E-E-A-T

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness — the four criteria Google uses in its quality rater guidelines to assess the credibility of content and sources.

E-E-A-T appears in Google’s “Search Quality Rater Guidelines” document and consists of the initials of four core criteria used to evaluate the quality of content:

• Experience (First-Hand Experience): The content creator’s first-hand experience with the topic.
• Expertise (Subject-Matter Expertise): Having in-depth technical knowledge of the subject.
• Authoritativeness (Authority): Being a recognized source in the industry that earns citations.
• Trustworthiness (Reliability): Providing accurate, transparent, and verifiable information.

E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor; however, it is a framework that summarizes what Google’s algorithmic signals are designed to target. It is especially critical in YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics — health, finance, and law.

Tip: Author bios, source references, the “About” page, contact information, and transparent editorial policies strengthen E-E-A-T signals.