What is E-E-A-T?
E-E-A-T is a four-part framework Google's quality raters apply when evaluating content, especially for topics that affect health, finance, safety and well-being. The acronym stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness, with trust as the foundational element. Google added the second E, experience, in late 2022 to capture cases where firsthand use, observation or lived experience matters more than formal credentials, like a hotel review by someone who has actually stayed there.
Experience: Has the author actually used, visited or lived through the topic?
Expertise: Does the author have the skills or training relevant to the subject?
Authoritativeness: Is the author or site recognized as a go-to source in the field?
Trustworthiness: Is the page accurate, transparent and safe to act on?
Why does E-E-A-T matter?
E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor, but Google's quality raters use it to score search results, and those scores feed back into algorithm tuning. Pages that demonstrate clear authorship, real-world experience, transparent sourcing and honest disclosures tend to rise over time. For brand teams, E-E-A-T means writing under named experts, citing primary sources and showing the receipts wherever possible.
How do you use E-E-A-T?
Add visible author bylines with credentials, social proof and links to other reputable work, especially on health, finance and safety topics.
Cite primary sources directly in the body, preferring research papers, official records and original reporting over secondary aggregators.
Maintain an updated About page, transparent contact details and clear editorial standards, so trust signals exist site-wide and not only at the page level.
