Guide to Google SEO and E-A-T (Now E-E-A-T)

If you follow SEO, you may have noticed an acronym that has become part of the conversation. This acronym tells you all you need to know and seriously consider regarding SEO. That acronym was E-A-T and stands for Expertise, Authority, and Trust.

Then another “E” was added: Experience.

This post will try to provide a little history on this topic so you can understand what it means, which includes no ranking guarantees.

A History of E-E-A-T

02.21.24: Google: We Want To Reward The Best Content No Matter Site Size

Search Engine Roundtable posted an article about content vs. website size. Google says size doesn’t matter. Interesting article. Here again, E-E-A-T is mentioned basically as a concept for creating customer-centric content, just one piece of the SEO puzzle.

Somewhat related, just making a claim and talking about a “rigorous testing process” and following an “E-E-A-T checklist” doesn’t guarantee a top ranking or somehow automatically cause a page to do better. We talk about E-E-A-T because it’s a concept that aligns with how we try to rank good content. But our automated systems don’t look at a page and see a claim like “I tested this!” and think it’s better just because of that. Rather, the things we talk about with E-E-A-T are related to what people find useful in content. Doing things generally for people is what our automated systems seek to reward, using different signals. More here.
Danny Sullivan

Quality Rater Guidelines Documentation: PDF

The above article argues that EEAT is not a ranking factor per se, but if you read between the lines, you find that EEAT is a signal. Google algorithms also listen to all kinds of signals. I look at EEAT as good advice. If a search engine publishes information on what it thinks is a good website, use it to your advantage.

Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content.

While E-E-A-T is not a ranking factor, “using a mix of factors that identify content as good E-A-T is useful.”

Google has added another E for Experience. E-E-A-T.

There are many great resources for a deep dive into E-E-A-T, and I recommend that you do, you know, the “knowledge is power” thing. However, in this post, I’ll provide an overview of E-E-A-T so that you can begin reviewing your site and content.

I will update this post as new information and insight are discovered. However, it is clear that it is time to embrace what is required to rank well; otherwise, you will never achieve this goal.

What Does E-E-A-T Mean?

Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness (E-A-T), and now E-E-A-T, adding Experience on 12-15-22. [Read more here...]

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness

Does content also demonstrate that it was produced with some degree of experience, such as using a product, having actually visited a place, or communicating what a person experienced? There are some situations where really what you value most is content produced by someone who has first-hand life experience on the topic at hand.
Our latest update to the quality rater guidelines:
E-A-T gets an extra E for Experience
Google Search Central

Google’s Site Quality Rater Guidelines is a 176-page PDF document covering what Google site evaluators use in their determinations. It was updated on January 23, 2025, with the addition of 11 new pages.

E-E-A-T is not part of the algorithmic ranking system. It’s a set of criteria for human evaluation. This is why I frequently discuss niches and branding. That’s what makes you stand out, facilitating your SEO efforts regardless of algorithms.

Google posted these items in the change log:

Updated Page Quality Lowest and Low sections to better align with Google Search Web Spam Policies; added illustrative examples.

Expanded guidance on assessing minor interpretations and intents for Needs Met ratings and added illustrative examples.

Minor changes throughout (updated rating ranges, removed outdated examples; fixed typos; updated browser requirements; etc.)

This update also refreshes some language for clarity and provides additional useful examples to help raters.
SearchEngine Round Table

A Little History…

This is how sites have consistently been ranked for as long as I can remember, before an official ranking system was established. It’s just common sense, allowing the cream to rise to the top.

However, we now have access to Google documentation on the thought process involved and another way to explain some of the variables you need to consider regarding your search engine rankings.

Our systems aren’t looking for EAT. Our raters are using that to see if our systems are working well to show good information. There are many different signals that, if we get it right, align with what a good human EAT assessment would be.
Danny Sullivan

Discussions with John Mueller of Google:

That’s not something we’d explicitly measure for Search — it’s a concept we wrote about in our Quality Rater’s guidelines, so I’d check that out.
John Mueller
Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst at Google

Here’s what Google said in 2022

At the 10:30 mark. John Mueller of Google stated that while Google does not use an E-A-T score, E-A-T is still essential and is indirectly factored into the search ranking algorithm. Here’s the entire Office Hours video for your review:

Then, From the VP of Search at Google

Out of the Hyung-Jin Kim interview from SMX Next last week, we not only got the scoop on the Coati algorithm, but also Hyung-Jin Kim told us that E-A-T is used in every single query; it is applied to everything Google Search does. “E-A-T is a core part of our metrics,” he added, explaining that it is to “ensure the content that people consume is going to be, is not going to be harmful and it is going to be useful to the user”
Google lives by the principles of E-A-T every single day, he said. “We do it to every single query and every single result,” he added. Kim said, “so it is actually pretty pervasive throughout everything we do.”
SEO Roundtable
Google: E-A-T Applies To Every Single Query

E-E-A-T Summary

Experience

Consider the extent to which the content creator has the necessary firsthand or life experience relevant to the topic. Many types of pages are trustworthy and achieve their purpose effectively when created by individuals with extensive knowledge and expertise. For example, which would you trust: a product review from someone who has personally used the product or a “review” by someone who has not?

Expertise

Are you knowledgeable on the topic of your site? This is where consistently putting effort into building your brand across platforms will pay off. This is why I emphasize the importance of crafting an engaging About Page when I work with my clients; it contributes to the story of their E-E-A-T.

Even more so if you are a YMYL site. “Your Money or Your Life.”

“YMYL” is mentioned 120 times in the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines.

Pages that fall into YMYL are…

Shopping or Financial Transaction Pages
Financial Information Pages
Medical Information Pages
Legal Information Pages
News Articles or Public/Official Information Pages for an Informed Citizenry.

For YMYL topics, the reputation of a website should be judged by what experts in the field have to say. Recommendations from expert sources, such as professional societies, are strong evidence of a positive reputation.
GSQEG, 3.3.1 Reputation of the Website

Topics and Expertise

This doesn’t require an “official” expert like a lawyer or doctor with educational credentials. Life experience can provide that expertise indicator as “everyday experience.” Once again, the quality and volume of your content should back this up.

Pages that share first-hand life experience on clear YMYL topics may be considered to have high E-E-A-T as long as the content is trustworthy, safe, and consistent with well-established expert consensus. In contrast, some types of YMYL information and advice must come from experts.
GSQEG, 3.4.1 YMYL Topics: Experience or Expertise?

Authoritativeness

Is it clear who is creating the content? Does experience back up the content? Are you a credible source? (Or just a site churning out shallow or aggregated content to support all your ads?) Credibility is also assessed not just by the content alone, but also through outside reviews and testimonials.

This also applies to your Author profile. List all your credentials and provide a detailed view, including accreditations and endorsements. Make clear why you are an expert on the topics you write about.

Trustworthiness

Is the site creator, content, and overall site quality easily trusted? This includes security (HTTPS). Contact information, policy pages, and privacy statements also contribute to trustworthiness.

The bottom line is that your website needs to be credible in every aspect, from visuals to content, context, and structure. Every little thing you do or don’t do can affect your E-E-A-T score.

FREE: Find new keywords for your market…

It’s All About High Quality

Back in the day, putting up your website produced results. Primarily because there were fewer websites, it was easier to get found. The bar wasn’t as high as it is today. Now, to get found depends on algorithms and social media proof. It all depends on users and platforms determining your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness. And, boy, has that bar been raised.

If you think about it, you apply E-E-A-T principles every time you land on a new site, even subconsciously. Then, you determine if the information is credible and are willing to trust that site with your hard-earned dollars.

Quality and Satisfaction are Key

Shoot for high quality. Not average, not just enough. High quality.

One can say that quality is in the eye of the beholder. But not when it comes to SEO. Your website, particularly its content, must effectively serve and satisfy that purpose.

Pages with the following characteristics should be considered Untrustworthy:

Inadequate information about the website or the content creator for its purpose
Lowest E-E-A-T or Lowest reputation
Deceptive purpose, deceptive page design, or deceptive intent
Deliberately obstructed or obscured the MC
Characteristics of scams, malicious downloads, or other harmful behavior
Any webpage or website designed to manipulate people into actions that benefit the website or other organizations while causing harm to themselves, others, or Specified Groups

GSQEG, 4.5 Untrustworthy Webpages or Websites

As a reminder, these guidelines are what are used by our search raters to help evaluate the performance of our various search ranking systems, and they don’t directly influence ranking. They can also be useful to creators seeking to understand how to self-assess their content to succeed in Google Search. Our page on how to create helpful, people-first content has a section that explains this more.
Elizabeth Tucker
Google Search Central

Now, AI is even a consideration when it comes to E-E-A-T. Read, An AI-powered process to diagnose E-E-A-T issues. “As AI takes over search, E-E-A-T is how brands stay visible. Audit credibility gaps and position yourself as the choice AI recommends.”

Ask Yourself These E-E-A-T Questions

Now that you understand what constitutes a high-quality site, you know what to do to achieve it. First, review your main content, visuals, and navigation to ensure they are optimal for your site visitors.

Can site visitors quickly find what they are looking for?
Do I put my direct experience on display?
When site visitors land on your site, are their needs met?
Is your content well-written, thorough, and reliable?
Do you have sufficient main content to support the E-E-A-T for your site?
When was the last time you pruned content with minimal traffic?
Is your site updated, edited, and maintained? Regularly?

You must do whatever you can to make your site zippy, too. While updates and algorithms can impact your rankings, creating great content remains the ultimate key to success. However, no one will stick around for all that great content if your site hangs.

None of this is really “new” news. It’s the way sites have been judged from the start. Do you want to be viewed as an expert? Write like one – a lot. Do you want to be an authority on a subject? You’d better be one because you can’t fake that.

Want to get great rankings?

Identify your niche, build your brand, and target visitor intent while ensuring your site loads fast, is visually appealing, user-friendly, and engaging. To be trusted, there are no shortcuts. Trust is golden.

At your service,