EEAT Without the Guru Stuff
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness — practically.
EEAT is a real evaluation framework Google uses, but most advice about it is vague or wrong. Here is what actually matters and what you can control.
What EEAT actually is
EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It is a framework from Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines that human quality raters use to evaluate search results. It is not an algorithm. It is not a score. It is a set of criteria that inform how Google thinks about content quality.
Most EEAT advice online is vague ("demonstrate expertise!") or wrong ("add an author bio and you are done"). Here is what actually matters.
Experience
Added to the framework in 2022, experience refers to first-hand, personal experience with the topic. Google values content created by someone who has actually done the thing they are writing about.
What this looks like in practice:
- A product review written by someone who bought and used the product
- A travel guide written by someone who visited the destination
- A tutorial written by someone who has actually completed the process
- A business guide written by someone who has run a business
How to demonstrate it:
- Include specific details that only come from direct experience
- Share real results, outcomes, or observations
- Use original photos, screenshots, or data
- Reference specific situations you encountered
You cannot fake experience. Generic content that reads like it was assembled from other sources lacks the specific details that signal real experience.
Expertise
Expertise is about having the knowledge and skills to create accurate, thorough content on a topic. For some topics (medical, legal, financial), formal credentials matter. For others, demonstrated knowledge is sufficient.
What this looks like in practice:
- Accurate, detailed explanations that go beyond surface-level information
- Correct use of technical terminology
- Awareness of nuances, exceptions, and edge cases
- Content that professionals in the field would consider reliable
How to demonstrate it:
- Create content that is genuinely thorough and accurate
- For YMYL topics, include author credentials and link to professional profiles
- Cite sources for factual claims
- Address common misconceptions correctly
Authoritativeness
Authoritativeness is about being recognized as a go-to source for a topic. It is built over time through consistent quality, external recognition, and reputation.
What this looks like in practice:
- Other authoritative sites link to and reference your content
- Your brand is mentioned in industry discussions
- You are cited as a source by journalists or other content creators
- Your site has comprehensive coverage of your topic area
How to build it:
- Publish consistently high-quality content in your topic area
- Earn links and mentions from respected sources
- Build topical authority through comprehensive coverage
- Maintain and update your content over time
Trustworthiness
Trustworthiness is the most important component. Google's guidelines describe it as the foundation that the other three components support. A site can have experience, expertise, and authority, but if it is not trustworthy, none of that matters.
What this looks like in practice:
- Accurate information with no misleading claims
- Clear identification of who is behind the content
- Transparent business practices (contact information, privacy policy, terms of service)
- Secure website (HTTPS)
- No deceptive practices (hidden ads, misleading headlines, fake reviews)
How to build it:
- Be accurate. Correct errors promptly when found.
- Be transparent about who you are and what your site does.
- Clearly distinguish between editorial content and advertising.
- Maintain basic security and privacy standards.
- Do not make claims you cannot support.
What does not work
Adding an author bio does not automatically improve EEAT. An author bio helps, but only if the author actually has relevant credentials or experience. A generic bio on AI-generated content does not fool anyone.
Buying credentials or fake reviews. Google's systems and human raters can identify inauthentic signals. This approach backfires.
Claiming expertise without demonstrating it. Saying "we are experts" on your about page means nothing if your content does not reflect actual expertise.
EEAT optimization as a checklist. EEAT is not a set of boxes to check. It is a holistic evaluation of whether your content comes from a credible source and can be trusted.
When EEAT matters most
EEAT evaluation is strongest for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics: health, finance, legal, safety, and news. For these topics, inaccurate content can cause real harm, so Google applies stricter quality standards.
For less sensitive topics, EEAT still matters but the bar is lower. A hobby blog about woodworking does not need the same level of credential signaling as a medical advice site.
Practical takeaway
EEAT is not something you optimize for. It is something you build by being genuinely knowledgeable, creating genuinely useful content, and being genuinely trustworthy. If you are doing those things, your EEAT signals will be strong. If you are not, no amount of optimization will fix it.