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TL;DR
Historical review — reviewed 15 October 2026. The dates below describe past events. Earlier publication labels are not used as evidence that a later event was known at the time.
Beyond Expertise—Adding Experience
Search quality raters evaluate pages based on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness—collectively known as E‑E‑A‑T. The “experience” component was formally introduced in December 2022, highlighting the importance of first‑hand knowledge.
While expertise concerns technical knowledge of a subject, experience refers to whether the author or organisation has personally used the product or service they write about. Authoritativeness involves reputation within the field, and trustworthiness relates to overall reliability and transparency.
Demonstrating E‑E‑A‑T
To build these qualities into your content, include author bios that outline credentials and background. If the article is based on personal use, discuss specific details that show you actually tried the product or service.
Provide references to credible sources and link to official data. Encourage user reviews and testimonials to build social proof.
Ensure your site has clear contact information, privacy policies and secure connections to enhance trust. The more transparent and detailed you are, the more confidence you inspire in both users and search engines.
Long‑Term Benefits
Google's people-first content guidance says E-E-A-T is not a specific ranking factor, and quality raters do not directly control rankings. Clear responsibility and evidence help readers assess advice; they do not protect a page from ranking changes.
For example, a case study can name the work completed, show evidence with permission and distinguish measured outcomes from the author's interpretation. An opinion piece should not imply that it is based on testing that never happened.
SEO Takeaways and Next Steps
E‑E‑A‑T has become a cornerstone of successful SEO. If you’d like guidance on building these elements into your content strategy or need help auditing your current pages, get in touch at info@phil‑carr.co.uk or 01226 697 325.
If you need help with your SEO strategy, get in touch by emailing info@phil-carr.co.uk or calling 01226 697 325.
