What is E-E-A-T?

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It's the framework Google's quality raters use to evaluate whether content is credible, accurate, and genuinely helpful. The 'Experience' dimension was added in 2022, recognising that first-hand experience with a topic is a distinct form of credibility separate from formal expertise.

Google assesses E-E-A-T through a combination of signals: author credentials and bylines, the reputation of the publishing site, external backlinks from authoritative sources, reviews and mentions across the web, and the consistency between what a site claims about itself and what third parties say. For professional service businesses, case studies, client testimonials, and professional credentials are all E-E-A-T signals.

For GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), E-E-A-T is equally important. AI systems like ChatGPT and Perplexity are more likely to cite sources that demonstrate clear expertise and authority on a topic. Building E-E-A-T through detailed service pages, published work, and verifiable credentials helps both traditional SEO rankings and AI citation rates.