What Is E-E-A-T? How to Show Experience and Trust on Your Website

By PDS Team

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. It is the framework Google’s search quality raters use to judge whether content is reliable. E-E-A-T is not a single ranking score you can switch on, but the signals behind it shape how useful your website looks to Google and to the people reading it.

This guide explains what each letter means, why Google added “Experience” in December 2022, and the practical changes a business website can make to show real experience and earn trust.

What does E-E-A-T mean?

E-E-A-T is a set of four qualities Google uses to describe trustworthy content: first-hand experience, subject expertise, recognised authority and overall trust.

Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines describe trust as the most important member of the family. Experience, expertise and authority all support trust, but a page can still be untrustworthy if it is inaccurate or deceptive, however expert the author.

Why did Google add “Experience” to E-A-T?

Google added the extra “E” in December 2022 because many searches are best answered by someone who has personally used a product or been through a situation.

Before that update, the framework was known as E-A-T. Google’s announcement on the Search Central blog explained that raters should now also consider whether content shows first-hand or life experience. A review written by someone who actually used a phone, or advice from someone who has run a small shop, can be more helpful than a summary of other people’s opinions.

For businesses, this is good news. You already have experience your competitors cannot copy: the projects you deliver, the questions customers ask you and the problems you solve every week.

Is E-E-A-T a Google ranking factor?

No, E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor, but Google’s systems look for signals that line up with it.

Quality raters do not change the ranking of any individual page. Google uses their ratings to evaluate whether its search systems are returning good results. Google’s guidance on creating helpful content says its automated systems use “a mix of many different factors” to identify content that demonstrates experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.

So rather than chasing E-E-A-T as a checkbox, treat it as a description of what good content looks like. The helpful content update that finished rolling out in September 2023 pushed in the same direction: content made for people first, not for search engines.

How can you show experience and expertise on your website?

Show who created the content, how they know what they know, and real details that only someone with hands-on experience would include.

Add real bylines and author pages

Google’s helpful content guidance suggests asking “Who created the content?” Put a byline on articles where readers would expect one, and link it to a short author page with the person’s role, background and relevant qualifications. If a team writes together, a team byline with a clear “About us” page works too.

Write from first-hand work

• Describe the steps you actually follow, in the order you follow them.
• Use your own photos, screenshots or diagrams instead of stock images.
• Mention the common mistakes you see clients make and how you fix them.
• Explain trade-offs honestly, including when your service is not the right fit.

Explain how the content was made

Google also asks “How was the content created?” If you tested products, say how. If you used data, say where it came from. If automation or AI helped produce a page, Google suggests explaining that where readers would reasonably expect it.

Our content marketing services are built around this approach: content planned from your real expertise, then written and checked for accuracy before it goes live.

How do you build authority and trust?

Authority comes from others recognising you, and trust comes from being accurate, transparent and easy to contact.

Trust signals to check on every site

• A clear About page with your company name, address and how long you have been in business.
• A contact page with a working phone number, email and office address.
• HTTPS across the whole site, and secure payment pages if you sell online.
• Accurate facts, with sources linked for statistics or regulations.
• Dates on articles, and updates when information changes.
• Honest claims: no fake reviews, invented numbers or guaranteed results.

Earning authority over time

Authority cannot be faked quickly. It grows when other websites, industry bodies, journalists and customers mention or link to you because your work is useful. Publishing original guides, speaking at local business events and keeping your Google Business Profile complete and accurate all help people find and recognise your business.

Why does E-E-A-T matter more for YMYL topics?

For “Your Money or Your Life” topics, such as health, finance, legal and safety information, Google holds content to a higher standard because mistakes can harm people.

The rater guidelines say that pages on these topics need a very high level of trust. If your business works in healthcare, insurance, investments or legal services, have qualified professionals write or review the content, name them on the page and avoid promises you cannot keep. For other topics, such as hobbies or entertainment, everyday experience is often enough.

A quick E-E-A-T checklist for business websites

Use this checklist when you publish or review any important page on your site.

1. Does the page clearly say who wrote or reviewed it?
2. Does it include details that show first-hand experience?
3. Are facts accurate and sources linked where needed?
4. Is the business behind the site easy to identify and contact?
5. Would a reader trust this page enough to act on it?
6. Is it written mainly to help people, not mainly to rank?

For more on why content matters for growth, read our earlier post on why content marketing is important for your business. If you also want technical and on-page work done alongside content, see our SEO services.

E-E-A-T FAQs