Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines mention E-A-T hundreds of times. It's not a direct ranking algorithm, but it guides how Google evaluates content quality.
E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Sites with strong E-A-T signals rank better. Sites with weak E-A-T get buried—especially in YMYL (Your Money Your Life) industries like finance, health, and legal.
Here's how to actually improve your site's E-A-T in SEO beyond just "create quality content."
What E-A-T Actually Means
The Three Pillars:
Expertise
Do the content creators actually know what they're talking about? Credentials, experience, demonstrated knowledge in the subject matter.
Authoritativeness
Is this site recognized as a go-to source in its industry? Citations from other authoritative sites, industry recognition, brand mentions.
Trustworthiness
Can users trust this site's information? Transparency, security (HTTPS), privacy policies, contact information, accurate citations.
Google updated this to E-E-A-T in 2022, adding "Experience"—firsthand experience with topics covered. But most people still call it E-A-T.
Building Expertise
Expertise isn't just about degrees. It's about demonstrating knowledge consistently.
How to Demonstrate Expertise:
- •Author bios with credentials: Every article should have author info showing relevant expertise
- •Original research and data: Publish studies, surveys, proprietary data that others cite
- •Detailed, thorough content: Surface-level articles don't demonstrate expertise; depth does
- •Accurate citations: Reference authoritative sources, link to studies, cite data properly
- •Industry certifications: Display relevant qualifications prominently
- •Case studies: Show real-world results from actual projects
For aviation companies, this means your content should be written by people with actual aviation experience—not generic content writers.
Building Authoritativeness
Authority is what others say about you, not what you say about yourself.
How to Build Authoritativeness:
- •Quality backlinks: Links from authoritative sites in your industry (link building done right)
- •Brand mentions: Even unlinked mentions of your brand signal authority
- •Industry awards and recognition: Display prominently on your site
- •Speaking engagements: Conference talks, podcast interviews, webinars
- •Press coverage: Media mentions in reputable publications
- •Social proof: Client testimonials, case studies, review ratings
Authoritativeness takes time. You can't fake it with spammy backlinks or fake reviews. Build it systematically through genuine industry participation.
Building Trustworthiness
Trust signals tell users (and Google) that your site is legitimate and safe.
How to Build Trustworthiness:
- •HTTPS (SSL): Non-negotiable. Insecure sites don't rank
- •Clear contact information: Physical address, phone, email prominently displayed
- •Privacy policy: Clear, accessible, compliant with GDPR/regulations
- •Terms of service: Professional, transparent business terms
- •About page: Who you are, company history, team information
- •Transparent pricing: No hidden fees or deceptive practices
- •Regular content updates: Outdated content signals abandonment
- •Professional design: Broken pages, poor UX damage trust
Trust is fragile. One data breach, one misleading claim, one fake review scandal—and it's gone.
E-A-T for Different Industries
E-A-T requirements vary by industry. YMYL (Your Money Your Life) topics have higher standards.
High E-A-T Requirements (YMYL):
- Medical/Health: Must have medical credentials, cite peer-reviewed studies
- Financial: Need financial qualifications, regulatory compliance
- Legal: Lawyers or legal experts authoring content
- News: Journalistic standards, fact-checking, corrections policy
Moderate E-A-T Requirements:
- B2B Services (like SEO): Industry experience, case studies, professional credentials
- E-commerce: Secure checkout, clear refund policies, product accuracy
- Aviation: Industry certifications, safety credentials, operational experience
The higher the potential impact on users' wellbeing or finances, the higher the E-A-T bar.
Common E-A-T Mistakes to Avoid
❌ What Hurts E-A-T:
- •Anonymous authors: No author = no expertise credibility
- •Thin content: 300-word articles don't demonstrate expertise
- •Spammy backlinks: Low-quality links damage authority
- •Fake reviews: Destroys trustworthiness immediately
- •Misleading claims: Exaggeration or false promises
- •Outdated information: Articles with incorrect or old data
- •Poor user experience: Broken pages, slow site, intrusive ads
Measuring Your E-A-T
E-A-T isn't a metric you can track directly. But you can measure proxy indicators.
E-A-T Indicators to Track:
- Domain Authority: Moz DA or Ahrefs DR as authority proxies
- Backlink quality: Number of links from DA 50+ sites
- Brand search volume: How many people search your brand name
- Content depth: Average word count, comprehensiveness
- Author profiles: LinkedIn followers, industry mentions
- Return visitor rate: Trust signals through repeat traffic
- Time on page: Users spending time reading = perceived quality
The Bottom Line on E-A-T
E-A-T isn't a quick fix. It's a long-term investment in being a legitimate, authoritative source in your industry.
You can't game E-A-T with cheap tricks. Fake author bios, bought backlinks, misleading credentials—Google's algorithms and human raters catch this stuff.
The good news: most businesses don't take E-A-T seriously. They publish generic content, hide behind anonymous authors, and wonder why they don't rank.
Build genuine expertise, earn real authority, and establish trust properly. It takes 12-24 months, but once you have it, you dominate your niche for years.
Frequently Asked Questions
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