Google EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is a key concept in SEO, but many are still asking: Is EEAT a Ranking Factor? While Google hasn’t explicitly stated that EEAT is a direct ranking factor, it plays a role in how it evaluates content quality.
EEAT helps Google assess whether content is credible and relevant, especially for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics like health and finance. It also impacts SEO indirectly by influencing other important ranking factors such as backlinks, user engagement, and site authority.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to evaluate EEAT on your website and optimize your content for better credibility and rankings.
What is Google EEAT?
EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s a set of criteria used by Google to evaluate the quality of content and websites.
While you might have heard of EAT (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) before, EEAT adds an important new layer: Experience. Let’s break down key elements of Google EEAT:
| EEAT Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Experience | This focuses on the actual, first-hand experience a person or brand has with a topic. For instance, Google prefers content from someone who has gone hiking, rather than someone who has just read about it. It’s about showing personal experience, not just theory. Example: A blog post about hiking written by someone who has physically hiked mountains. |
| Expertise | This refers to how knowledgeable and skilled you are in a particular field. For example, medical websites need content written or reviewed by healthcare professionals to ensure accuracy. Example: A health website with articles written or reviewed by certified doctors or healthcare experts. |
| Authoritativeness | This is about your reputation in your niche. Are you recognized as an authority by other experts, organizations, or websites? High-quality backlinks, mentions, and recognition help build authority. Example: A financial website that is linked to by other credible financial institutions or experts. |
| Trustworthiness | Trust is key in SEO. Google values websites with secure connections (HTTPS), clear privacy policies, and user-friendly interfaces, making them more trustworthy. Example: A website with HTTPS encryption, transparent privacy policies, and positive user reviews. |
Is EEAT a Ranking Factor?
When it comes to SEO, there’s a lot of confusion about whether EEAT is a direct ranking factor. Let’s break it down in simple terms and see what Google says about it.
Google’s Stance on EEAT
Google has never officially stated that EEAT is a direct ranking factor like keywords or backlinks. Instead, EEAT is more of an underlying principle that guides how Google evaluates content quality.
In other words, Google looks at EEAT to decide if the content is trustworthy, relevant, and valuable to users.
Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines explain that the primary goal is to give users the most relevant, high-quality content. This means Google isn’t just looking at the keywords or backlinks of a page.
It’s also considering the experience of the content creator, their expertise, how authoritative their website is in its niche, and whether the content is trustworthy.
Is EEAT a Direct Ranking Factor or an Underlying Principle?
While some people think EEAT is a direct ranking factor, it’s actually more of a guiding principle that influences Google’s ranking decisions. It doesn’t directly push your page up the rankings just because it fits EEAT guidelines.
However, content that demonstrates EEAT will naturally tend to rank better because it’s often seen as more relevant, reliable, and helpful for users.
For example, a health blog written by a medical professional (expertise) with first-hand experience (experience) and credible sources (authoritativeness) will be more likely to rank higher than a random blog without these qualities, even if both contain similar keywords.
Google’s algorithm looks at EEAT to assess the overall quality and value of the content before deciding where it belongs in search results.
Indirect Impact on SEO
EEAT doesn’t directly tell Google where to rank your page, but it plays a huge indirect role in influencing SEO. Here’s how:
- Backlinks: When your content shows authority and expertise, other reputable websites are more likely to link to you. Backlinks are a crucial ranking factor, and Google uses them to measure how trustworthy and relevant your site is.
- Engagement Metrics: Google takes note of how users interact with your site. If people stay on your page longer, share your content, or return to your website repeatedly, it signals that your content is valuable. This can indirectly help your ranking.
The Role of Content Quality in Ranking
Google wants to show users the best possible content, so focusing on creating trustworthy, authoritative, and expert-driven content is key to ranking. This is why quality content always outperforms low-quality or shallow articles, regardless of how well-optimized they are for keywords.
Why Google Introduced EEAT?
Google introduced EEAT to improve the quality of content in its search results.
With the internet overflowing with content, some of it being unreliable or inaccurate, Google wanted a way to ensure users get the best, most trustworthy information when they search for something.
Here’s why Google felt the need for EEAT:
1. To Address Low-Quality Content
In the past, search engines could rank content based on keywords and other simple factors, but this didn’t always result in high-quality or helpful results. Some websites that were not credible could still appear at the top of search results because they used the right keywords.
EEAT was introduced to help Google prioritize content that is genuinely valuable and trustworthy, rather than just keyword-optimized.
2. To Improve User Experience
Google’s main goal is to give users the most relevant and reliable information. If users can’t trust what they read, they’ll likely leave the website, which is not a good experience.
By focusing on EEAT, Google ensures that the websites that rank well are the ones that offer content with real value, backed by genuine expertise and experience.
3. To Keep Up with Changing Content
As the internet grows, so do the types of content. With the rise of blogs, YouTube, social media, and even AI-generated content, Google needed a better way to assess the trustworthiness and quality of all this new content.
EEAT helps Google evaluate if the content is produced by credible sources and whether it can be trusted.
4. To Protect Users from Misinformation
In recent years, misinformation and fake news have become big issues on the internet.
Google introduced EEAT to reduce the spread of false information and ensure that what users read online is accurate and based on real, reliable sources.
Websites that show personal experience and professional knowledge help prevent misleading content from making its way to the top of search results.
5. To Rank Content that Truly Helps Users
Google wants to rank content that is helpful, accurate, and provides real value. By using EEAT, Google ensures that content isn’t just about flashy headlines or gimmicks, but actually serves the purpose of informing, educating, or assisting users in meaningful ways.
Whether it’s a how-to article or a product review, Google wants the content to be both reliable and useful.
In short, Google introduced EEAT to create a more reliable, helpful, and user-friendly search experience. It’s all about making sure that the information people find is trustworthy, accurate, and written by those who truly know what they’re talking about.
Good & Bad Examples to Evaluate EEAT on Your Website
Evaluating EEAT on your website is crucial if you want to ensure that your content is not only high-quality but also trusted by Google and your audience. Follow these steps to evaluate if your website meets EEAT standards:
- Content Depth Analysis
- Backlink Quality
- User Trust Signals
- Earning Mentions & Citations
- Content Accuracy & Freshness
- Expertise Verification (Author Bios & Credentials)
- User-Generated Content & Reviews
- Mobile Usability & Accessibility
- Social Media Signals
- Domain Authority & Page Authority
- User Engagement
1. Content Depth Analysis
Analyze the depth and quality of your content. Google values content that is comprehensive, well-researched, and written by someone with expertise in the subject. To evaluate your content quality, look at things like:
To ensure topical authority in your content, you can apply Semantic SEO principles to it. Semantic SEO focuses on understanding the intent behind user queries rather than just matching keywords.
It involves creating content that answers multiple related questions, integrates topic clusters, and provides contextual depth to ensure users get complete, valuable insights.
✅ Good Example: A blog like Harvard Health’s Guide on Intermittent Fasting is a strong example of content depth.
It covers scientific research, benefits, risks, and expert opinions, while addressing common concerns, misconceptions, and related dietary patterns, making it highly valuable for readers seeking in-depth information on intermittent fasting.
❌ Bad Example: A blog post titled “How to Lose Weight with Fasting” that only lists generic tips without explaining the science, risks, or best practices, lacks expert references, and does not provide solutions for different user concerns.
2. Backlink Quality
Measure the quality of backlinks your site receives. Backlinks from authoritative sources (e.g., well-known news sites, industry leaders, etc.) signal to Google that your website is trustworthy and authoritative.
✅ Good Example: Your website is referenced in Forbes or Harvard Business Review for an insightful article on industry trends.
❌ Bad Example: Your site has multiple backlinks from spammy directories or low-quality private blog networks (PBNs) with no relevance.
3. User Trust Signals
Trust signals include HTTPS (website security), privacy policies, user reviews, and ratings. A website that is secure and transparent about user data is seen as more trustworthy.
✅ Good Example: A website with SSL encryption (HTTPS), a privacy policy, and verified customer reviews displayed on the homepage.
❌ Bad Example: A website with no security certificate (HTTP), no contact information, and no clear privacy policy.
4. Earning Mentions & Citations
One indirect way to calculate EEAT is by tracking how often your content is referenced or mentioned by other reputable sites. High numbers of mentions from authoritative websites contribute positively to your authoritativeness and trustworthiness.
✅ Good Example: Your research study gets cited in articles published on BBC, TechCrunch, or Wired.
❌ Bad Example: Your blog posts are only linked to from personal blogs or unknown forums with no authority.
5. Content Accuracy & Freshness
Google values accurate, up-to-date content. Websites that consistently publish fresh, accurate, and well-researched content are more likely to demonstrate expertise and trustworthiness.
✅ Good Example: A finance website that updates its mortgage interest rate guide every month to reflect the latest figures.
❌ Bad Example: An old 2020 blog post about digital marketing trends that hasn’t been updated since.
6. Expertise Verification (Author Bios & Credentials)
Highlight author credentials, qualifications, and experience on your pages. Google prioritizes content created by recognized experts.
For YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics like health or finance, having clearly listed author bios with relevant qualifications can significantly enhance your expertise and trustworthiness.
✅ Good Example: A medical blog post written by a board-certified doctor with credentials displayed in the author bio.
❌ Bad Example: A health article discussing treatments without any author information or sources.
7. User-Generated Content & Reviews
Google considers user-generated content, such as reviews or comments, as an important trust factor. Positive user reviews can boost your trustworthiness and demonstrate the value of your content to real users.
✅ Good Example: An e-commerce website with verified customer reviews and a 4.8-star rating on Trustpilot.
❌ Bad Example: A website with no reviews or only anonymous, unverified ratings.
8. Mobile Usability & Accessibility
A mobile-friendly and accessible website enhances user experience and trust. Google prefers websites that are easy to use on mobile devices and accessible to all users.
✅ Good Example: A website that loads in under 2 seconds on mobile, has clear navigation, and is fully responsive.
❌ Bad Example: A site that takes 10 seconds to load on mobile, has small fonts, and requires zooming in to read.
9. Social Media Signals
While social media doesn’t directly affect EEAT, social signals such as shares, likes, and engagement show that people find your content valuable, which indirectly boosts your authoritativeness.
✅ Good Example: An article that gets 5,000+ shares on LinkedIn and Twitter, with industry leaders engaging in the comments.
❌ Bad Example: A blog post that has zero shares, no engagement, and no visibility on social media.
10. Domain Authority & Page Authority
Domain Authority (DA) is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how likely your website is to rank, based on factors like backlinks, domain age, and overall SEO performance. A higher DA indicates greater authoritativeness and trustworthiness in Google’s eyes.
Page Authority (PA) measures the authority of individual pages on your site. Both DA and PA are important for ranking, high DA helps your site rank better, while high PA improves individual page performance.
✅ Good Example: A website with a DA of 85 (e.g., Moz) and strong backlinks from high-authority domains.
❌ Bad Example: A website with a DA of 10 and only backlinks from low-quality, unrelated sites.
11. User Engagement
User engagement refers to how visitors interact with your content on your website. While engagement itself isn’t a direct ranking factor, higher user engagement shows that people find your content valuable and useful, which indirectly boosts your trustworthiness and authoritativeness.
Google interprets good user engagement as a sign that your content is relevant and valuable to users.
✅ Good Example: A blog post with an average session duration of 5 minutes, low bounce rate, and multiple comments.
❌ Bad Example: A page with a high bounce rate (90%), no comments, and an average session duration of 10 seconds.
EEAT Score Breakdown [Estimated Calculation Framework]
While Google doesn’t explicitly provide a scoring system for EEAT, we can reverse-engineer a framework by analyzing existing ranking signals, industry studies, and SEO tools.
Here’s a data-driven EEAT scoring system that estimates how Google might evaluate each EEAT element:
| EEAT Element | Estimated Weight (%) | Key Factors for Evaluation | Justification for Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experience (E) | 20% | – First-hand content proof (videos, images, case studies) – Behavioral signals (scroll depth, dwell time, click-through rate) – Verified author identity (Google Knowledge Panel, LinkedIn, etc.) |
Why 20%? Experience is important but not the sole determinant of credibility. Google prioritizes firsthand knowledge in YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics like health and finance, but it still relies on other EEAT factors. Behavioral metrics such as scroll depth and dwell time indicate real user engagement, reinforcing the credibility of experienced-based content. |
| Expertise (E) | 25% | – Author credentials & professional background (structured data, Google Scholar, LinkedIn validation) – Content accuracy (citations from credible sources, knowledge panel mentions) – Niche relevance & specialization (content focus, topical authority) |
Why 25%? Expertise carries slightly more weight than experience because Google aims to surface factually correct and specialized content written by experts. In industries like health, legal, and finance, authoritative expertise is critical. Google uses structured data, citations, and author bios to assess whether the content creator is qualified to speak on a topic. |
| Authoritativeness (A) | 30% | – High-quality backlinks from industry leaders – Mentions in authoritative publications (Forbes, NYTimes, etc.) – Brand search volume (how often people search for your site/brand) – Google Knowledge Graph entity recognition |
Why 30%? Authoritativeness holds the highest weight because Google strongly relies on external validation from trusted sources. Backlinks from reputable publications and brand mentions in high-authority sites are key ranking factors. Google’s Knowledge Graph entity recognition further confirms a brand’s credibility. This is why well-established sites with high domain authority consistently rank higher than lesser-known sites. |
| Trustworthiness (T) | 25% | – HTTPS security & domain trust signals – User reviews, ratings, and testimonials – Content accuracy and fact-checking (Snopes, FactCheck.org citations) – Low bounce rate & high engagement metrics |
Why 25%? Trustworthiness is as important as expertise because Google prioritizes safe, accurate, and reliable content. Factors like HTTPS security, positive user reviews, and engagement metrics indicate whether users find the content credible. Google also relies on fact-checking sources like Snopes and FactCheck.org, especially for news and health-related content. |
EEAT Score Formula (Estimated)
EEATScore=(0.20×E)+(0.25×Ex)+(0.30×A)+(0.25×T)
Where:
- E (Experience Score) = (Behavioral engagement metrics + Verified author identity signals)
- Ex (Expertise Score) = (Author credentials + Content accuracy checks + Niche depth)
- A (Authority Score) = (Backlink quality + Brand search volume + Knowledge Graph mentions)
- T (Trustworthiness Score) = (HTTPS + User trust signals + Review ratings)
Now, let’s break it down step by step and show which factors contribute to each part of the score.
Step 1: Assigning Weightage to Key EEAT Factors
The table below maps each metric to its corresponding EEAT category, showing how it influences the final score.
| Metric | EEAT Category | Tool to Measure It | Weighting (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | Experience (E) | Google Search Console (GSC) | 5% |
| Dwell Time / Session Duration | Experience (E) | Google Analytics | 5% |
| Verified Author Identity (LinkedIn, Wikipedia, Knowledge Panel presence) | Experience (E) | Google Search | 10% |
| Backlink Authority (DA, DR, Referring Domains) | Authoritativeness (A) | Ahrefs / Moz / SEMrush | 15% |
| Brand Mentions in News & Authority Sites | Authoritativeness (A) | Google News / Mention / BuzzSumo | 10% |
| Trust Signals (HTTPS, Reviews, Policies, Citations) | Trustworthiness (T) | Google Search Console / TrustPilot | 10% |
| Low Bounce Rate | Experience (E) | Google Analytics | 5% |
| Knowledge Graph Recognition | Authoritativeness (A) | Google Knowledge Graph API | 5% |
| User Engagement (Shares, Comments, Social Proof) | Experience (E) | BuzzSumo / Social Analytics | 10% |
| Content Accuracy (Fact-checking citations, medical/legal approval for YMYL) | Expertise (Ex) | Snopes, FactCheck.org, Official Whitepapers | 10% |
| Expert Credentials (LinkedIn verification, Published Research, Citations) | Expertise (Ex) | LinkedIn, Google Scholar, Author Schema | 15% |
Step 2: Example EEAT Score Calculation (Health Website Case Study)
Let’s assume we analyze a health website using this framework:
-
Experience (E) Calculation
- CTR from GSC: 8% (good) → 5/5
- Average session duration: 3.5 minutes (moderate) → 3/5
- Verified Author Identity: Strong LinkedIn & Knowledge Panel presence → 9/10
- Low Bounce Rate: 40% (acceptable) → 4/5
- User Engagement (Shares & Comments): High → 9/10
Total E Score = 30/35
-
Expertise (Ex) Calculation
- Expert credentials: Doctor with citations in medical journals → 14/15
- Content accuracy: Cited by FactCheck.org and official health sources → 9/10
Total Ex Score = 23/25
-
Authoritativeness (A) Calculation
- Backlinks from WebMD, Healthline, Mayo Clinic: Strong → 14/15
- Brand mentions in Forbes & NYT: Moderate → 7/10
- Knowledge Graph recognition: Yes → 5/5
Total A Score = 26/30
-
Trustworthiness (T) Calculation
- Trust factors (HTTPS, no spammy ads, positive reviews): Strong → 9/10
- User ratings & testimonials: Verified & positive → 9/10
Total T Score = 18/20
Step 3: Final EEAT Score Calculation
Using the formula:
EEATScore=(0.20×E)+(0.25×Ex)+(0.30×A)+(0.25×T)
EEATScore=(0.20×30)+(0.25×23)+(0.30×26)+(0.25×18)
EEAT Score = 6 + 5.75 + 7.8 + 4.5 = 24.05/30 (Converted to 100 scale: **80.16/100**)
➡️ Final Estimated EEAT Score: 80/100 (Strong Trust & Authority)
➡️ Higher ranking potential, likely to appear in AI Overviews & Featured Snippets.
Common Myths About Google EEAT
There are several myths surrounding EEAT that can confuse website owners and content creators. Let’s take a look at some of the most common myths and set the record straight:
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| EEAT is only for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) websites, like health, finance, and legal sites. | While EEAT is crucial for YMYL websites, it applies to all types of websites. Google uses EEAT to evaluate the quality of content across the board, whether you’re in e-commerce, blogging, or entertainment. If your content is trustworthy, authoritative, and demonstrates expertise, it can benefit any site. |
| EEAT is a direct ranking factor. | EEAT itself isn’t a direct ranking factor but acts as a guiding principle that helps Google evaluate the overall quality of content. EEAT influences factors like backlinks, user engagement, and content quality, which ultimately affect ranking. |
| Having expert writers is enough. | While expert writers are valuable, EEAT is about more than just authorship. Google also considers overall site trustworthiness, including aspects like backlinks, user reviews, and the transparency of your site. Building authority and trust is a holistic process. |
| More backlinks automatically mean better EEAT. | The quality of backlinks matters more than the quantity. A few high-quality, relevant backlinks from authoritative sites are more valuable than many low-quality links. Focus on earning backlinks from trusted sources to boost your authoritativeness. |
| EEAT only focuses on content quality. | While content quality is a significant part of EEAT, other factors like user experience, site security, and engagement metrics play crucial roles. Google evaluates the overall experience users have on your site, including trust signals like HTTPS, privacy policies, and user reviews. |
| Once you’ve built EEAT, you’re done. | EEAT requires ongoing effort. Google’s algorithms are constantly evolving, and content needs to remain fresh, accurate, and aligned with user intent. Regularly updating content, building backlinks, and maintaining site security are all part of sustaining EEAT. |
Future of Google EEAT and SEO
As Google’s algorithms evolve, EEAT will continue to shape SEO. Here’s how it will influence SEO in the future:
How EEAT Will Shape SEO
- Focus on Content Quality: Google will increasingly prioritize content that is comprehensive, trustworthy, and demonstrates expertise. Websites that provide value will rank higher.
- User Expectations: As users demand more reliable content, websites must produce accurate and up-to-date material to maintain trust and authority.
- Real-Time Content Updates: Google will reward regularly updated content that stays relevant and current.
Anticipated Algorithm Updates
- Better Content Evaluation: Google will refine algorithms to assess expertise, trustworthiness, and authority more precisely.
- AI Integration: Future updates will incorporate AI-driven analysis of user intent, helping match content with more accurate search results.
- Detecting Misinformation: Google will continue enhancing its ability to identify unreliable or biased content.
AI-Generated Content and EEAT
AI will play a key role in creating and assessing content that meets EEAT standards:
- AI in Content Creation: Tools like ChatGPT, BERT, and Perplexity help produce well-researched, expert-level content.
As these tools become more advanced, they’ll be able to help generate content that demonstrates expertise by analyzing large datasets and presenting factual, well-researched information in an easily digestible format. - AI in Content Evaluation: Google’s AI algorithms will continue to improve how it evaluates EEAT.
With tools like RankBrain and BERT, Google is getting better at understanding the context and meaning behind queries, as well as the trustworthiness of content. This allows for more accurate matching of search results with expert-level content. - Personalized Content: AI-driven insights will enable even more personalized content recommendations.
As Google refines its AI-powered systems, it will assess EEAT not just on a page level but across individual user preferences. This means the content that ranks best will not only be authoritative but also directly meet the needs of users on a more personalized level.
The Role of AI in Improving and Assessing EEAT in Content Creation
AI plays an essential role in both creating and assessing content for EEAT. Here’s how AI is helping to improve the quality and reliability of content:
- Content Analysis: AI tools can assess whether content is genuinely informative and expert-level. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI can help determine if content is backed by facts, reliable sources, and credible experts. It can also identify low-quality content that lacks trustworthy sources or demonstrates bias.
- Optimization for Search Engines: AI tools like Surfer SEO can optimize content for EEAT by suggesting changes that improve authoritativeness and trustworthiness. They can help content creators ensure their work is aligned with Google’s search quality guidelines and ranks higher for relevant queries.
- Continuous Improvement: AI can help monitor the performance of content and suggest updates in real-time. By analyzing user engagement and feedback, AI can identify areas where content could be improved to better match user intent, expertise, and reliability.
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FAQs – Google EEAT
How can I use Google's EEAT algorithm to improve my website's search ranking?
What are some practical ways to demonstrate expertise on my website?
How do search quality raters evaluate E-E-A-T?
Final Thoughts
Google EEAT plays a crucial role in determining the quality and relevance of content on the web.
While it may not be a direct ranking factor, EEAT heavily influences how Google evaluates content, impacting rankings through factors like backlinks, user engagement, and site authority.
By focusing on producing high-quality, trustworthy, and expert-driven content, you can ensure that your website aligns with Google’s standards, improving both your SEO performance and your connection with your audience.
