E-E-A-T: How Google and AI Evaluate Your Expertise

Understanding E-E-A-T: beyond the buzzword

E-E-A-T is probably the most misunderstood SEO concept of the last decade. Essential clarifications:

• It is NOT a direct algorithmic ranking factor. There is no "E-E-A-T score" in Google's algorithm.
• It is an evaluation framework used by Google's Quality Raters (more than 16,000 humans) to rate the quality of search results.
• Quality Rater scores influence algorithm updates. So E-E-A-T indirectly impacts your rankings, via Core Updates.

The acronym breaks down as follows:

• Experience: does the author have direct experience of the subject?
• Expertise: does the author possess the necessary knowledge?
• Authoritativeness: is the site/author recognised as a reference?
• Trustworthiness: is the content reliable, honest, secure?

"E-E-A-T is not an algorithm. It is a quality philosophy that Google uses to train its algorithms. The nuance is crucial: you cannot 'optimise' E-E-A-T like a meta tag. You have to build it like a reputation."

E-E-A-T and LLMs: why it is even more critical

Here is what most E-E-A-T guides do not tell you: LLMs implicitly reproduce E-E-A-T principles in their source selection. Not because they were programmed to, but because:

• LLMs trained on the web inherit Google's quality biases (well-ranked content = more represented in training data)
• LLMs with real-time search (Perplexity, ChatGPT Browse) use Google results — so E-E-A-T filters apply indirectly
• LLMs evaluate reliability via similar signals: cited sources, identifiable author, factual consistency

According to an analysis by the Oxford Internet Institute (November 2025), content with strong E-E-A-T signals (identified author, verifiable sources, trusted domain) has 4.1 times more chance of being cited in ChatGPT and Perplexity responses than anonymous or poorly sourced content.

This is why we emphasise E-E-A-T so strongly in our AI content strategy. It is the common denominator between Google visibility and AI visibility.

Experience: the pillar that 90% of sites ignore

The additional "E" (Experience) was added by Google in December 2022, and it changes everything. Before, a theoretical expert could rank. Now, Google (and LLMs) want evidence of direct experience.

Concrete examples:

• An article on "how to optimise your site for AI" written by someone who has actually optimised sites (with measurable results) > a theoretical article written by a freelance writer
• An "SEO for e-commerce" guide written by a consultant who manages e-commerce accounts (with client cases) > a generic guide compiled from other sources

How to demonstrate experience:

• Anonymised client cases with real metrics
• Screenshots (dashboards, results, before/after)
• Specific anecdotes ("At one of our B2B SaaS clients, we found...")
• Decisive opinions based on experience ("Contrary to what you read everywhere, our experience shows that...")

Concrete actions by E-E-A-T pillar

Experience — Demonstrating direct experience

• Add client cases (even anonymised) to every article
• Include screenshots of your own tools/dashboards
• Share opinions based on your own practice, not others'
• Date your experiences ("In Q4 2025, we observed...")

Expertise — Proving competencies

• Detailed author page with biography, credentials, LinkedIn links
• Person/Organization schema markup on every page
• External publications (guest articles, conferences, podcasts)
• Certifications and training displayed

Authoritativeness — Building recognition

• Backlinks from sector reference sites
• Brand mentions in European media
• Citations by other experts (and reciprocal links)
• Presence on sector platforms (LinkedIn, Reddit, specialist forums)

Trustworthiness — Earning trust

• HTTPS mandatory (obvious but still missing on 12% of European SMEs according to Eurostat 2025)
• Accessible privacy policy and legal notices
• Cited and verifiable sources in every article
• Regularly updated content (last modification date visible)
• Verifiable customer reviews (Google Business Profile, Trustpilot)

Comparison: E-E-A-T levels and impact

"Trustworthiness is the central pillar. Without trust, expertise and authority are worthless. This is true for Google, true for LLMs, and true for your prospects."

FAQ