Content and links
What is E-E-A-T.
In short
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. The qualities Google uses to judge whether content can be trusted: the author's first-hand experience and knowledge, and the authority and reliability of the site.
Also known as: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness
What the letters mean
- Experience: whether the author has first-hand experience, for example actually used the product.
- Expertise: whether they have the necessary knowledge.
- Authoritativeness: whether the author and site are a recognised source on the topic.
- Trustworthiness: whether the site is reliable. According to Google, the most important element.
Is it a ranking factor?
Not as a single metric Google measures. E-E-A-T comes from the guidelines for search quality raters, which help Google check whether its algorithms work well. Ranking systems try to reward content with these qualities using many different signals. Google added the extra E for experience at the end of 2022.
Showing E-E-A-T in practice
- Sign content with a real author and show who they are and where their knowledge comes from.
- Add your own photos, examples and lessons from practice instead of rewriting what is already online.
- Cite sources and update content when things change.
- Provide full company details, contact information and a privacy policy.
- Build mentions and reviews of the brand beyond your own site.
Where it matters most
In YMYL topics, where bad information could cause harm: health, finance, law, safety. Google holds these to the highest standards.