‘E-E-A-T’ is popping up in SEO discussions everywhere and most business owners might be wondering what that means and if they should be using it in their SEO strategy. Businesses looking to get seen online should understand what E-E-A-T actually means, why Google cares about it so much and some simple steps to take.
What Does E-E-A-T Stand For?
E-E-A-T is an acronym that stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness related to Google’s quality framework:
Experience: Does the content creator have real world experience, either by doing, using, or living the thing they’re writing about?
Expertise: Is the content creator skilled or knowledgeable enough to be speaking on the subject?
Authoritativeness: Is the content creator or website a recognised source within the subject?
Trustworthiness: Is the content creator providing information that is honest, safe and accurate?
Understanding why it makes sense is easier when it’s viewed in context. For many queries, the searcher is better served by someone who has firsthand experience in a particular domain, activity, or task, rather than someone who is only knowledgeable. For example, in the case of searching for “best hiking boots for wide feet,” a review written by a person who has hiked wearing boots on numerous trails would be far more valuable than a general review that would contain no insightful information.
Is E-E-A-T A Ranking Factor?
This is where the confusion really sets in, so let’s be clear: E-E-A-T is not a ranking factor in a traditional sense, in the way, for example, page speed or mobile-friendliness are. This is how it works: Google has thousands of people who work as quality raters around the globe.
The quality raters use the guidelines to evaluate actual search results and how well the pages exhibit E-E-A-T. It’s worth being clear from the start: E-E-A-T isn’t a single score sitting somewhere in Google’s algorithm. There’s no dial you can turn to ‘increase your E-E-A-T.’ Instead, it’s a framework, a way of describing the qualities Google’s systems are designed to reward. Wait, Isn’t It Supposed to Be E-A-T? Previously, yes. E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has been part of Google’s guidelines since 2014. The extra ‘E’ for Experience was added in December 2022.
The thinking behind it makes sense once you see it in context. Plenty of searches are better answered by someone who’s actually done the thing, rather than someone who’s simply read about it. If you’re searching for “best hiking boots for wide feet,” a review from someone who’s genuinely worn ten pairs on real trails is often more useful than a generic roundup with no first-hand insight at all. Adding Experience gave Google’s raters a way to recognise and reward that kind of authentic, lived-in content.
This is where a lot of confusion creeps in, so let’s be direct: E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor in the way that, say, page speed or mobile-friendliness technically are.
Here’s how it actually works:
Google employs thousands of human quality raters around the world.
These raters use the guidelines to score real search results, including how well pages demonstrate E-E-A-T.
Those scores don’t change your rankings directly, instead, they’re used to evaluate and train Google’s ranking systems.
Google’s engineers use that feedback to refine the algorithms that do determine rankings.
So while there’s no ‘E-E-A-T score’ baked into the algorithm itself, the underlying signals that demonstrate E-E-A-T, things like accurate information, credible authorship, backlinks from reputable sites and content depth, absolutely do feed into ranking systems in measurable ways.
Why Does Google Care So Much About This?
Google’s whole business depends on people trusting its search results. If searchers keep landing on inaccurate, deceptive, or low-effort pages, they’ll eventually look elsewhere. So Google has a strong incentive to prioritise content that’s genuinely helpful and reliable.
This matters even more for a category Google calls YMYL, ‘Your Money or Your Life’.
What Is YMYL and Why Should I Know About It?
YMYL refers to topics that could seriously impact someone’s health, financial stability, safety, or wellbeing if the information is wrong.
Think:
- Medical and health advice
- Financial guidance and investment advice
- Legal information
- News and civic information
- Major life decisions (housing, insurance, higher education)
If your website touches on any of these areas, Google holds your content to a noticeably higher standard. A blog about your favourite pasta recipes has a bit more room to breathe than a site offering advice on managing diabetes or choosing a mortgage. Getting it wrong on YMYL topics can cause real harm, so Google’s quality raters are trained to scrutinise this content especially carefully.
How Do I Actually Show Experience?
This is one of the easier E’s to demonstrate and one that’s often overlooked. A few practical ways to do it:
- Share original photos, videos, or screenshots from something you did yourself
- Write in first person about your own process, results, or mistakes
- Include specific details that only come from hands-on experience (measurements, timeframes, what actually happened when things went wrong)
- Add case studies or real client results rather than generic claims
How Do I Demonstrate Expertise?
Expertise is about credibility and depth of knowledge. Consider:
- Adding clear author bios that explain relevant qualifications, training, or industry experience
- Linking authors to their professional profiles (LinkedIn, published work, certifications)
- Making sure content is thorough and accurate, not just skimming the surface
- Getting technical or specialist content reviewed by someone qualified in that field
For everyday topics, ‘expertise’ doesn’t always mean formal credentials, it can simply mean deep, well-demonstrated knowledge of the subject.
How Do I Build Authoritativeness?
Authoritativeness is largely about reputation, what other credible sources say about you. Some ways to build it over time:
- Earn backlinks from reputable, relevant websites in your industry
- Get mentioned or quoted by other trusted publications
- Build a consistent, recognisable brand presence across your website and social channels
- Encourage genuine customer reviews and testimonials
This one tends to build gradually rather than overnight, which is exactly why it’s such a strong signal-it’s hard to fake.
How Do I Improve Trustworthiness?
Trust is considered the most important of the four elements, because even excellent experience, expertise and authority mean little if the content isn’t accurate or the site isn’t safe to use. To build trust:
- Keep information accurate, current and properly sourced
- Use HTTPS and keep your site secure
- Make contact information, business details and policies easy to find
- Be transparent about who runs the site and why they’re qualified to publish the content
- Correct mistakes openly rather than quietly editing them away
