterthought. The guide to a [content approval workflow](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/editorial-planning/content-approval-workflow/) explains how to set up those stages.

## Claims you shouldn’t make

Some phrases put readers at risk and weaken trust. Look for them in every YMYL page. The examples below show what to avoid:

-   “Guaranteed” results, such as “guaranteed approval” or “guaranteed outcome.”
-   “No risk” or “100% safe” for any treatment or financial product.
-   Specific outcomes without conditions, such as “you will save $2,000.”
-   Advice that tells readers to skip seeing a professional.

Replace them with plain, conditional language. “Many clients in this situation qualify, but every case is different” is honest and still useful.

## Keep YMYL pages current

Rules, rates, and guidance change. A YMYL page that was right last year can be wrong today.

-   Set a review date for each YMYL page, such as every six or twelve months.
-   Recheck sooner when a law, rate, or official guideline changes.
-   When two of your pages disagree, fix both. The [guide to conflicting information](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/seo-content-audit/conflicting-information/) shows how.
-   If two pages cover the same YMYL topic, merge them so there is one reviewed version. See the [guide to keyword cannibalization](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/seo-content-audit/keyword-cannibalization/).
-   If an old page can no longer be kept accurate, consider removing it. The [guide to content pruning](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/seo-content-audit/content-pruning/) covers that choice.

## Where DEX fits

DEX connects search research, content planning, article writing, and publishing on the connected site. On YMYL pages, a qualified person on your team still reviews the facts before anything is published.

## YMYL test and extra checks by page type

**Step 1: the test.** Could this page affect someone’s health or safety? Their money in a serious way? Could a mistake cause harm before the reader notices? Any yes means the page is YMYL.

**Step 2: extra checks for YMYL pages.**

| Check | Service page | Blog post | Pricing page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Qualified reviewer named on the page | Yes | Yes | If prices depend on professional judgment |
| Primary sources for rules or rates | When the page cites them | Yes | For fees set by law or regulation |
| Visible review date | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No outcome promises | Yes | Yes | Yes, including “no hidden fees” unless true |
| Disclaimer where it applies | Yes | Yes | Note what the price includes and excludes |
| Facts match other pages | Yes | Yes | Yes, especially prices and terms |
| Review schedule set | Every 12 months | Every 6 to 12 months | When prices change |

## FAQ

### What does YMYL mean?

Your Money or Your Life: topics that could significantly affect health, financial stability, or safety.

### Is every page on a law or dental site YMYL?

No. Test each page. Office hours or news posts are unlikely to be YMYL.

### Who should review YMYL pages?

Someone with the right license or training for the topic.

## Sources

- [Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content) — Google
- [Search Quality Rater Guidelines](https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/hsw-sqrg.pdf) — Google
- [Article structured data](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article) — Google