Where it comes from
E-E-A-T comes from Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines. Google added the first E, Experience, in December 2022 (Google Search Central). Google is clear that it is a framework for judging quality, not a single ranking score (Creating helpful content).
The four parts
- ExperienceHas the author actually done the thing? Photos of real jobs, first-hand results, original data.
- ExpertiseDoes the author know the subject? Credentials, licenses and depth.
- AuthoritativenessDo others treat you as a go-to source? Mentions, reviews and links from respected sites.
- TrustworthinessThe most important part. Accurate facts, a real address and phone, secure pages and honest claims.
Why it matters more with AI
An AI assistant puts its own name on every answer, so it leans toward sources it can stand behind. When two sources say the same thing, the one that shows real experience usually wins. Generic content, including mass-produced AI content, adds nothing new and gets passed over.
Trust includes security
A business that can be impersonated by email, sits on a spam blacklist or lets its certificate lapse is sending the opposite of trust. That is why our scan checks domain security alongside AI readiness.
What to do
- Put real names, photos and credentials on your pages.
- Show your own work: results, projects, numbers.
- Keep your business facts the same everywhere online.
- Add structured data so machines can read who you are.
- Lock down your domain: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, HTTPS.