Definition
E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—three core principles Google uses to assess the quality of content, particularly for topics that significantly impact readers’ health, finances, safety, or overall well-being. Although not a direct ranking factor, E-A-T plays a critical role in how Google’s Search Quality Evaluators determine the credibility and usefulness of a webpage. Websites that demonstrate strong E-A-T are more likely to rank higher and earn user trust, especially in “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) niches like healthcare, finance, and legal.
Is It Still Relevant?
Absolutely—E-A-T remains critically important in 2024 and beyond. As Google’s algorithms continue to evolve with more intelligence around understanding quality and intent (e.g., the Helpful Content Update, BERT, and the 2023 core updates), Google consistently emphasizes the importance of trustworthy, expert-driven content. The rise of AI-generated content has also heightened the need for verifiable expertise and demonstrable authority as distinguishing factors.
Additionally, Google’s December 2022 update introduced a fourth ‘E’—Experience—transforming E-A-T into E-E-A-T. This update underscores the importance of real-world, first-hand experience with the topic covered. While still widely referred to as E-A-T, the evolution shows Google’s ongoing commitment to surfacing content that’s not only technically accurate but also genuinely insightful and earned through personal or professional experience.
Real-world Context
In practice, demonstrating E-A-T can significantly influence how your content is perceived by both users and search engines. Here are two examples:
1. A mental health website includes articles authored by licensed psychologists, with proper citations and author bios displaying credentials. The site also links to recognized health institutions (e.g., the CDC and Mayo Clinic), and it offers an SSL-secured browsing environment. These elements collectively support strong E-A-T signals.
2. A personal finance blog that ranks well in Google includes posts written by certified financial planners, features guest posts from industry experts, and is frequently cited by other reputable websites like Forbes or Investopedia. The site includes clear author pages, a privacy policy, and regularly updates older posts to reflect new regulations—demonstrating both authority and trust.
Background
E-A-T came to prominence after Google released its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines in 2014, a document used by human quality raters to assess website and content quality. While the guidelines don’t directly inform the algorithm, they provide insight into the types of content Google aims to prioritize in its rankings.
The concept gained broader public attention after the infamous Google “Medic” update in August 2018, which disproportionately affected health and wellness sites with low perceived authority. Following that update, SEO experts began emphasizing E-A-T as a critical framework for building content that aligns with Google’s quality standards.
Over time, E-A-T has also helped marketers understand how to build reputation, maintain transparency, and convey trust online—all of which go beyond keyword optimization.
What to Focus on Today
To succeed with E-A-T in 2024 and beyond, marketers should prioritize the following:
1. Showcase Real Expertise: Ensure that content is produced or reviewed by individuals with demonstrable credentials or experience. For YMYL topics, this is especially critical. Use detailed author bios and link to their professional profiles or certifications.
2. Build Authoritativeness Through Backlinks and Mentions: Gain backlinks from credible websites in your niche. Mentions from journalists, news outlets, or industry leaders also contribute to perceived authority.
3. Increase Trust Signals on Your Website: Include clear privacy policies, contact information, customer service policies, and HTTPS security. Positive user reviews and up-to-date content also reinforce trust.
4. Emphasize First-Hand Experience (new ‘E’): Include real-life insights, original images, product reviews, or case studies to highlight personal or professional experience related to the content.
5. Leverage Structured Data & Schema Markup: Use schema.org markup to tell Google more about your site, authors, and content structure. This can enhance search visibility and credibility through rich snippets.
6. Continuously Audit and Update Content: Outdated information erodes trust. Regularly assess your top-performing content and update it for accuracy, relevance, and reliability.
By aligning your content strategy with E-A-T principles, you’ll boost search rankings, build a credible brand, and offer real value to users—a winning combination in the digital landscape.