E-E-A-T

Is E-E-A-T a search ranking score?

No, E-E-A-T itself isn't a single ranking factor. Google says it uses a mix of signals to recognize content that shows strong E-E-A-T, and that E-E-A-T is a way of describing what it's aiming for.

E-E-A-T is explained in the most detail in the Search Quality Rater Guidelines. Raters are people who check whether Google's search results are working well, and Google explains that raters don't decide how pages rank and their ratings aren't used directly in the ranking algorithms.

It used to be E-A-T, but in December 2022 Google added Experience to the rater guidelines, making it today's E-E-A-T. The idea is to give separate weight to content from people who have actually used, visited or done the thing.

The rater guidelines are a public document anyone can read. But they're long and written only in English, so it's enough to think of E-E-A-T as "the standard for making a first-time customer trust you enough to get in touch."

What do Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust each mean?

You don't need all four. Google explains that experience, expertise and authoritativeness support trust, and that some content is helpful enough on experience alone.

On a business website, turn each one into concrete information customers can check, as in the table below.

How can a small business website show E-E-A-T?

Google recommends asking yourself who made the content, how it was made and why. For a business website, it's enough to make clear who runs the business, how you created your photos and text, and what you're trying to tell customers.

For example, a neighborhood dry cleaner can show experience and trust just by saying "in the same spot for 20 years," posting photos of how it cleans down jackets and silk, and being honest about which stains it can remove and which are hard to get out.

If you used AI to create text or images, make sure customers aren't misled. Google also suggests checking whether your use of automation or AI is clear to visitors. Avoid presenting AI-generated images as if they were real photos of your shop.

1. 01Create an About page that shows who runs the business, with your and your staff's names, experience and way of working.
2. 02Use photos you took yourself of your shop, your work and the results, and caption each one.
3. 03Write out prices, time required and refund policy accurately in text, and update them as soon as they change.
4. 04Put your business registration number, address and phone number at the bottom of the page, and make them match your map listings exactly.
5. 05Only use customer reviews you actually received, and say where each one came from.
6. 06Add the author and the last-updated date to guides, so readers can see who wrote the information and when.

What's different for sensitive industries like clinics, tax or legal services?

Google calls topics that can greatly affect people's lives, like health, money and safety, YMYL (Your Money or Your Life). For these topics, Google says its systems give more weight to content with strong E-E-A-T.

So a clinic needs to make its medical staff's actual qualifications and specialties clear, and a tax or law office needs to make the qualifications and scope of work of the people handling cases clear. Wording that promises results or states effects as certain hurts trust, and depending on your industry it can also break Korean advertising rules.

Ordinary businesses aren't off the hook either. If you take payments online, your payment, refund and privacy information becomes the core of trust, and if you look after children or pets, showing your safety rules and qualifications matters.

What are common misconceptions about E-E-A-T?

E-E-A-T is less a technique for filling in a checklist and more about making first-time visitors feel "I can trust this place and get in touch." So it isn't just search work: it directly affects whether visits turn into inquiries and bookings.

E-E-A-T also looks at your whole website and your business's reputation, not just a single page. The rater guidelines ask raters to check what others say about a business too, such as outside reviews and articles.

• "Adding an author bio will boost rankings": a bio is just one part of showing trust, and it won't help if the content is thin.
• "There are tools that raise your E-E-A-T score": Google doesn't use or publish any numeric E-E-A-T score.
• "Just collect lots of reviews": fake reviews, or hiding that reviews were paid for, will cost you trust instead.
• "Set it up once and you're done": if your prices, staff or opening hours change and the site stays the same, trust drops.

What should you prepare before building your website?

Before the design draft, gather the material only you can provide: your background and why you started, photos you took yourself, what customers often praise, and the principles you always stick to in your work.

Ask your web agency: "Which screen will show the owner introduction and business details?", "Will you mainly use real photos?" and "Can I edit prices and policies myself when they change?" If those three are clear, you have the basics of trust covered.

With photos, consistency matters more than an expensive shoot. Adding real photos taken on your phone whenever the season changes or your menu or services change tells customers your business is still actively run.