EEAT Explained: What Google Actually Uses to Judge Trust & Quality

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Jan 5, 2026

In this insightful discussion, Shaun Anderson, a seasoned SEO consultant with over 20 years of expertise, dives into the intricacies of EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). He explains why trust matters more than ever in Google rankings and differentiates between EEAT signals and traditional PageRank. Shaun emphasizes the unique demands of YMYL topics, revealing how off-site reputation plays a pivotal role in site quality. Transparency, credibility, and demonstrating genuine expertise are vital for boosting trust and long-term success online.

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INSIGHT

What EEAT Really Means

EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness and is a collection of signals Google uses to judge helpfulness.
Google says EEAT is not a single direct ranking signal but a framework to prioritize useful content.

INSIGHT

EEAT And The Google Leak

EEAT is not present as a labeled item in the Google API leak even though related attributes appear elsewhere.
The framework's purpose is to help Google prioritize content that is genuinely helpful to users.

ADVICE

Apply EEAT Proportionally

Do apply EEAT more strongly as your site interacts with users or handles higher-risk topics.
Even low-risk sites benefit from basic trust elements like locks (HTTPS) and clear contact details.

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E915: We break down EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) and how Google evaluates website quality - straight from Google's own documentation, quality rater guidelines, and real-world SEO experience.

Joining me is Shaun Anderson, one of the most respected SEO professionals in the industry with over 20 years of experience. This is a fast-paced, no-nonsense discussion designed to clarify what EEAT is, what it is not, and how it affects real websites.

This episode focuses on how Google determines trust, why some sites are labeled low quality, and why EEAT matters even if it's not a direct ranking factor.

What we cover in this episode - What EEAT actually means in Google Search - Whether EEAT is a ranking factor (and why that question misses the point) - How Google evaluates trust and site quality - The difference between EEAT and PageRank - Why reputation matters more offsite than onsite - How Google treats YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics - Which types of content require higher trust standards - What happens when a site is marked "low quality" - Why EEAT cannot be faked - How transparency, credibility, and disclosures impact site quality - The role of terms of use, contact pages, and business information - How the Google API leak aligns with the Quality Rater Guidelines - Why trust is the most important quality framework to understand

Key takeaways

- EEAT is not a single signal or score - Trust is the core outcome Google is trying to measure - Some EEAT signals come from offsite reputation, not self-published claims - Onsite trust elements still matter and can impact the entire site - Poor transparency can lower the perceived quality of every page - EEAT affects rankings, conversions, and long-term site credibility

This episode is useful for: - Website owners - SEO professionals - Content creators - Anyone publishing advice, commercial content, or informational content online

Even if your site is not in a high-risk YMYL category, these principles still matter for users, conversions, and long-term growth.

⭐️ Shaun Anderson at Hobo SEO blog - https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/shaun-anderson/ ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on 𝕏 - https://x.com/hobo_web ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Hobo_Web ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-anderson-hobo/ ⭐️ Shaun Anderson's free EEAT tool - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bJnecq2vxJ_uqQVRvSbV50fw5ynIohqSnpqGZNimTKs/edit?gid=0#gid=0

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 Introduction to EEAT in SEO 00:14 Guest Introduction: Shaun Anderson 00:47 Understanding EEAT: Key Concepts 01:27 Google API Leak and Its Implications 01:55 Importance of EEAT for Different Websites 04:17 YMYL Topics and Trustworthiness 06:59 Examples of EEAT in Practice 08:09 PageRank vs. EEAT 11:38 Maximizing Trust and Credibility 13:01 Fake vs. Real EEAT 20:36 Thoughts and Future Episodes 24:11 Final Remarks and Episode Wrap-Up

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #eeatseo #seotips #googleapileak