E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It's a framework Google uses to evaluate content quality, especially for topics that can impact users' health, finances, or safety (YMYL - Your Money or Your Life).
The Four Pillars of E-E-A-T
E - Experience
Does the content creator have first-hand experience with the topic?
Personal use of products reviewed
Visited places being described
Actually performed the tasks discussed
E - Expertise
Does the creator have the necessary knowledge and skills?
Formal qualifications or training
Depth of knowledge demonstrated
Professional experience
A - Authoritativeness
Is the creator or website recognized as a go-to source?
Reputation in the industry
Citations from other authorities
Awards, recognition, or credentials
T - Trustworthiness
Can users trust the content and the website?
Accurate, honest information
Transparent about business practices
Secure website (HTTPS)
YMYL Topics Require Higher E-E-A-T
YMYL = Your Money or Your Life
Topics that could significantly impact a person's health, financial stability, safety, or welfare require the highest levels of E-E-A-T.
YMYL Category
Examples
Health & Safety
Medical advice, drug information, mental health
Financial
Investment advice, taxes, loans, banking
Legal
Legal advice, citizenship, divorce, custody
News & Current Events
Politics, international news, science
Shopping
Major purchases, financial transactions
How to Demonstrate E-E-A-T
Experience Signals
Include personal anecdotes and first-hand observations
Show original photos or videos of products/places
Detail specific experiences with dates and contexts
Describe the process you actually went through
Expertise Signals
Create detailed author bio pages with credentials
Link to author's professional profiles (LinkedIn, etc.)
Demonstrate deep knowledge in content
Use accurate, current information with citations
Authoritativeness Signals
Earn backlinks from reputable sites
Get mentioned by industry publications
Build a strong brand presence
Maintain consistent, high-quality content
Trustworthiness Signals
Use HTTPS encryption
Display clear contact information
Include privacy policy and terms of service
Show customer reviews and testimonials
Disclose affiliations and sponsored content
Author Bio Best Practices
Strong Author Bio
Dr. Jane Smith, MD
Board-certified dermatologist with 15 years of experience. Chief of Dermatology at City Hospital. Published researcher with 30+ peer-reviewed papers.