Does Google use EAT (Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust) as part of its search algorithm?
In reality, EAT is so important for Google's evaluation of web content that it's cited 135 times across the 167 pages of Google's Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines – significantly more than any other topic. But is it an algorithmic ranking factor?
Expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness not only influence the ranking, but also how well your website is perceived by the browser.
Furthermore, the length and quality of your content can also play a role in the evaluation of EAT factors.
But what exactly is EAT? Is it a major update, a minor adjustment, or something in between? Do you need to change everything on your SEO-Change your strategy? Or can you safely ignore it like that half-eaten taco still in the fridge from last weekend?
In this guide, I will explain exactly what EAT is, delve into Google's search quality guidelines, why it's important, and how you can help your website achieve better rankings by providing EAT-style content.
The guide was created in collaboration with other SEO marketers such as Dave Davies, Lily Ray, Kevin Rowe and Roger Montti.
EAT is one of many guidelines that Google uses to determine whether content is valuable to readers and whether it should rank well.
EAT was first mentioned in 2014 when Google added the concept to its search quality guidelines.
Google search quality auditors have been instructed to look for the following:
Basically, EAT is a characteristic that indicates that a page is of high quality and helpful to users.
Here is an example from Google that illustrates what they mean by EAT:
High-quality EAT news articles should be produced with journalistic professionalism – they should contain factually accurate content presented in a way that gives users a better understanding of the events. High-quality EAT news sources typically have established editorial guidelines and robust verification processes.
No, EAT is not technically a ranking factor, but it can affect the ranking of your content.
EAT is a guideline Google uses to determine which content is high-quality and should rank higher. It's part of several aspects of its algorithm. Therefore, it's not a direct ranking factor, but it can indirectly affect your overall ranking.
Although it is important, it may not be as important as some SEO professionals thought.
Have you ever heard the phrase "Content is King"? Or "Just create high-quality content"?
Don't reply to that. Because of course you have it. SEO professionals have repeated these phrases time and time again.
Although well-intentioned, these phrases make me roll my eyes because they actually tell us nothing about what constitutes high-quality content.
More images? Longer forms? Endless alt tags? Better metas? The world will probably never know.
Now Google is giving us a little insight into what they consider high-quality content, and this could have a huge impact on content marketing and SEO experts.
The EAT guidelines tell real human reviewers, who evaluate hundreds of websites, exactly what kind of content Google considers high-quality.
According to their guidelines, great content should:
Where possible, the content should be created by people with a high level of expertise, although "everyday expertise" from people with real-world experience is acceptable where appropriate.
Pages that spread hate, cause harm, mislead or deceive users may receive a lower EAT rating from search evaluators.
Now you know that EAT isn't related to lasagna, but to Google's algorithm. You know why it's important – and why SEO professionals are excited about it.
But what does that mean for your website? It means you need to improve your content game.
Here is a seven-step checklist to make your website more authoritative and trustworthy.
All three aspects of the EAT guidelines show that Google wants to know who creates content and whether that person(s)/website is a legitimate source for that knowledge.
If you don't already have an "About Us" or "Team" page that describes who your team is – and who creates your content – now is the time.
Author pages are a simple way to establish your team's expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
Google wants not only good content, but also content from people who know what they're talking about.
Instead of hiring ghostwriters to produce half-baked content for high-ranking keywords, work with experts in the field to create content that Google trusts.
This could mean interviewing a scientist, hiring experts for guest contributions, or collaborating with another company to publish top-notch research results.
Do you want to inform, explain, persuade, or describe?
Use titles and headings that clearly state the purpose of your content, and use clear language.
For example, I have used headings in these posts that are questions, so that you know you will have all your questions about EAT answered.
Don't produce long, rambling content. Get straight to the point and address the topic as clearly (and thoroughly) as possible.
We produce an incredible amount of data every day.
By 2025, we will generate an average of 463 billion GB of data every day. This means that content will become outdated quickly.
Tools are updated, websites are taken offline, people take on new roles, and Google updates its algorithm… yet again.
In my experience, the average lifespan of online content is about two years, depending on the topic and industry.
Keep your content accurate and up-to-date by regularly incorporating content updates into your SEO strategy.
Update statistics, best practices, and check for dead links every few years, especially for high-level content.
If you want to be perceived as an expert, you need to rely on real data.
Link to official sources, studies, and research papers to support your statements and show that you know what you're talking about.
Use trusted sources such as NCBI and JSTOR to find studies that support claims.
You can also link to tweets, papers, or reports from industry experts. In this article about EAT, for example, I referenced comments from Gary Ilyes of Google, who can (probably) be considered an expert on Google.
To be trustworthy, the content should consider problems from different perspectives and examine what each perspective contributes to the overall entertainment.
For example, if your content covers the best ice creams to eat, there's a good chance that a particular ice cream flavor won't be perfect for everyone.
One person might like their ice cream made with locally sourced eggs, like this "Not Fried Chicken Ice Cream Bucket." Another person might have trouble deciding between ice cream and a cocktail, so they opt for the Boozy Capsule Collection from OddFellows Ice Cream or BBQ-flavored ice cream.
The possibilities are endless. But the goal is to explain the different viewpoints on a topic in order to build trust with your audience and make them think you are an expert.
Your online reputation can affect the trustworthiness of your website and its content.
Protect your brand reputation by monitoring negative media coverage and responding promptly to negative reviews.
Claim all your social media profiles for your brand name and encourage your customers to leave positive reviews about your brand.
You don't need to go crazy and try to build a massive brand if that doesn't make sense for your business, but make sure your good name doesn't get tarnished.
Furthermore, optimize your website and content for search engines to achieve higher visibility and attract potential customers.
© 2012-2025, MIK Group GmbH | General Terms and Conditions | Imprint | Privacy policy
