Google relies on human reviewers to assess whether search results are genuinely useful — and they follow a framework called Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
Understanding the E-E-A-T framework helps you create content that meets Google's quality bar. And while the E-E-A-T framework isn’t related to LLMs like ChatGPT, content created with it in mind has a better chance of earning visibility across AI-generated answers.
Below, we’ll go into further detail about E-E-A-T, what you can do to better align with the framework, and why it matters for SEO.
What is E-E-A-T?
E-E-A-T is a framework that Google's human reviewers use to assess the quality of content that appears in search results.
Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines, the handbook that reviewers (known as Quality Raters) use to provide feedback on search results, defines and discusses E-E-A-T.
Trustworthiness is the central, most important concept in E-E-A-T:
Google wants to deliver search results that have strong E-E-A-T to protect its users from harm and give them the best possible experience. So, if Quality Raters find that results have low E-E-A-T, Google may try to improve its ranking algorithms.
E-E-A-T is especially important when it comes to your money or your life (YMYL) topics — topics that can affect users' well-being, such as health, finance, legal matters, and safety.
Content on YMYL topics is held to a higher E-E-A-T standard because bad advice in these areas can cause real harm. That means Quality Raters need to scrutinize a page advising someone on managing a medical condition more seriously than they would a page featuring a board game review.
What's the difference between E-E-A-T and E-A-T?
The difference between E-E-A-T and E-A-T (a former Google quality framework) is that there’s now an additional “E,” and it stands for “experience.”
Google changed E-A-T to E-E-A-T in December 2022, likely so Quality Raters could better evaluate the quality of search results. Because Google recognizes the value that first-hand experience can add to content.
For example, product reviews are more trustworthy when the reviewer has used the product themselves.
Why is E-E-A-T important for SEO?
E-E-A-T is important for search engine optimization (SEO) because it helps you create quality content that’s likely to perform well in Google results.
To clarify, E-E-A-T is not a confirmed Google ranking factor. That said, Google has stated Quality Rater feedback is used to improve its ranking algorithms over time.
Focusing on E-E-A-T helps you align your site and the content you create with Google's definition of good search results. That means following these practices will help you create content that has a better chance of ranking higher in Google.
Does E-E-A-T help AEO?
Following E-E-A-T guidelines generally helps with answer engine optimization (AEO).
While E-E-A-T was developed by Google, it’s still a relevant framework in the age of AI. The work you do to improve E-E-A-T typically involves building topical authority, earning high-quality backlinks, and maintaining accurate and current content. Those same practices improve visibility in AI search.
Evaluating the E-E-A-T components
Here's what each E-E-A-T element looks like in greater detail:
Experience
Experience is any first-hand experience you have with the subject matter.
Examples of first-hand experience in content include:
- First-hand testing notes, original photos, or video from the creator
- Explicit disclosures that the author has used, visited, or lived through the subject matter
- Unique data or outcomes from the creator's personal implementation
Consider this review for the board game Wingspan where the author talks about their personal experiences and provides unique product photos.
If the writer hadn't played the game, readers likely wouldn't trust the opinions shared. And search engines and LLMs likely wouldn’t show it in search results.
Expertise
Expertise refers to your knowledge, skills, and credentials in a particular domain.
The level of expertise required to create quality content depends on the page's topic and purpose. For example, this health article (which falls under YMYL content) is written and reviewed by medical doctors:
As a result, users are more likely to trust the information and advice provided. And Google and LLMs may be more likely to reference information from this piece.
If your content isn’t classified as YMYL, you may not need writers or editors with formal credentials. However, you still need to demonstrate practical expertise through methods like:
- Including original insights
- Demonstrating familiarity with the context being discussed
- Using precise, practitioner-level language that reflects deep familiarity with the topic
Authoritativeness
Authoritativeness refers to your reputation as a reliable source.
One way that Google gauges a site’s authoritativeness is by looking at its backlinks (links to your site from other sites). The higher the quantity, quality, and relevance of backlinks, the more authoritative your site is perceived to be.
For example, WebMD is a well-regarded medical site. The Referring Domains report (with the “Active” filter applied) shows it has backlinks from more than 450K domains, including reputable sites like apple.com and bbc.com:
You can get an idea of your own authoritativeness with Semrush's Authority Score metric. The higher the score out of 100, the stronger your backlink profile.
Enter your domain into Semrush’s free Website Authority Checker and click "Check Authority."
Then, refer to the Authority Score section:
One of the easiest ways to find backlink opportunities is with Semrush's Backlink Gap tool — it shows domains that link to your competitors but not to you.
After finding potential backlink prospects, reach out to the site owners and share a quality piece of content that would complement their article. Ask if they’d consider linking to it within their piece.
And know that gaining backlinks isn’t the only way to improve your website's perceived authority. Unlinked brand mentions are also beneficial for improving authority. And Google instructs Quality Raters to look at what others say about a website and to check for awards, so gaining that sort of recognition can make a difference.
Trustworthiness
Trustworthiness is informed by experience, expertise, and authoritativeness, but it's also about protecting visitors from potential harm and giving them confidence in your website and its content.
Ensure that your site has:
- HTTPS (an encrypted method of transferring data between web browsers and servers) and a clear privacy policy
- Accurate, verifiable information
- Clear contact information
Also, be mindful of maintaining consistent messaging about your brand both on your website and elsewhere on the web. Conflicting details about your brand can undermine confidence for users, search engines, and LLMs.
Take AnnualCreditReport.com. It's the only site authorized by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to provide free credit reports, and the site details the safeguards used to protect users’ personal information.
When users visit the FTC’s website to verify information about FreeCreditReport.com, they see consistent information.
How to improve your site’s E-E-A-T
Improve your site’s E-E-A-T by creating quality content, using editorial standards, building your reputation, crediting your creators, using reputable sources, and relying on user-generated content (UGC).
Here’s how:
Create helpful content
Create helpful content that’s relevant to your audience’s problems to showcase your brand's expertise and grow your authority.
For example, REI is an outdoor apparel retailer. On top of selling apparel, it also shares lots of valuable advice about camping, hiking, climbing, etc.
As a result, REI has strengthened its reputation as an outdoors specialist and has excellent website authority, which likely contributes to organic traffic and mentions in LLMs.
Find content ideas for your site with Semrush's Keyword Strategy Builder. Enter up to five seed keywords relevant to your niche and click “Create.”
The tool will provide ideas in the form of topic clusters (groups of thematically related pages on a site) to help you build authority within a particular topic.
Follow strict editorial standards
Following strict editorial standards that align with the E-E-A-T framework ensures everything you publish aligns with Google’s recommendations.
For example, here's a snapshot of our editorial standards for the Semrush blog:
Here are some quick tips for success:
- Ensure content is fact-checked and proofread by someone other than the writer
- Create a style guide that defines the writing style you want to adopt
- Define how information should be sourced and cited
- Determine how frequently your content should be reviewed and updated
- Make sure creators use available tools to their advantage
- Ensure everyone on your team is aware of your editorial standards
With Semrush's AI Article Generator, you can quickly create AI-generated drafts on selected topics that meet specific criteria like your brand voice, audience targeting, readability, and more.
After entering article details, the AI will write the article. Then, you can edit the piece and apply the recommended improvements to increase the likelihood of strong performance in search engines and LLMs.
Build your brand reputation
Building your brand’s reputation impacts the perceived trustworthiness of your content and site overall. So, try to get positive online exposure.
There are a number of tactics you can try:
- Digital PR: Create stories around your brand and get journalists to cover them
- Influencer marketing: Incentivize influencers to promote your brand to their audiences
- Guest posting: Write expert articles for other sites in your niche
- Social media management: Build relationships with your audience through social platforms
- Link building: Encourage relevant, high-quality sites to link to your content
For example, Zillow's housing market research is regularly cited by reputable publications covering real estate and economics. These mentions strengthen its reputation as a trusted source of industry insights.
Credible online mentions may help users, search engines, and LLMs view your brand as more trustworthy.
To track perception about your brand online, use the Brand Monitoring app. It finds references to your brand name and categorizes them based on sentiment.
Sign up for alerts about new negative mentions, so you can take corrective action when needed. And read our guide to online reputation management to learn more about protecting your brand's image.
Credit your content’s creators
Crediting the creators who write and edit your content builds trust with readers.
For example, we name the writer and contributors on each blog post:
And these names link through to bio pages with more detailed information. Like this:
These pages let us showcase our team's credentials and past work, so their experience and expertise are apparent.
If your writers don't have the knowledge required to create quality content on your chosen topic, ask other members of your team to contribute. Or consider seeking outside help on sites like Qwoted — experts may be willing to share their insights in exchange for exposure on your site.
Use credible sources
Using credible sources (like research reports) ensures the content you publish is accurate and reliable.
It's also best practice to link to your sources, so readers know you've done your research and can verify your claims for themselves.
For example, Healthline has a “Sources” pop-up that lists the sources they use to inform each piece.
Leverage user-generated content
Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) created by website/platform users rather than your brand helps build trust, as it proves you have happy customers.
For example, Amazon displays videos, photos, and reviews from customers:
You can prompt users to create UGC by:
- Building UGC interfaces into your website (e.g., a place to leave reviews)
- Sending review request emails to customers
- Running contests that require users to create content to enter
Start building your E-E-A-T
Boosting your E-E-A-T is an ongoing practice of creating content people can trust. The good news is the improvements you make compound over time.
And you’ll know if your efforts are working when you track your results. Particularly your visibility in AI tools.
Keep tabs on how you’re showing up in AI answers using Semrush’s AI Visibility Toolkit. If you have large-scale tracking needs, try Semrush Enterprise AIO.
