E-E-A-T

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It is a framework from Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines that human evaluators use to assess the quality of search results. While E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking algorithm, the concepts it represents are reflected in Google's many algorithmic signals.

The "Experience" component, added in 2022, evaluates whether the content creator has first-hand or real-world experience with the topic. For example, a product review written by someone who actually used the product demonstrates experience. "Expertise" refers to the depth of knowledge the creator has on the subject. "Authoritativeness" considers the reputation of the creator and the website in their field. "Trustworthiness" is the most important factor and encompasses the accuracy, honesty, safety, and reliability of the content and the site overall.

E-E-A-T is particularly critical for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content -- topics that could impact a person's health, finances, or safety. To improve E-E-A-T signals, websites should feature clear author bios with credentials, cite reputable sources, maintain accurate and up-to-date content, display transparent business information, secure their site with HTTPS, and build a strong reputation through backlinks and mentions from authoritative sources.