The four dimensions, with concrete signals
- Experience: the author has lived what they write about. Photos of your own jobs, hands-on product testing, a detailed customer story.
- Expertise: command of the subject. Credentials, technical accuracy, correct and current figures.
- Authoritativeness: recognition by others. Press mentions, links from industry sites, customer reviews.
- Trustworthiness: how far visitors can rely on the site. Real contact details, a physical address, cited sources, secure checkout, accurate information.
How Google actually uses it
Google says E-E-A-T itself is not a specific ranking factor: its systems use a mix of signals that help identify content showing those qualities. Human quality raters trained on the framework score search results, but their ratings do not directly affect rankings; they help Google check whether its algorithms work.
E-E-A-T carries more weight on topics that could affect people's health, financial stability or safety, known as YMYL (Your Money or Your Life). An article about mortgage refinancing is held to a higher standard than a pancake recipe.
Who, how and why
Google suggests three questions for evaluating content. Who created it: is the author named, with a page describing their background? How was it created: can readers tell where the data came from, and whether AI or automation was involved? Why does it exist: to help visitors, or mainly to attract search traffic?
Strengthening E-E-A-T on a small business site
Start with trust basics American buyers check: a real address and phone number, your state contractor or professional license number where it applies, proof of insurance and verifiable certifications. Then add experience no competitor can copy: dated job photos, case studies with numbers, author bylines and a visible last-updated date.