Google's quality raters evaluate content using a framework called E-E-A-T. It is not a direct ranking factor. It defines what high-quality content looks like in Google's eyes. The signals that demonstrate E-E-A-T are deeply embedded in how the algorithm evaluates pages. Struggling with rankings in competitive, YMYL-adjacent niches? E-E-A-T is almost certainly part of the problem.
What Does E-E-A-T Stand For?
What is E-E-A-T in SEO? E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It is the framework Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines use to evaluate whether content serves users well. Google added the first E (Experience) in December 2022. It recognises that first-hand experience with a topic is distinct from academic expertise.
What is Experience in E-E-A-T?
What is Experience in Google E-E-A-T? Experience refers to first-hand, direct knowledge of the topic being discussed. A product review written by someone who has used the product demonstrates experience. A destination guide written by someone who has visited the location demonstrates experience. Generic, research-aggregated content does not.
Experience signals in content include: specific personal anecdotes, photographs taken by the author, details only someone with direct knowledge would include, and first-person perspectives on outcomes and results. A service business demonstrates experience through client case studies, specific project details, and measurable results from real engagements — not generic descriptions of what the service involves.
What is Expertise in E-E-A-T?
What is Expertise in Google E-E-A-T? Expertise is the level of knowledge and skill demonstrated in the content. It can come from formal qualifications, professional experience, or demonstrated practical knowledge. Google applies significantly higher expertise standards to YMYL topics (Your Money or Your Life — finance, health, legal).
Demonstrating expertise requires: author bios with verifiable credentials, content going beyond surface-level information, accurate technical detail, and content structure demonstrating methodological understanding rather than topic awareness. Entity SEO provides the technical framework for making these expertise signals machine-readable and verifiable.
What is Authoritativeness in E-E-A-T?
What is Authoritativeness in SEO? Authoritativeness is the reputation your entity — person, brand, or website — has within your topic area as recognised by external sources. It is validated by mentions, citations, links, and references from other authoritative entities in your space.
This is where topical authority and E-E-A-T converge. An entity publishing expert content consistently, earning citations from authoritative sources, and building comprehensive topic coverage demonstrates authoritativeness to both Google's algorithms and its quality raters.
What is Trustworthiness in E-E-A-T?
What is Trustworthiness in Google E-E-A-T? Trustworthiness is the overarching measure — the degree to which users and Google can rely on your content, your site, and your entity to be accurate, honest, and safe. It encompasses security (HTTPS), transparency (clear authorship, contact information, privacy policy), factual accuracy, and editorial integrity.
Trust signals include: HTTPS implementation, accessible contact information, a clear and accurate About page, author attribution with credentials, source citations for factual claims, and an absence of misleading content or deceptive design patterns.
How Do You Improve E-E-A-T Signals?
Improve E-E-A-T at the entity level — not page by page. These actions have the highest impact.
Create a strong About page. State clearly who you are, your qualifications and experience, your location, and your specific area of expertise. This is the primary entity definition document on your site and the first place quality raters look.
Add detailed author bios. Attribute every piece of content to a named author. Include a bio describing relevant expertise and experience. Link to LinkedIn profiles, professional credentials, or published work.
Include first-hand experience signals. Add case studies, client results, specific project outcomes, and personal perspectives that only someone with direct experience could provide.
Build external authority. Earn mentions, citations, and links from established sources in your industry. Guest articles, expert commentary in industry publications, and appearances in authoritative roundups all contribute. A structured approach to building topical authority accelerates this process significantly.
Implement structured data. Organisation, Person, and Article schema markup communicates entity attributes to Google in machine-readable format. It reinforces the E-E-A-T signals present in your content. A semantic SEO approach ensures these quality frameworks are implemented comprehensively.
Related Articles
- What is Entity SEO? — how entity signals demonstrate the expertise E-E-A-T requires
- How to Build Topical Authority — the methodology that builds authoritativeness across a topic
- How to Choose an SEO Consultant — evaluating E-E-A-T signals in potential SEO partners
- Optimise Content for AI Search — how E-E-A-T signals determine AI citation selection
My technical SEO audit includes an E-E-A-T review identifying where your site's entity signals are weak and what actions will have the highest impact. Contact me to discuss your site's current standing.