Short answer
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust: the qualities Google's quality raters look for, with trust the most important. Google says it is not a single ranking factor or a score you can check. It is a framework, and Google's systems use many signals meant to reward content that shows it. Real authors, first-hand detail and honest sourcing are how you show it.
What does each letter of E-E-A-T mean?
| Letter | Meaning | What it looks like on a page |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | First-hand use or involvement | Your own photos, results, a lesson from a mistake, “we tested this” |
| Expertise | Skill and knowledge of the topic | Accurate, detailed answers, and qualifications where they matter |
| Authoritativeness | Being a recognized source | Others cite, recommend or link to you |
| Trust | Honest, accurate, safe and transparent | Clear ownership, contact details, policies, sources, secure checkout |
The second E, Experience, was added in December 2022 to the older E-A-T. Google's guidelines call trust the most important of the four: a page that cannot be trusted has weak E-E-A-T however skilled or famous its author seems.
Is E-E-A-T a ranking factor?
Not in the way people mean. Google says E-E-A-T is not a single ranking factor, and there is no score to chase. Its quality raters rate sample results using the guidelines, which helps Google check that its systems work, but their ratings do not move a particular site. Google adds that its ranking systems combine many signals designed to surface content that shows these qualities.
It matters most for topics where bad advice can hurt, which Google calls “Your Money or Your Life”: health, money, safety, law and civic information. For a recipe blog the bar is lower than for a page about medicine. No plugin, tag or badge can add E-E-A-T, so be wary of anyone who sells one.
What E-E-A-T signals can I add to my site?
- Real authors. Show a name, photo and short bio that explains why this person knows the topic, linked to an author page.
- First-hand experience. Add original photos, your own results, real examples, and what went wrong as well as what worked.
- Sources. Name primary sources inside sentences and link to them. Correct errors openly.
- Proof from others. Genuine customer reviews, case studies shared with permission, and awards that can be checked.
- Transparency. An About page that says who runs the business, a contact page with a real address or phone number, and privacy and returns policies.
- Dates. Show when a page was published and last updated, and update it when facts change.
- Reputation elsewhere. Mentions, third-party reviews and relevant links earned honestly.
Google's guidance on helpful content frames this as three questions: who created the content, how it was created and why. Answer all three visibly and you have covered most of what a reader, and a rater, looks for.
Which E-E-A-T claims are myths?
| Claim | What is true |
|---|---|
| Tools can show your E-E-A-T score. | There is no such score. Any number shown is a vendor's own estimate. |
| Author markup or an “expert reviewed” badge lifts rankings. | Markup proves nothing by itself. The person must be real and the claim true. |
| Invented author names and credentials are harmless. | They damage trust the moment someone checks, and can mislead readers. |
| Only health and finance sites need it. | It matters most there, but every site benefits from being clear and honest. |
| An About page fixes it. | It helps, but it must be backed by accurate, original pages. |
How does Arcline check these signals?
Arcline has a score called “Proof you're real”. It looks for an About page, a contact page, policies, business markup, authors, dates and outside sources, which are the visible parts of trust. For articles it also flags a missing author or date. It does not measure E-E-A-T itself, because nobody can, and a better score is not a ranking. See what the scores mean.
Where should I start?
- Add a real author byline and bio to your ten most important pages.
- Make sure your About and Contact pages say who you are and how to reach you.
- Add one first-hand detail to each key page: a photo, a result or a lesson.
- Name and link the sources behind every number you quote.
Content made with AI needs the same care: a person who knows the subject must review and add experience. See Google and AI-generated content.