Glossary · SEO & AI searchTOFU
E-E-A-T
The short answer
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness — the qualities described in Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines for evaluating whether content is helpful and reliable. Trust sits at the centre; the others support it.
E-E-A-T isn't a single ranking factor or score. It's a description of what Google's systems aim to reward, which makes it a useful checklist for content quality.
How to demonstrate it
- Experience — first-hand detail: real campaigns, real numbers, photos, lessons learned
- Expertise — authors with relevant knowledge, and bios that show it
- Authoritativeness — recognition from others in your field: citations, links, mentions
- Trustworthiness — accuracy, transparency, clear contact details, honest claims
Practical steps
- Real author bylines linking to real bios
- Visible last-updated dates
- Sources and evidence for factual claims
- Clear business information and contact options
- An editorial policy explaining how content is produced
- No fabricated reviews, results or credentials
Demonstrating E-E-A-T on a page
- Author and reviewer names with relevant credentials
- First-hand experience — real examples, photos, processes
- Sources for facts and statistics
- Clear business information and contact details
- Up-to-date content with review dates
- Reputation signals — reviews, mentions, awards (genuine only)
E-E-A-T in practice
A health article written by a qualified doctor, with credentials, sources and an update date, demonstrates experience, expertise and trustworthiness better than an anonymous summary.
How to show E-E-A-T
- Clear authorship and credentials
- First-hand experience and examples
- Accurate sources
- Transparent business information
E-E-A-T for Indian businesses
Show real people, credentials, office address and business registration details, and keep information accurate — especially for health, finance and legal topics where trust matters most.
Frequently asked questions
Does E-E-A-T matter for every page?
It matters most for topics that affect health, finances and safety, but trust signals help every page.
Can AI-written content have E-E-A-T?
Only if a qualified person adds genuine experience and verifies it. The tool matters less than the substance.
Is E-E-A-T a ranking factor?
Not directly as a score. It reflects qualities Google's ranking systems try to identify.
How does E-E-A-T relate to AI answers?
Trustworthy, expert, well-sourced content is more likely to be used and cited by AI systems.
Do author bios help?
Clear author information with relevant experience supports trust for readers and search systems.
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