Understanding E-E-A-T: Why It’s the Key to Boosting Your SEO Strategy in 2025

E-E-A-T is a component of Google’s algorithm made of “Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness” and reflects how Google slices up a website’s content for its relevance and quality, alongside ranking it.

Have you ever conducted research and stumbled upon some page that looks so sketchy it prompts you to go, “Uh, no” and click away almost instantly? Unfortunately, those internet carnivals do exist and are rampant in the internet world.

But fear not! Google has taken it upon itself to combat these types of pages with a concept of E-E-A-T. What is E-E-A-T you may ask, and why should you care? Let’s dive into this search engine component and see what it can do for you.

What is E-E-A-T?

E-E-A-T is an acronym by Google that stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. E-E-A-T is used by Google to determine a page's quality with special attention to the page’s author and the website’s reputation.

Is E-E-A-T a ranking factor? 

Expert Insights From Google

“While E-E-A-T itself isn’t a specific ranking factor, using a mix of factors that can identify content with good E-E-A-T is useful. For example, our systems give even more weight to content that aligns with strong E-E-A-T for topics that could significantly impact the health, financial stability, or safety of people, or the welfare or well-being of society.” (Source)

Google

Despite E-E-A-T not being a factor in Google's ranking for SEO purposes, it is an essential element in the Search Quality Rater Guidelines, which is a document containing instructions for real people referred to as Quality Raters. These evaluators assess webpages against specified criteria and determine the quality of the search result pages.

Search Quality Raters do not determine the ranking of a site. Their input is important, however, as it is used by Google to refine site results and assess how pages are ranking after algorithm adjustments.

What does E-E-A-T mean?

Having answered the question “What is E-E-A-T?”, we can now look further into each of the words contained in the acronym and what they signify for your web content. Thus, read further to explore the meaning of each component of E-E-A-T.

Experience

The initial ‘E’ in E-E-A-T stands for experience, referring to the author’s first-hand engagement with the subject matter of the content they are writing.

Would you believe someone who reviews a book they never read or a book they actually read? First-hand experience shapes how people perceive different types of content. Consider the following Amazon book review. The user explains their experience:

Book review experience example

Expertise

The second “E” in E-E-A-T is referred to as expertise. This varies from experience in the sense that it focuses on the level of knowledge an author and the page content demonstrate. To what extent is the author an expert? What, if any, credentials or qualifications do they hold?

You can demonstrate expertise simply by providing background information on who the author is, as shown in the example below:

Expertise example

Expertise and experience go together when evaluating pages. While some users seek information from a proven expert, other users appreciate the insight from someone who has gone through the reality of a situation. Either way, both inspire confidence in a page and its viewers.

Authoritativeness

E-E-A-T’s “A” portion denotes authoritativeness, which concerns itself solely with reputation. Just because someone claims they are an expert does not mean they are an expert. The presence of links pointing to that content as a reference tells a completely different story.

Example of Authoritativeness

For instance, information from Harvard Medical School’s Health Publishing division is an authoritative source because:

Harvard Medical School is a prestigious medical institution

Their content draws on the knowledge from their trained faculty physicians.

Harvard Medical School is affiliated with other major medical centers such as Massachusetts General Hospital.

Trustworthiness

Lastly, the trustworthiness branch of E-E-A-T incorporates the core of Google’s page quality indicators. The other pieces of E-E-A-T — experience, expertise, and authoritativeness — all contribute to trustworthiness. If E-E-A is the key, the ‘T’ — trust — is what it unlocks.

A trustworthy site:

Is safe for users, meaning the site is secure and encrypted to prevent data or private information leaks.

Is actually accurate and provable.

Cited by other reliable pages, and cites trustworthy sources.

Clearly demonstrates author information, including qualifications, experience, and expertise relevant to the presented data.

Why is E-E-A-T vital for SEO?

E-E-A-T is important for SEO for a few reasons.

E-E-A-T for SEO influences how users perceive your content and your business. You’re not likely to visit or trust information from authors who lack expertise, or from sites with little to no authority. E-E-A-T is not something you strive to achieve like technical SEO.

Rather, it is a goal you attempt to achieve in proving your worth to users and Google.

As mentioned before, E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor for Google, but it can have a secondary effect on how Google views sites because it serves as a quality marker. And, as we have seen, the quality of content is an important ranking factor in SEO.

Irrespective of your industry, E-E-A-T is important, though some sectors make it a priority. Nonprofit organizations and cannabis companies, for instance, affect a user’s financial and life decisions.

Google E-E-A-T and YMYL Topics

YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) describes subjects that may “significantly affect the health, financial stability, or safety of individuals, or the welfare or well-being of society.” Such topics include medicine, finances, current events, and public safety.

While E-E-A-T is essential for any site, it becomes critical in the case of YMYL content.

For instance, the following would all count as YMYL pages:

A page discussing how to diagnose and treat anxiety or depression disorders.

A comprehensive guide instructing what to do in case of a natural disaster.

An article detailing strategies on managing finances while paying back student loans.

E-E-A-T can also be seen as a complementary concept with YMYL, since any misinformation on those pages would pose danger not only to the readers but also those connected to the reader.

Quality Raters have their own criteria that define what considers as YMYL content. However, for any pages labeled YMYL, there is a requirement to display the highest level of E-E-A-T.

To put it another way, E-E-A-T is crucial for every site, but even more so for sites that host YMYL content, which, depending on the field, could be rather probable.

What is the distinction between E-E-A-T and E-A-T?

The difference is that Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines in 2014 did not include E-E-A-T as part of their guidelines. Prior to that, it included E-A-T, which stood for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

In December 2022, Google amended its quality guidelines by adding an extra “E” for Experience to enhance assessing webpages to ensure continuous relevance and helpfulness in content for users. How do I improve my E-E-A-T?

Even though E-E-A-T has different components having to do with your site or content, optimizing it for you won’t be as hard as you might think.

Here are some suggestions to enhance E-E-A-T aspects for your site:

Present your users with original, unique content: One of the best ways to ensure you are presenting quality content to users is by creating original and unique content. Instead of copying information from other pages, try to present it in a different way. Depending on your industry, you can even conduct original research which add entirely new data into the mix.

Attract authoritative backlinks: Link building forms an essential part of SEO and helps improve your E-E-A-T when you gain authoritative links. Create unique and shareable content containing helpful information to Earn quality backlinks and use the best link-building tools to discover additional opportunities for links.

Expose the faces of your business by updating your About page and creating author bios for the content on your site so that users know who they’re getting their information from. Furthermore, don’t hesitate to showcase certifications and achievements that bolster your reputation.

Also, do not hold back when it comes to showcasing your business experience through case studies, customer and client reviews, and testimonials. This not only communicates your business value but also demonstrates experience and expertise to Google while confirming to users that your business is legitimate.

Best Ways to Increase Organic Traffic: Proven Strategies to Skyrocket Your Website Growth

You’ve built a beautiful website. Your content is solid. Your products or services solve real problems. But the traffic? Still a trickle.

If you've been wondering how to increase organic traffic without relying on paid ads, you're not alone. Organic traffic is often misunderstood but immensely powerful—when approached the right way.

In this guide, we’ll walk through proven strategies to boost organic traffic and grow your online presence steadily and sustainably.

Why Organic Traffic Deserves Your Focus

Before we jump into tactics, let’s answer the big “why.”

Getting organic traffic means your website is being found naturally in search engines—by real people actively looking for what you offer. No ads. No gimmicks. Just consistent visibility.

Here’s why that matters:

• Long-term ROI: Unlike paid traffic, organic visitors keep coming.

• Higher-quality leads: These users are already searching for your solution.

• Increased trust: Ranking well builds credibility in your niche.

Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or blogger, mastering organic traffic is essential for lasting growth.

1. Understand Search Intent First

One of the biggest mistakes? Writing content without considering what users are really looking for.

Search intent simply means: What does the searcher hope to find?

There are a few types to know:

• Informational: “What is organic traffic?”

• Navigational: “Ahrefs login”

• Transactional: “Buy SEO tools online”

What You Can Do:

• Match your content type to the user’s intent.

• For informational queries, create how-to guides or explainers.

• For transactional intent, use landing pages with CTAs and clear offers.

Pro tip: Google your target keyword and study the top results. That’s what Google thinks the searcher wants.

2. Write Content That Deserves to Rank

This is where many websites go wrong. They write for Google, not people. But Google’s goal is to serve users—so write to help first, and rankings will follow.

A good post should:

• Clearly solve a problem.

• Be easy to read (headers, short paragraphs, bullet points).

• Include keywords naturally—without stuffing.

How to Structure Winning Content:

• Use your main keyword within the first 100 words, in at least one H2, and in your URL.

• Sprinkle 2–4 related terms (LSI keywords) where they make sense.

• Break text into skimmable sections. If it’s hard to scan, it’s hard to rank.

And always ask yourself: Is this genuinely useful to my target reader?

3. Target Long-Tail Keywords

Ranking for “organic traffic” might take years (and thousands of backlinks). But “how to increase organic traffic for small businesses”? Much more doable—and often more valuable.

Here’s Why It Works:

• Less competition

• Higher conversion (more specific intent)

• Faster wins in SEO

What You Should Do:

• Use keyword tools like Ubersuggest or AnswerThePublic to find long-tail queries.

• Build individual blog posts or FAQ sections around them.

• Answer questions in your niche clearly and thoroughly.

4. Earn Trustworthy Backlinks

Backlinks are still a huge part of Google’s algorithm. Think of each one as a vote of confidence from another website.

But not all backlinks are created equal. A link from a high-authority site is worth far more than 20 low-quality ones.

How to Build the Right Links:

• Guest post on reputable blogs.

• Create original research or data worth referencing.

• Use HARO (Help A Reporter Out) to get featured in publications.

Also: internally link between your own posts. It improves navigation and boosts SEO.

5. Improve Your Site Experience (It’s More Important Than Ever)

Google cares about how your site performs—especially on mobile.

If your site is slow or clunky, users bounce. And when users bounce, rankings drop.

Action Steps:

• Compress images to reduce load time.

• Make sure your site works well on all devices.

• Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to find performance issues.

The better your site feels to users, the more search engines will reward you.

6. Use Internal Links to Build Authority

Got a blog post that’s performing well? Use it to pass authority to other posts. This helps both users and Google understand your site better.

Do This:

• Link to 2–5 relevant internal pages per post.

• Use keyword-rich anchor text where natural.

• Build topic clusters to group related content.

It’s a simple strategy that can dramatically improve rankings across your site.

7. Refresh Old Content

Old content that’s still getting traffic? That’s SEO gold. But if it’s outdated, it won’t stay on top for long.

How to Keep It Fresh:

• Update stats and broken links.

• Add new internal links to newer articles.

• Re-optimize for current keyword trends.

Set a reminder to audit and refresh top-performing content every 3–6 months.

Final Thoughts: Start Small, Think Long-Term

The best time to start increasing your organic traffic was yesterday. The second best time? Today.

If you apply even just a few of these strategies consistently, you’ll begin to see results. Organic growth is like compounding interest—it may start slow, but it snowballs with time and effort.

So don’t chase hacks. Build value. Serve your audience. Optimize with intention. The traffic will come.

Recap: Your Quick SEO Traffic Plan

Here’s your checklist to skyrocket your organic traffic:
✅ Match content to search intent
✅ Optimize content for people and keywords
✅ Use long-tail keywords strategically
✅ Build high-quality backlinks
✅ Improve site speed & mobile UX
✅ Use smart internal linking
✅ Refresh old content regularly

Want Help Increasing Organic Traffic for Your Website?

If you’re ready to implement these strategies but don’t know where to start, let’s talk. Whether you need a full audit or just some strategic tweaks—I’ve helped businesses grow from invisible to unmissable.

Let me know if you’d like this formatted as a downloadable checklist, optimized for Shopify, or adapted for a landing page/email funnel. I can also help you rewrite your existing pages to meet these same standards.