If you've talked to anyone about SEO lately, you've probably heard the term E-E-A-T thrown around. It sounds like jargon. It kind of is. But it's also one of the most important concepts in modern search.
Here's what it actually means and why it matters for your business.
What E-E-A-T Stands For
E-E-A-T is Google's framework for evaluating content quality:
- Experience – Do you have first-hand experience with what you're writing about?
- Expertise – Do you actually know your stuff?
- Authoritativeness – Are you recognized as a credible source?
- Trustworthiness – Can people trust your information?
Google uses these signals to decide which pages deserve to rank and which don't. It's not a direct ranking factor you can measure—it's more like a lens they use to evaluate everything else.
Why Google Started Caring About This
The internet is full of garbage content. People writing about topics they know nothing about. Websites spinning up articles just to rank for keywords. Medical advice from people who've never seen the inside of a hospital.
Google got tired of ranking junk. So they started asking: who's actually qualified to write about this?
For certain topics—health, finance, legal, anything that could impact someone's life—they got especially strict. They call these "Your Money or Your Life" (YMYL) topics. If you're giving advice that could hurt someone, Google wants to make sure you know what you're talking about.
What This Means for Local Businesses
Here's the good news: if you're a legitimate business with real experience, E-E-A-T actually helps you.
Think about it. A med spa that's been operating for years, with real staff credentials, real patient results, and a real physical location? That's exactly what Google wants to rank for "med spa near me."
The fly-by-night affiliate site trying to rank for the same term with recycled content? They don't stand a chance.
E-E-A-T rewards real businesses doing real work.
How to Demonstrate E-E-A-T
You can't just tell Google you're trustworthy. You have to show it. Here's how:
Experience
- Share case studies and real results
- Write about specific situations you've handled
- Include details that only someone with hands-on experience would know
- Show your work, not just your claims
Expertise
- Display credentials and certifications
- Have content written or reviewed by qualified people
- Go deep on topics instead of surface-level fluff
- Demonstrate knowledge competitors don't have
Authoritativeness
- Get mentioned by other reputable sites
- Build a presence beyond just your website
- Earn reviews and testimonials
- Be the source others reference
Trustworthiness
- Make it easy to contact you
- Show your physical location
- Display clear business information
- Have real people behind your content
The Signals Google Actually Looks At
Google doesn't have a single "E-E-A-T score" they calculate. Instead, they look at dozens of signals that indicate quality:
- Author information – Who wrote this? What are their qualifications?
- About pages – Does this business explain who they are?
- Contact information – Can users actually reach someone?
- Reviews and reputation – What do others say about this business?
- Citations and references – Does this content back up its claims?
- Site security – Is the website secure and well-maintained?
None of these guarantee rankings on their own. But together, they paint a picture of whether your site is legitimate.
Common E-E-A-T Mistakes
No author attribution. Generic content with no name attached looks like it could have been written by anyone. Or no one.
Missing business information. If Google can't figure out who you are, why would they trust you?
Claims without evidence. Saying you're "the best" means nothing. Showing results, reviews, and credentials means everything.
Thin content. Surface-level articles that don't demonstrate any real knowledge get filtered out.
No external validation. If no one else on the internet mentions you, that's a red flag.
E-E-A-T for Yamhill County Businesses
For local businesses in McMinnville, Newberg, and the Willamette Valley, E-E-A-T is actually your competitive advantage.
You have something the big national sites don't: local expertise. You know the community. You have real customers who can vouch for you. You have a physical presence people can verify.
Use that.
- Make sure your Google Business Profile is complete and active
- Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews
- Show your involvement in the local community
- Create content that demonstrates your local knowledge
The businesses that treat E-E-A-T seriously are the ones showing up in search results. The ones that ignore it are wondering why their traffic is declining.
The Bottom Line
E-E-A-T isn't a trick or a hack. It's Google trying to rank legitimate, knowledgeable sources over content farms and pretenders.
If you're running a real business with real expertise, that should be good news. You just need to make sure Google can see what you already know about yourself.
The businesses that document their experience, display their credentials, and build trust with their audience are the ones that win. Everyone else is hoping Google doesn't notice they're faking it.
Google notices.
