E-E-A-T, which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, is an important factor in Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines. It used to be just E-A-T, but now “Experience” is also included. These four factors help Google assess the quality of content and decide if it should rank well in search results.
If you understand and apply Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines to your content, you’ll have a better chance of securing a higher position in search rankings. That’s why “What is Google E-E-A-T?” is a common question, and why mastering it is essential for success in content marketing.
Below, we’ll cover the basics of E-E-A-T, explain what each part means, and give you some helpful tips to ensure your content meets Google’s standards.
What is E-E-A-T?
Google E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It outlines how Google reviews and ranks web content from a human standpoint. Here’s a breakdown of each component:
- Experience: Content should be supported by real-world experiences and personal examples.
- Expertise: It should reflect a deep understanding of the topic.
- Authoritativeness: The content creator needs to establish their authority in the field.
- Trustworthiness: Information must be accurate, reliable, and come from a trustworthy source.
The E-E-A-T guidelines are crucial for SEO because they directly impact page quality. Higher-quality pages generally rank better. However, unlike the automated processes in Google’s search algorithm, E-E-A-T reviews are done by real human quality raters. These raters examine how well content aligns with Google’s standards on a case-by-case basis.
It’s important to understand that E-E-A-T isn’t a direct ranking factor. Instead, it serves as a key indicator of overall page quality, ultimately affecting a page’s ranking on Google. The goal of Google’s quality raters isn’t to elevate individual pieces of content but to ensure that Google provides reliable search results. By aligning your content with E-E-A-T standards, you can increase the chances of improving your SEO performance.
Google E-E-A-T Levels
When you explore the meaning of E-E-A-T, you’ll come across the concept of E-E-A-T levels.
According to Google’s Quality Rater guidelines, there are four levels of E-E-A-T that content can achieve: “lowest,” “lacking,” “high level,” and “very high level.”
- Lowest-level content is often spammy, inaccurate, and can potentially harm readers.
- On the other hand, very high-level content demonstrates exceptional author credibility and deep expertise in the subject matter.
Context is essential to E-E-A-T levels. For your content to be rated as “very high level”, it must be relevant to the specific subject matter and published on a well-established, reputable, and content-relevant site.
In short, the quality of E-E-A-T is not just about the content itself but also about its relevance and credibility in the context of its publication.
How to Meet Google E-E-A-T Guidelines
Google is protective about the exact strategies brands and publishers need to follow to achieve high rankings. However, this is intentional: the more people know about ranking factors, the more likely bad actors are to manipulate the system.
As part of our SEO services, we’ve made it our goal to decode Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines, and we’ve developed strategies to help you meet the standards and impress quality raters assessing your site. These strategies are informed by resources like Stanford’s Web Credibility Research, which offers valuable insights into the factors that influence credibility rankings.
Showcasing “Experience” – To meet this criterion, content should always be created by a real human, not AI. Whenever possible, select content creators with real-life experience on the subject matter or include direct quotes from experts. Make sure your audience knows the content is backed by genuine experience, either by showcasing author information or highlighting the brand’s expertise.
Showcasing “Expertise” – While author credentials can help, the most important aspect is the depth of knowledge within the content itself. Ensure your content is accurate, verifiable, and adds value to the conversation—offering insights beyond what can already be found through a search engine query.
Showcasing “Authoritativeness” – The credibility of the platform where your content is published is just as important as the quality of the content itself. This is particularly relevant for authoritativeness, which emphasizes that your website and overall digital profile should project professionalism and positivity. Strengthen your authority by utilizing guest posts, collaborating with reputable sources, and leveraging link-building strategies to connect with reliable publications.
Showcasing “Trustworthiness” – Search engines, especially Google, prioritize content from high-trust websites. Focusing on E-E-A-T will already help you build a solid, respected web presence. To further build trust, prioritize user-friendliness, minimize promotional content, and keep up with regular technical maintenance and updates on your site.
This approach not only aligns with Google’s guidelines but also helps you develop a long-term, sustainable digital strategy.
Quick SEO Tips for Achieving High-Level E-E-A-T
You want search engines to work for you, not the other way around. To achieve this, you need to focus on consistently creating high-quality content that aligns with or exceeds Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines whenever possible. After all, Google’s E-E-A-T serves as a reminder to prioritize credible, value-driven content on the web.
To improve the quality of your content and pages, here are some essential best practices to follow:
- Maintain technical SEO health: Fix broken pages or links, optimize load speeds, and address any crawling or indexing issues.
- Improve page and user experience: Focus on factors like site functionality and easy contact options for users.
- Update content regularly: Keep links, information, and statistics current to provide relevant content.
- Create topical clusters: Organize content around key themes to demonstrate subject matter expertise.
- Utilize diverse content types: Include blogs, videos, and podcasts to engage a wider audience.
- Involve experts: Have industry professionals create or contribute to your content.
- Encourage and share user reviews: Authentic feedback from users can help build trust and enhance your content’s credibility.
By following these practices, you’ll align your content with the expectations of Google Quality Raters, making it high-quality enough to convert.
In Need of More SEO Expertise?
Think of your web users like offline customers as you work to build trust and credibility, using E-E-A-T to guide your efforts. Following Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines can improve your SEO content strategy, and investing time and effort into demonstrating to Google (and your audience) why your site should be valued over competitors will pay off.
Explore our site to learn about our on- and off-page SEO services, and contact us today for a free SEO marketing proposal.
