Google Doesn't Trust You. You Have to Earn It.
E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness.
These aren't just buzzwords. They're quality signals that Google's Search Quality Raters use to evaluate content. You can read Google's own take in their SEO starter guide.
And after 20+ years and 500+ campaigns, I can tell you -- E-E-A-T is the difference between content that ranks and content that gets filtered out.
Experience: Show You've Done the Thing
This is the newest addition. Google wants to know if you have firsthand experience with the topic.
How to show it: Share personal anecdotes. Include original screenshots. Mention specific results you've achieved. Reference real campaigns, real numbers, real outcomes.
"After testing this across 500+ campaigns..." carries more weight than "experts recommend..."
Expertise: Prove You Know Your Stuff
How to show it: Author bios with credentials. Deep, comprehensive coverage. Original insights, not regurgitated basics. Cite sources and data.
Authoritativeness: Show Others Trust You Too
How to show it: Backlinks from reputable sites. Mentions in industry publications. Expert quotes and contributions. A track record of content in your niche.
Trustworthiness: Don't Be Shady
How to show it: Accurate information. Clear sourcing. Transparent about who you are. Secure website (HTTPS). Clear contact information. Privacy policy.
Practical E-E-A-T Checklist for Content
Every blog post should have:
Build E-E-A-T Into Your Process
Make it part of your content checklist, not an afterthought. Your brand voice and E-E-A-T signals reinforce each other -- authentic voice IS an expertise signal.
Speaking of checklists -- SEO Checkup has 113 tasks across 4 checklists to ensure every piece of content meets quality standards. Free. 30 seconds. No credit card.
Earn Google's trust. Keep it.