What is EEAT and how does it affect the quality of your website?

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In recent years, Google has been refining its algorithms to offer increasingly reliable, safe and useful results. In this context, an acronym has gained (even more) relevance in the SEO universe: EEAT. You may have heard of EAT — Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. But the new version adds another E: Experience.

In this comprehensive article, we’ll dive into the four pillars of EEAT, understand how they directly affect your website’s ranking, and most importantly, what you can do today to achieve better positions on Google.

Get ready for a dense but essential read if you're serious about building a reliable, relevant, and lasting digital presence.

What is EEAT?

Evolution of EAT to EEAT

The acronym EAT first appeared in Google's 2014 “Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines” document. At the end of 2022, the giant added a new element: Experience, becoming EEAT. This change was no accident. After all, it reflects the growing appreciation of the author's lived perspective on published content. This is because, in recent years, Google has increasingly focused on providing search results relevant and reliable to users.

Why did Google create this concept?

Simple: combat misinformation and improve user experience. EEAT helps filter out shallow, automated, or sensationalist content, elevating sites that demonstrate genuine authority, subject matter expertise, and reliability in the data they present.

The 4 pillars of EEAT

Experience

This new pillar refers to the direct experience of the person writing the article. In other words, does the author have practical experience with the subject? For example: a review of a software written by someone who has actually used it is worth more than a generic review. Google seeks authenticity. Therefore, testimonials, videos, and real demonstrations are highlighted.

More than just reporting facts, the content must demonstrate real engagement with the topic. This includes nuances, personal learnings and even mistakes made in the process. Google understands that those who have been through a certain situation are better able to provide insights relevant than someone who just theorized about it.

What’s more, experience is especially important for “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) content that deals with health, finances, or security. In these cases, the lack of practical experience can seriously harm the reliability of the content.

“Google values content written by people who have real, practical experience with what they are discussing.”

Expertise

Imagine you have an accounting office. If the pages and content are signed by an experienced accountant, you will have a better chance of being seen as an authority on the subject. Specialization is acquired with time and experience. This way, the more you get involved with a topic, the more your expertise grows.

Therefore, for your website to be considered a reliable source of information, it is crucial to demonstrate expertise in your niche. This can be done by creating high-quality content based on solid, up-to-date research. Make sure your authors have in-depth knowledge about the topics they are covering and avoid inaccurate or outdated information.

The importance of credibility in expertise

The crucial point regarding credibility is user perception. Your content must be accurate and your website trustworthy. You can achieve this by citing reliable sources, including verifiable data and statistics, and being transparent about content authorship.

Therefore, create videos, write guest posts on websites in the field and share your knowledge. Sign with your name and build your position of authority.

Authority (Authoritativeness)

Authority comes not only from the content, but also from the reputation of the author and the website. So, in our example, it is not enough to be an accountant on an accounting website. The content must be complete and meet the search intent. How many relevant backlinks do you receive? Is your name mentioned on other relevant portals? Are you a reference in your niche? These are the elements that build authority.

Factors that influence website authority

In addition to backlinks, other factors can influence your site’s authority, including the amount of time users spend on your site, your bounce rate, and how often your content is updated. So, keep your site up-to-date and engage visitors with relevant content. As a result, you can increase your authority in the eyes of search engines.

Don't forget: focus on creating valuable, original content that is worthy of being shared by other websites and influencers in your niche.

Trustworthiness

This is the foundation of your digital reputation. After all, trust is essential to keeping users on your site and encouraging them to return in the future. So make sure your website has a professional, easy-to-navigate design, and includes contact information and privacy policies to reassure visitors that their personal information is safe.

Another important point is customer reviews and testimonials. After all, satisfied customers can be powerful tools for establishing trust with your website visitors. Encourage customers to leave positive feedback and highlight these reviews on your website to show users that your business is trusted and valued by others.

“Sites with HTTPS, clear policies and a good reputation convey more trust and stand out in Google results.”

How does Google evaluate EEAT?

Quality Raters and Indirect Signals

Google has a team of human evaluators, called Quality Raters, which test whether the results displayed by the algorithms are meeting the EEAT criteria. Content, although their reports do not directly affect rankings, they guide algorithm adjustments.

Additionally, Google analyzes indirect signals, such as time spent on the site, bounce rate, quality of backlinks and spontaneous mentions.

Role of content and online reputation

It is worth emphasizing, repeating the mantra: quality content is the foundation. But, in addition to this, the author needs to be visible in other reliable sources — such as interviews, mentions on specialized websites and even presence on networks such as LinkedIn. Online reputation is increasingly valuable for SEO.

EEAT and SEO: What is the real connection?

How EEAT influences your ranking

While EEAT is not a direct ranking factor in the algorithm, it is a meta-factor — that is, a concept that directly influences several signals considered in ranking. For example, if the content is written by an expert, it tends to gain more backlinks and retention.

Why sites with strong EEAT have better metrics

These sites generate more reading time, more shares, more engagement — and less rejection. In short: they deliver what the user is looking for, which is exactly what Google wants to highlight.

“Sites with good EEAT don’t just show up on Google — they capture attention and build trust from the first click.”

Practical strategies to strengthen your EEAT

Create high-quality content

• Post original, informative, and relevant content for your target audience.
• Do in-depth research on the topic you are writing about.
• Write clearly, concisely and objectively.
• Review your content carefully before publishing.

Improve the Experience

• Show real behind-the-scenes stories: photos, videos, personal stories.
• Produce reviews, tutorials or case studies based on your practice.
• Include real testimonials or comments in your content.

Get high-quality backlinks

• Publish your content on other sites relevant to your niche.
• Participate in guest posts on authority blogs.
• Create infographics, ebooks and other materials for sharing.

Establish your online reputation

• Be active on social media.
• Participate in online forums and communities.
• Respond to questions and comments from your followers.

Prove your Specialization

• Highlight training, certifications and time in the industry.
• Use appropriate technical language and reliable sources.
• Include bibliographies, external links, and accurate citations.

Build Trust

• Use HTTPS and have a visible privacy policy.
• Make it clear who is writing (author bio, LinkedIn, etc.).
• Include badges, testimonials, and reviews from real customers.

Real cases and lessons learned

Site with low EEAT

A client of Vero Contents, an e-commerce supplements store, published health articles without the signatures of experts. The result: frequent drops in positioning and high rejection rates. So, after reviewing the content with the support of nutritionists and displaying the authors, traffic grew 87% in 6 months.

Site with strong EEAT

A wellness blog with experienced authors, case studies, and partnerships with industry companies. The domain has established itself as an authority and has even started ranking for competitive keywords, with a 120% increase in organic traffic in one year.

Conclusion

EEAT is more than a set of best practices—it’s a mindset. In an age of AI and mass content, Google values authenticity, real-world experience, and a reputation built on consistency. Investing in EEAT not only improves your SEO, it strengthens your digital brand and builds more trust across all touchpoints.

Start today: review your content, improve your authors' presentation, gain real backlinks and prove that your brand knows what it's talking about — because it's already lived it.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about EEAT

1. Is EEAT a direct ranking factor on Google?

No. But it indirectly influences several signals that impact ranking, such as backlinks, reputation, engagement and dwell time.

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2. How to highlight experience in content?

Include real examples, testimonials, photos, videos and case studies based on the author or brand’s experience.

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3. What is the difference between expertise and experience?

Expertise is technical knowledge (e.g. training), while experience is practical experience (e.g. using a product or working in the market).

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4. How to build authority in my niche?

Publish on industry websites, get quality backlinks, be cited by experts and have an active presence on social media.

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5. Do I need to include the author's bio in the articles?

Yes. This helps Google and readers understand who wrote it and why that person is credible in addressing the topic.

At Vero Contents, we believe that authority is built through practice, depth, and consistency. EEAT is the path to achieving this — and you can count on us to apply it with strategy and authenticity.

Image: Freepik