EEAT role in Google ranking 2025
EEAT is not a ranking model. EEAT is not used by Google. Google does not Detect EEAT. EEAT was a checklist for quality raters looking at the output of machine detected spam to see if it had found content that was indeed not spam. It in no way implies a check that Google performs on content and has nothing to do with how users read content
Does EEAT affect Google search rankings
No, absolutely not.
For far too long, “E-E-A-T” (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) has been hailed as a cardinal rule in SEO, almost a direct ranking factor. But let’s be clear: EEAT, as a measurable, direct algorithmic signal, is a myth. It’s a fundamental misunderstanding of how Google’s algorithms actually work.
EEAT originated from Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines – a manual for human raters to evaluate search results, not a direct blueprint for the algorithm itself. These raters don’t impact rankings directly; rather, their feedback helps Google engineers understand if their algorithms are delivering helpful content. The guidelines simply provide a human language framework for what ideally good content embodies.
Origin of Google EEAT in SEO
Google’s algorithms, despite their sophistication, cannot directly measure abstract, subjective human qualities like “experience” or “trustworthiness” in the way many SEOs imply. There’s no magical “EEAT score” that a bot computes. When Google officials, including Search Liaison Danny Sullivan, state that EEAT is “not a ranking factor” and doesn’t “factor into other factors,” they’re being literal.
What does matter are tangible signals that Google can measure, such as PageRank (still a vital proxy for authoritativeness), user engagement, brand mentions, and technical SEO. While producing content that genuinely demonstrates expertise and builds trust is always a good practice for users, trying to “optimize” for EEAT through superficial tactics like elaborate author bios or unsubstantiated claims is a waste of time and resources. Focus on creating genuinely helpful, relevant, and engaging content, and let your overall site authority speak for itself.
