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What is Google E-E-A-T? Why It Matters + How to Rank (2024)

ByNina Clapperton Updated on

Wondering what Google E-E-A-T is and why it matters for SEO?

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

This is the framework Google uses to assess the quality of content on the internet, and it’s crucial as a blogger (or any website owner) to understand how to actually show E-E-A-T.

Without implementing E-E-A-T, it’s unlikely that Google will view you as an expert in your field, and your readers won’t know why they should trust you.

I’ve been an expert in SEO for years, created numerous courses, and helped hundreds of bloggers increase organic traffic to their websites through SEO.

So, I’ll walk you step-by-step through how to optimize your entire website for E-E-A-T so that your blog posts actually rank. I’ll also tell you why Google added the second ‘E’ (experience) in 2022 and why it’s the most important factor in future-proofing your website!

What is E-E-A-T?

I will get into all the details of how to implement E-E-A-T on your site, but I want to first give you a brief overview of what it is, according to Google.

Experience

Experience refers to the writer’s first-hand knowledge of the topic they are discussing. People want to listen to someone who has actually been to the places they talk about or actually used the product they’re recommending.

A post with personal touches and original photos that show first-hand experience is far more valuable than one written by someone who has never even used the product or been to the place.

Expertise

Expertise means that you are an expert in the topic. You should be clear about why you are worth listening to and why you’re an expert on whatever you’re talking about.

Sometimes, this comes in the form of degrees or credentials, but other times, it blends into experience. Someone who lives in Rome is automatically more of an expert than 99% of people on what to see and how to get around the city.

Authoritativeness

Authoritativeness is about credibility and ties into your reputation in the field. Backlinks tend to be the biggest factor for Google in determining authority.

However, other aspects are also helpful, like having social media accounts or getting featured on different parts of the web as an expert in the field.

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is about the reliability and honesty of your content. People want to read content written by a real person with thoughts, feelings, and opinions.

Another way to be a trustworthy source is to keep your content up-to-date. If someone recommends a restaurant to me, and I go there only to find it’s been closed for a year, I will probably never listen to that person’s recommendations again.

Why did Google Add The Extra ‘E’?

E-E-A-T is the new version of E-A-T, which has been around forever. The change first appeared in Google’s documentation in December 2022, but it likely started being implemented into the algorithm even before that. 

This shift in the criteria used to assess websites is meant to specifically target niche site owners who are making sites about things they’ve never experienced before.

The number of times you’d search for something like, ‘Oh, I need a new blender for smoothies that actually blends frozen strawberries’ — if you like smoothies, you know how many just break for no reason. 

But when I read the articles at the top of Google, I’d say, “I don’t know if you’ve never touched a blender in your life…you just found this keyword and thought it was fun.”

Since the writer didn’t have actual experience with the product/service, the article was not helpful.

Google is trying hard to prevent this and doubling down on ‘helpful content.’ Their goal is that people won’t be able to game the algorithm and magically rank by just adding a certain number of keywords or getting a certain number of links.  

This extra element knocked many people for a loop, especially in the travel space. 

Joyful hiker posing with flexed arms on a rocky terrain, with the majestic Mount Ngauruhoe in the background under a clear sky, its slopes partially covered in snow.

I remember back in 2022, so many people were encouraging others to ‘just start a site anywhere that has good keywords, even if you’ve never been and never want to go.’ But this doesn’t actually help anyone.

I can talk forever about solo female travel – I have done it for years – but I’ve never been to India, so I can’t speak very well about solo female travel in India since I only know ½ of the equation. 

Sure, I could research it, but it’s still very different than boots on the ground. 

Another real-life example is that you can always tell when someone has never been around dogs but read about how to greet them. When they meet them, they do the whole ‘stick their hand out for them to smell,’ but it’s so rigid and uncomfortable that it’s clear they rarely interact with dogs.

How to Show E-E-A-T on Your Website (Off-Page SEO)

So, let’s talk about some ways to show EEAT on your site. If you want to know more about these, why they matter, and how to implement them, join my Profitable Part-Time Blogger program. 

Before we get into the actual posts, here are some ways you can optimize your pages and off-page SEO to help show your EEAT

About Page

The first thing you need is an About page. You needed this before, too, but you should definitely go and optimize it. 

It should answer certain questions the reader may have;

  • Why should I listen to you? 
  • Why are you an authority on this topic? 
  • What have you experienced? 
  • Where have you been featured? 
  • How are you going to help me? 
  • Why are you the best person to give me this advice?
  • What are your qualifications? 

So many about pages have none of that.

They just say, ‘Hi, one time when I was 13, I walked through a wildflower field, and it inspired me to start this blog.’ That leads me to think, ‘Cool, this is a site about blenders; how does that help us?’ 

Most people include a ‘Featured In’ Section, like mine below. But these days, you need more.

The "featured in' section from the About Me Page on She Knows SEO.

You are an expert in the field. At least know more than 90% of people because you started a whole website on the topic. So tell them why the heck should they listen to you?’ 

It’s not weird to brag on yourself a little or call yourself an expert. Just remember to keep it super informative, punchy, and get to the point. 

By having a kid, you’re technically a parenting expert. You might not be a child psychologist, but you are an expert on your type of parenting. 

I’ve raised a service dog and trained him from scratch. I’ve also now owned a golden retriever through many stages of insanity. 

So, while I’m not a certified dog trainer, I’m still an expert to some extent, and I can talk about my experience raising and training a golden retriever. 

That’s where that difference comes in.

I’ve also seen people screenshot testimonials or positive emails and social media interactions. It might not mean as much as a Forbes backlink, but it’s an authority marker.

A reader is telling you, ‘You helped me, and I listened to you, and I had this result from it.’ That matters. 

The mini-about me on my homepage, which helps connect with the user and increase my trustworthiness.

Homepage

You should also work on your home page to make it clear who you are and why someone should listen to you. 

I am amazed at the number of homepages that skip this, and they typically don’t even have a sidebar author box. 

So I’m constantly thinking, “Who is this? How do they know what they’re talking about?” 

And that’s a problem

Contact Page

You also want to have a contact page where people can get in touch with you. 

I recommend not having a form because they break so often, which gets very frustrating.

However, if you’re interested in working on sponsored content, partnerships, or press trips, this is where people will go to try and find your contact information. 

I remember when I was looking for affiliates for the Profitable Part-Time Blogger early on. There were quite a few people that I wanted to be an affiliate for me, but I couldn’t find a way to contact them. 

And I’m not about to go and hunt people down.

I’m done if I can’t find an email address or a form within 4-5 clicks max. 

So make it very easy to find. This also allows people to communicate with you, tell you if something is wrong, ask questions, or get more information, which adds to the user’s overall experience (a critical component of EEAT)

The links to relevant web pages and my contact information for She Knows SEO.

Basic Legal Information

Every site should have: 

  • Privacy policy
  • Affiliate Disclaimer
  • Terms and conditions
  • Refund policy (if you’re selling things). Even if you don’t offer refunds, you need a policy stating that so people know. 

I also recommend having an address, your email, and possibly a phone number listed across your site is recommended. Yes, you will get some spam, but there are ways to circumnavigate that. 

In the U.S., you can set up a Google Voice number. Outside of the U.S., you can use a paid Skype number, which is like a couple of bucks a month.

Putting (at) instead of @ is a great way to limit email spam. 

As for the address, most newsletter services already require that. There are a bunch of legalities around it, and it just makes sense that a business has a physical mailing address, even in the world of online business. 

You can always just use a PO Box if you don’t want your home address online.

Social Media Profiles

In addition to all this, you should have social media profiles set up. You don’t need to be super active on them. You just need to reserve them under the name of your blog.

3 is the sweet spot. After that, any extras don’t make a huge difference. 

You never know. Maybe you will want to branch out to Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook down the road. 

Also, if you ever plan to sell the site, socials might be the next buyer’s area of expertise, and they will want to make sure there are accounts set up for each site (at the very least)!  

Simply having them ready is super helpful, and always link them on your site so they’re available. 

It’s also another method of people contacting you and looking like a legitimate business. 

Every business now has at least one social profile, typically a Facebook page. So, if nothing else, this will make you look even more legitimate to Google and your readers!

Have Trustworthy SEO Settings

Get an SSL certificate so your site is HTTPS, not HTTP (this is just a security thing).

How to Show Experience in Your Posts

Now, let’s dive into actual posts. Most people do all the basics and think they’re good to go.

But that’s far from true.  

Google cares about the stuff I already talked about. But real human beings probably won’t look at most of that. So, we also have to fill our actual blog posts with EEAT.

I realize this is a pain, but it’s necessary if you want to rank in today’s SEO landscape. 

My author bio at the end of each blog post for this website, explaining my E-E-A-T to improve my credibility.

Add An Author Box

You want to have author boxes at the bottom of each post, and your author byline needs to be on and linking somewhere, either to your About Page or the author’s Archive Page (if you have multiple authors)

It takes two seconds to set up, so why not have it?

Also, I still think having a little author bio in your sidebar is beneficial because it will show up at the bottom of the mobile. 

Use SPEAR Framework In Your Introduction

Inside your post, you need to tell the reader why they should listen to and trust you, and your Intro is the perfect tool for this. 

Most people hate writing Intros, but they are SO important. 

I remember when I was searching for dog-friendly restaurants or dog-friendly hikes in  Banff National Park, and the number of times the blog’s Intro would give me absolutely nothing of substance was super frustrating. 

They would just write, “In this post, we’re going to talk about these three things. Bye.”

The Intro is your first introduction to people, so you have to tell them, ‘I’m gonna help you, and I’m the person to help you because of XYZ.’

I love to use the SPEAR framework for this. It’s something I learned from Jamie I.F. and have been using ever since. 

SPEAR stands for Search (User Intent), Pain Points, Expertise, Audience, Rapport

What people are missing is the ‘Expertise.’  

You should include your relevant experience in every post to tell the reader (and Google) why they should listen to you. Have you actually done the thing? Tell your readers!

“I have used that NutriBullet for two years to make my breakfast smoothies, and it’s the best blender I’ve ever owned.”

“I’ve lived in Rome for 2 years and explored every corner of the city.”

Someone can say, ‘I went to Rome,’ but I want to know the details. I don’t want to read about everything to do from someone who was there for 2 hours. But I’d care a bit more if someone was there for a week.

If someone lives there, I care infinitely more.

Me in blue gear and goggles tandem skydiving with an instructor against a backdrop of blue sky and fluffy clouds, with the parachute deploying in the sunlit distance.

Adding Experience Within the Content

Showing the reader your authority/experience on the subject doesn’t end in the Intro. 

I hired about 40 writers a while back and asked them to ‘include experience and expertise’ in each post. 

So many wrote one sentence to ‘check the box’ and never mentioned anything else. 

This should continue throughout the whole post. Otherwise, it sounds like I have just recited Wikipedia and repurposed what everyone else was saying.

You want to make sure you’re adding your own unique information.

“I went to this dog-friendly restaurant. It was sort of challenging to fit my 75-pound golden retriever under the table, so it’s probably easier to bring a small dog here. They do have a patio, though, so maybe that would have been a little easier.” 

That’s so much better than, ‘’This restaurant is dog-friendly.’ 

Did this place give your dog water? Were people excited to pet your dog, or did they leave you alone? How many dogs were there?

Most people skip this, but these details help develop your post and show your personal experience, which is essential for EEAT.

Use Original Images

Okay, I realize that you can rank without original images, and people do, but this helps so much with EEAT, and real people will always trust someone more when they know they have real-life experience using the thing. 

Even if you currently rank without them, do you think it’s fully future-proof? It just makes it that much easier for someone to go and write a post that outranks you.

Anyone can say, ‘I’ve been to Rome,’ but can you prove it?

A picture is worth a thousand words and doesn’t even have to be pretty. 

Alt text: "Two women enjoying a horseback ride outdoors, with one on a brown horse and the other on a tan horse, both smiling, amid a rustic farm setting with large trees and fenced enclosures in the background.

I have so many photos taken out of a car window because it was too rainy to have my phone out or blurry photos from my old digital camera when I was 16.

So many of them are like 20º slanted to the right; It’s literally made me question if I’m just off-kilter as a person. 

They are terrible, but they prove that I did the thing. You don’t even have to be in it. The metadata behind it shows that you took that photo. 

Going back to my trip to Banff, I came across a few posts about hiking in Banff National Park that literally had the first photo from Unsplash. I immediately lost trust in that person and left to look for something original.

If you’re looking for a general guideline, I recommend 3. But you should always have at least 1, and for posts where you’re selling something (i.e., affiliate posts), pack that thing full of them. 

People don’t want to buy the golf clubs you recommend if you’ve never touched the thing. 

I know I’m going on and on, but this is such a crucial part of showing your experience. 

If you want to go above and beyond, include original videos! Again, it doesn’t need to be perfect. It can be one of those seven-second panorama photos, a repurposed TikTok video, or an embedded YouTube video. 

This shows Google and your user, ‘I took the time to do this. I didn’t just grab a photo.’

Write a Conclusion

In your conclusion, restate that you did the thing. 

I also find that a lot of people skip conclusions, but you shouldn’t. 

Not only is this an awesome place for a CTA, but it’s also a good place to reiterate why someone should listen to you and continue building that connection with the reader. 

Having all these elements is incredibly important, and I don’t really understand why people decide it’s just not worth it.

My Final Thoughts

My Profitable Part-Time Blogger program covers more about EEAT. In the program, I discuss how your site architecture and topical authority contribute to EEAT.

But this is a great start if you want to add more EEAT to your blog.  

At the end of the day, you must answer the simple question: Why the heck should someone listen to you?

If you don’t answer that, there’s a problem.

I recently did an extensive EEAT audit on my blog, where I added original images, my expertise, and my experience to things I had forgotten about, and it massively helped my rankings. 

I also find it fun to talk about personal stories, so I’ve always incorporated them. 

So, if you haven’t done one yet and you’ve seen some dips in rankings, take the time to update your posts and figure out where you could add EEAT signals. This is what’s going to really set you apart from other people! 

If you have questions about this, please ask in my SEO for Travel Bloggers Facebook Group. All bloggers are welcome (not just travel bloggers), and it’s the best place to interact with me.

Have a great day, and remember to E-E-A-T the competition!

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Nina Clapperton is the founder of She Knows SEO.

She started blogging in 2018 and spent years doing everything “right” while earning $0. Then she stopped guessing and learned how search actually works. She rebuilt her travel site around audience intent and structure and grew to 50,000 sessions in 6 months. Within a year, the blog was bringing in $30,000 months and later crossed 243,000 pageviews.

She took the same audience first SEO approach and built her education business into multiple $100,000 months.

Now Nina teaches bloggers and online business owners how to build search powered businesses grounded in strong positioning, clear structure, and monetisation that actually supports their audience. She covers traditional SEO and AI driven search without the tech bro noise, and she’s known for explaining complex strategy with analogies you won’t forget.

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