What is E-E-A-T and Why Does It Matter?

There’s been a lot of buzz about E-E-A-T recently but what is it, really? And why does it matter for your website? Let’s clear things up.

What is E-E-A-T?

E-E-A-T is part of Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines. This is a document used by real people (not bots) to assess how well Google’s algorithm is doing its job.

It's an acronym because marketers love acronyms. It stands for:

• Experience – Is the content created by someone with first-hand experience

• Expertise – Does the content creator have proven expertise?

• Authoritativeness – Is the creator or site widely recognised as an authority on the topic?

• Trustworthiness – And above all, is the content trustworthy and reliable?

Trust is the core of it all. Without it, nothing else matters.

Originally introduced as E-A-T in 2014, the concept evolved in 2022 with the addition of “Experience.” That final E showed a lot, Google now places more weight on content that shows first-hand, real-world knowledge.

Is E-E-A-T a Ranking Factor?

Nope. Google does not count E-E-A-T as a direct ranking factor.

So Why Should You Care About E-E-A-T?

E-E-A-T is central to how Google decides what content deserves to rank, not because it’s a direct ranking factor, but because it helps measure quality. Google wants to serve results that are helpful, accurate, and created by people who know what they’re talking about. And users expect the same.

Whether you’re writing about travel, tech, fitness, or anything else, strong E-E-A-T gives your content more credibility. It builds trust with your audience and increases the chances Google sees your site as a reliable resource.

E-E-A-T matters even more for content that impacts someone’s health, finances, or safety. These are called YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics. In these cases, content that lacks transparency, credentials, or clear authorship often struggles to rank and rightfully so.

How to Improve Your E-E-A-T

Here’s what actually moves the needle:

1. Show first-hand experience - Write from real-life knowledge. Share your own stories, results, or insights.

2. Use real authors with bios - List names, qualifications, and credentials. Link to a full author page with context.

3. Site trusted sources - Back up claims with data from reputable organisations or industry experts.

4. Earn external validation - Get mentioned or linked to by respected sites in your space.

5. Be transparent - Use HTTPS, show who’s behind your site, and make it easy to contact you.

6. Review AI-generated content - AI can help, but it can’t fake experience. Always have a human expert edit and fact-check.

Final thoughts

E-E-A-T is how Google separates helpful, high-quality content from generic fluff.

If you can’t prove experience, expertise, or trust expect to be outranked by those who can. If you consistently demonstrate authority, transparency, and human insight, you’ll give both users and search engines a reason to take you seriously.

👉 Read the full article

Sources

• https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-e-e-a-t-how-to-demonstrate-first-hand-experience/474446/

• https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2019/08/core-updates

• https://searchfacts.com/boost-eat/

• https://goodoil.marketing/blog/how-to-get-safe-backlinks/

• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-does-e-e-a-t-mean-matter-your-website-bradley-phillips-zdbsc/

• https://www.gpwa.org/docs/google-search-quality-evaluator-guidelines-2025-01-25.pdf