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.
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