How to improve eat for SEO

E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has become central to Google's ranking algorithm, particularly after the 2023 helpful content updates. For client sites you're optimizing, improving E-A-T means making it immediately obvious to both users and search engines that your client's content comes from someone who actually knows what they're talking about.

Start with author credibility signals. This means having detailed author bios that include relevant credentials, years of experience, and past accomplishments. If your client is an accountant writing about tax strategy, their bio should mention their CPA designation and how many clients they've served. Create an "About Us" page that goes beyond generic company history—include team members with their qualifications, certifications, and relevant background. Link author names to their social profiles or LinkedIn pages, which gives Google additional context about who's writing the content. For E-E-A-T (Google added "Experience" to the acronym), you can strengthen this further by having actual practitioners create content from firsthand experience rather than generalists writing about specialized topics.

Build topical authority by creating comprehensive content that thoroughly covers subjects rather than surface-level articles. This means longer, well-researched pieces that cite credible sources, link to authoritative sites, and demonstrate deep knowledge of the topic. If a client writes about a topic, they should write about it repeatedly and comprehensively across your site, showing Google they're a genuine authority rather than a one-off article writer. Include citations and links to peer-reviewed studies, industry reports, and other authoritative sources—this isn't just about SEO, it legitimately improves trustworthiness.

For trustworthiness specifically, ensure your client's site has clear contact information, transparent pricing where applicable, and visible privacy policies. Medical, legal, and financial content need extra attention here. Consider adding client testimonials and case studies (with verifiable details), as these provide third-party validation. If your client has been quoted in reputable publications or featured in industry media, link to those mentions from the website.

Finally, update older content regularly. Google interprets fresh, regularly-updated content as more trustworthy and authoritative than abandoned, outdated material. The combination of demonstrated expertise, clear authority signals, and verifiable trustworthiness signals significantly improves rankings, particularly for competitive or YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics.