The complete guide to Google’s E-E-A-T: Checklist, best practices and more

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These are the criteria Google uses to assess the quality of a webpage’s content. This article dives deeper into each element and provides strategies to optimize your content to climb those search engine rankings.
E-E-A-T Cheat sheet |
Meaning |
Example |
Experience |
Refers to how well the author’s personal or direct involvement with the subject supports their ability to address the topic effectively. |
A traveler writing a guide about hiking in the Alps is more credible if they’ve personally completed the trails they describe. |
Expertise |
Indicates the depth of knowledge or skill the author possesses on the subject. This may be demonstrated through formal education, professional certifications, or years of practice |
A doctor writing about managing diabetes showcases expertise through their medical training and experience in treating patients. |
Authoritativeness |
Evaluates how the content creator or website is recognized as a reliable and respected source in the field. This could be evidenced by citations, endorsements, or widespread recognition. |
A well-established news outlet like National Geographic is often viewed as authoritative in the domain of environmental reporting. |
Trustworthiness |
Measures the accuracy, honesty, and reliability of the website or content creator. Trustworthiness is about presenting factual, safe, and unbiased information. |
Financial advice site that provides transparent, well-researched data with clear disclaimers builds trustworthiness with its audience. |
What is the Meaning Behind E-E-A-T?
Each part of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) plays a crucial role in defining high-quality content. While the concept of E-A-T has been around for a while, the inclusion of ‘Experience’ in December 2022 added a new dimension, emphasizing the importance of firsthand knowledge and personal engagement with the subject matter.
At the heart of E-E-A-T lies trustworthiness. Google’s primary goal is to ensure that the content surfacing in search results is reliable and accurate, especially for topics categorized under “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL), which can significantly impact users’ lives. This framework is essential in combating spam and misinformation.
Google’s guidelines state: “Trust is the most important member of the E-E-A-T family because untrustworthy pages have low E-E-A-T no matter how Experienced, Expert, or Authoritative they may seem.”
Although E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor (more on this later), it plays a significant role in improving search engine rankings by enhancing the overall quality of content and building user trust through effective search engine optimization.
‘E’ for Experience
The addition of ‘Experience’ to the E-A-T framework emphasizes the importance of firsthand knowledge in improving content credibility, especially for YMYL topics where accuracy is crucial. Google values content reflecting personal involvement, as it enhances trustworthiness. Content creators can demonstrate the first ‘E’ in E-E-A-T by sharing original content rooted in personal experiences, such as a restaurant review written by someone who has actually dined there.
Expertise: Credit where Credit is due
Expertise in content creation is vital for credibility, showcasing the author’s knowledge, skills, and qualifications. Highlighting personal achievements, using reliable sources, and collaborating with industry experts ensures factual accuracy and high content quality. A positive reputation, supported by reviews, further solidifies expertise, particularly in niche markets.
Authoritativeness: All Facts, No Mess
Authoritativeness is characterized by content that is trustworthy, accurate, and insightful, often created by experts. Establishing authority involves crafting comprehensive content that covers all relevant aspects of a topic and by securing high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites, signaling the content’s value and recognition within its niche. A positive reputation and user engagement further enhance a site’s authority, reflecting expertise and credibility.
Trustworthiness: Trust me, Google
Last but definitely not least is trustworthiness. It’s the cornerstone of E-E-A-T, highlighted by Google as the most vital aspect. It is evaluated based on accuracy, honesty, safety, and reliability, with elements like a clear ‘About Us’ page, site security through HTTPS, and secure payment systems enhancing trust, especially for e-commerce sites. Regularly updated content and visible trust signals, such as security seals and customer feedback, are crucial for maintaining user trust and perceived reliability.
How Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines Affect E-E-A-T
Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines serve as a framework for determining the quality of search results, focusing on aspects like experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness in content creation. Quality raters evaluate content not only for its factual accuracy but, also for how well it meets the established standards of E-E-A-T. Again, Trustworthiness is considered the most critical factor in the E-E-A-T model, as outlined in the quality raters guidelines.
Google quality raters are individuals who evaluate the quality of search results based on Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines, helping to ensure that the content meets standards of experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
Google has clarified through various sources, including statements from their representatives, that E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor, but a concept used by their search quality raters to assess content quality. This means that while E-E-A-T doesn’t directly manipulate search engine rankings, it indirectly impacts them by enhancing the overall trustworthiness, expertise, and authority of a site.
Content creators can assess their content’s E-E-A-T by reading the search quality rater guidelines. Understanding and adhering to these guidelines enables you to create content that meets Google’s standards and enhances your search engine rankings.
User-Generated Content vs. AI-Generated Content for E-E-A-T
User-generated content (UGC) enhances trust and authority by showcasing real experiences from your audience. Encouraging reviews and testimonials can boost credibility, as lacking UGC can weaken trust. Authentic and unfiltered UGC is prioritized by search engines, contributing to a site’s trustworthiness and allowing brands to create their own content.
AI-generated content faces challenges in meeting E-E-A-T standards due to its lack of firsthand experience. However, it can still align with E-E-A-T by including disclosures about its creation and involving human reviewers to ensure quality and originality.
Practical Steps to Enhance E-E-A-T
Okay, that was a lot of information, but how do we apply this knowledge in practice?
E-E-A-T Checklist
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Experience
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Include personal anecdotes and firsthand knowledge relevant to the topic.
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Highlight the author’s direct involvement or experience with the subject matter.
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Use real-life examples to illustrate points and enhance authenticity.
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Expertise
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Clearly present the author’s qualifications, certifications, and expertise in the field.
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Reference credible sources and provide citations for factual information.
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Collaborate with industry experts to review and validate content accuracy.
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Authoritativeness
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Build a strong online presence through high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites.
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Demonstrate a positive reputation with endorsements and citations from reputable sources.
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Engage with your audience through social media and other platforms to establish authority.
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Trustworthiness
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Ensure content accuracy, honesty, and reliability by fact-checking all information.
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Provide transparent author bios and contact information to build trust with readers.
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Secure your website with HTTPS and utilize secure online payment systems if applicable.
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Adherence to Guidelines
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Familiarize yourself with Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines and apply them to your content strategy.
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Regularly review and adjust your content to align with any updates in Google’s guidelines.
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By following this checklist, you can effectively demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, ensuring your content meets Google’s quality standards and enhances your search engine rankings.
Creating helpful and high-quality content created should be a primary goal of any digital marketing strategy. Original content, such as research and findings, helps demonstrate E-E-A-T to Google.
Developing a well-structured content strategy relevant for your industry, paired with on-page SEO and supported by an optimized backlink strategy, lays the groundwork for improved search engine rankings. By ensuring your content is both relevant and engaging, and by strategically acquiring high-quality backlinks, you create a strong foundation for visibility in search engine results pages.
Monitoring and Updating Content for E-E-A-T
So, you’ve incorporated E-E-A-T into your SEO strategy. That’s all there is to it, right? Now, your site will keep climbing in the search engine results pages? Right? Sadly, it’s not that simple—it’s crucial to consistently update and keep your content relevant to maintain and enhance your rankings.
Updating content will keep it relevant and accurate, which directly impacts the Trustworthiness aspect of E-E-A-T. Regular updates ensure that your content reflects the latest information and developments, reinforcing user trust and credibility. As mentioned before, this is especially important for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics, where outdated information can have significant consequences.
Tools for Enhancing E-E-A-T
Well, now that you’re armed with this knowledge, how can you simplify the process? Here are some essential tools to enhance your content’s E-E-A-T score:
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Google Analytics helps you understand how visitors interact with your site. By checking things like how long they stay and how quickly they leave, you can find ways to make your content better and more engaging.
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SEMrush will help you find the best keywords, see what your competitors are doing, and check your site’s health. It helps you improve your search rankings by optimizing content for the right keywords.
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Ahrefs is great for checking who links to your site or for comparing a competitor’s backlink profile with your own. It helps you find opportunities where it would be relevant to obtain backlinks from for your content.
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Surfer SEO will optimize your content by comparing it to top-ranking pages for your chosen keywords. It gives suggestions to improve your content’s SEO, making sure it aligns with E-E-A-T standards and ranks better in search engines.
Using these tools, content creators and website owners can effectively show E-E-A-T, ensuring their content meets Google’s quality standards which will result in higher ranking search results.
What to Avoid while Implementing E-E-A-T
Lastly, Mistakes in E-E-A-T implementation can significantly hinder content quality and search engine rankings. Content riddled with errors that suggest unprofessionalism; Failing to implement structured data, and more will greatly reduce your E-E-A-T score. Luckily we have compiled a short list of the most common mistakes we see with optimizing your E-E-A-T.
Common Mistakes in E-E-A-T
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Publishing content with errors undermines professionalism and trust.
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Neglecting structured data can reduce visibility in search results.
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Allowing slow website load times frustrates users and impacts rankings.
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Ignoring mobile optimization can drive users away from your site.
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Failing to implement sufficient internal linking can confuse users.
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Misusing AI in content creation can harm search engine rankings.
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Offering vague calls-to-action leaves users unsure of next steps.
Summary
E-E-A-T, which means Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, is essential for creating high-quality content that meets Google’s standards.
Firsthand experience and showcasing an author’s qualifications are crucial for establishing expertise and trustworthiness, especially for sensitive topics categorized under YMYL.
Regular updates, use of credible sources, and leveraging user-generated content can enhance E-E-A-T compliance, improving content quality and search visibility.