When looking for what website to put at the top of the first page, Google has quite a few guidelines that it follows. Mainly, they are looking for quality content that is helpful and trustworthy. One of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines is EEAT, or Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust. There may be some confusion about what this really means, so let’s break it down to be much clearer.
Meet EEAT: The Content Quality Framework Google Loves
EEAT comes directly from Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines, which is a document used internally by Google to train human evaluators who assess the quality of search results. The term was originally introduced in 2014 as EAT (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). It was created as a part of Google’s effort to ensure that content being surfaced in search was credible and helpful. In 2022, they added a second “E” for Experience, recognizing the value of content that comes from firsthand knowledge. While EEAT isn’t a direct ranking factor like page speed or mobile-friendliness, it heavily influences how content is evaluated for quality and how well it performs in search rankings through quality signals.
Breaking Down the Four Pillars of EEAT
Each of the four components of this acronym is integral to achieving SEO. First, experience contributes a person’s real, lived experiences. You can demonstrate experience through things such as case studies, personal stories, and process walkthroughs. Next, expertise shows Google that you know your stuff. They are looking for your professional credentials, specialized knowledge, or subject mastery. This helps show that you are an expert in this field and are more qualified to teach than any regular person. Authoritativeness is derived from becoming a go-to source in your niche. You can do this by building backlinks, guest posts, press mentions, and partnerships. Finally, arguably the most important piece of this puzzle is trustworthiness. To establish trust with potential clients, your website should include accurate info, transparency, a secure site , real author bios, and clear contact info.
Why Google Cares (and You Should Too)
So why should you care about something like EEAT? For one, this way of thinking if crucial for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics, which include health, finance, legal, etc. These areas of thought will be boosted up to the top of search rankings if you’re taking advantage of EEAT on your website. In general, websites that have low usage of EEAT struggle to rank, and your business will not be pushed out to customers as much as it could be. On the flipside, high EEAT has the ability to earn more visibility, credibility, and conversions. This is just what you want when growing your business.
Practical Ways to Add EEAT to Your Website
You’re going to need to know how to add this technique to your website. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you along the way. It’s important to showcase real-world experience and expertise in your content. By doing this, you become more relatable to potential clients and build a foundation of trust. You should also be utilizing bylines, bios, and credentials. When people see your experience, whether that be a college degree or an award you have received, they tend to be more likely to interact with what you’re selling. Your business needs to be optimizing About pages and service pages with proof of trust, you can add photos of your team or your work here to show them who they’ll be working with. You should also always include internal and external links to reputable sources along with reviews, testimonials, and case studies. All of this extra information will boost your reputability and convert to more clicks. Finally, it is imperative to ensure your site is secure and up to date.
Common Mistakes That Can Undermine EEAT
What to avoid? There are a few mistakes that can take away from all your EEAT efforts. Using generic, AI-only content without human input can lead to a boring read. It can also limit your rise in the search rankings. If you have no clear author or ownership of the content, it takes away from your created reputation. If you’re providing thin content that offers no original insight, you’re sabotaging your own abilities. Add your specific knowledge and experiences to be successful with EEAT. Last, broken links, outdated info, or poor user experience can tank you in the rankings. People will lose interest in your website very quickly.
Recap: EEAT Is About Earning Trust, Not Gaming the System
EEAT isn’t about algorithms; it’s about credibility and consistency. Trying to take shortcuts or beat the system is not the path to take. While all of this may feel intimidating, it’s great to start small. Update bios, add testimonials, and review existing blog content. If you still feel completely unsure about how to apply EEAT to your brand, consider reaching out to us at 8 Waves Creative. We are here to help!
Joe built his first website in 2003. Way back then, he moved his Real Estate company into email marketing and then social media marketing on MySpace – yes, you read that right – MySpace. Since then, he’s stayed immersed with all digital marketing channels and is a guru at ‘all things Google.’ Analytics, SEO and simplifying/optimizing complex sales funnels are his passions in the digital world, while his daughter, fishing, and various non-profits rule his free time.