The Basics of Google EAT

Ever wondered how Google ranks its search results? Well, the common answer is through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. But there is more to it!  Google also hires human evaluators to audit the quality of its search results. Under a Google Search Quality Evaluation Guideline, EAT and YMYL matter most. YMYL means “Your Money or Your Life.” It covers content that directly impacts one’s happiness based on health, finances, and safety. So, what about Google EAT? Let’s talk about it further here!


EAT stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This is the framework that Google human raters use to evaluate content creators, webpages, and websites. Google EAT is not a ranking factor on search results. However, it indirectly helps you rank in organic searches. This is because Google wants to ensure that sites with high-quality content rank better and sites with low-quality content get less visibility.


Always remember that Google’s standard of expertise depends on the topic of a page. There is a higher standard on more specialized topics. The EXPERTISE of a content author is very important to Google. Google’s main goal is to provide pages on a search result that contains useful information. If the content is written by someone who’s not competent enough, it is possible that the information may be harmful or misleading. The expertise rating of content commonly applies to YMYL pages. For example, Google prefers medical content to be written by a recognized medical professional. Or, it may have at least been reviewed by an MD listed in the article credentials. If the author of the page is not an expert but is sharing a personal experience, the content will be evaluated based on how applicable it is to the searched keyword and its relevant perspective. For example, a patient who is suffering from an illness can be an expert on how the illness makes you feel. Moreover, if the content is accurate and detailed enough, even if not written by an expert, Google will still reward the site with a better ranking. This is where the human factor of a human rater applies. To make sure that your site displays expertise very well, a digital marketing speaker Hong Kong suggests the following:

  • Choosing a content creator with authority on a certain field or niche
  • Including expert data or quotes from official or trustworthy sources
  • Peppering content with high-quality charts, infographics, photos, or videos


If a searcher is Googling information for research purposes, expertise matters. For example, someone will most likely consult a mechanic to fix a vehicle being a car expert. But if a searcher is looking for products and services, authoritativeness matters. Yelp reviews are very powerful when people want to know the reputation of a local restaurant. They are written by average people. Yet, they are credible enough in sharing their fine dining experiences. A social media agency Hong Kong credits authority as the power to influence people. It is like credibility which has the power to convince. The AUTHORITATIVENESS of a page in Google is judged based on two factors:

  • The credibility of the main content
  • The reputation of the author and its website

Just like expertise, authoritativeness relates to how much of a leading figure one is perceived in a certain industry. If you are a leading figure in fitness and health, then you will most likely write credible content about them. Other websites will quote your words and link your web pages to their websites. These backlinks are very important to SEO. Online reputation also matters. If the website is a trusted source of information, it will receive high praises from other experts and positive reviews from users. Thus, the authoritativeness of a page greatly depends on third-party users. This is because without social proof from website visitors, the page has technically no use. To build authority, web pages should aim to collect the following:

  • Backlinks
  • Endorsement from experts of the industry or niche
  • Industry or niche credits
  • Ratings and reviews from users and communities
  • Recommendation from industry influencers
  • Relevant acknowledgment and certifications


The best way to prove the TRUSTWORTHINESS of a site is a valid security certificate showing on web pages. It is also important to add links to the most visible location of the webpage. Assuring your website visitors that their information is safe results in them trusting the website as a reliable source of information. Google ranks the trustworthiness of a page based on the creator’s backlinks, credentials, reviews, and shares. Google knows that people appreciate and trust websites that deliver accurate and trustworthy data. So, they will move them up on search results. To improve the trustworthiness of a website, Google recommends the following:

  • Regulate the ad contents on your website. Banners and pop-ups can generate revenue but drive away annoyed visitors.
  • Make yourself available to engage through chats, contact pages, and search functions. Turn your website into a place where consumers can turn for information instead of just receiving a sales pitch.
  • Show off your trustworthiness. Display guarantees, trust seals, and warranties within your web pages. Moreover, highlight Google reviews, positive ratings, and testimonials. 

Today, a video marketing agency Hing Kong noted that the best way to publish positive ratings and testimonials is to published user-generated content. A happy customer’s video showing how a brand helps him or her solve a pain point can evoke emotions and drive conversions.


In general, Google AI and machine learning rank the quality of pages by performing Google’s algorithms. But the accuracy and performance of Google AI and machine learning are reviewed by real people. This is to make sure that the rating of pages conducted by robots considers the human aspect of every query. AI and quality raters follow the same criteria. Thus, for a web page to rank high, the key is simple. Following Google EAT guidelines is the least every website can do to rank on Google.


How to Use Google Eat to Increase Your Online Revenue

How to Use Google EAT to Increase Your Online Revenue

Today, brick-and-mortar stores have transformed into digital shops. The COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 accelerated the shift to online shopping. With such a shift among businesses comes the importance of ranking among Google searches. The more visible one’s business is on a Google search, the more chances it can generate sales. For a brand or business to rank in Google searches, it needs to adopt the Google EAT guidelines

What is Google EAT?

Google EAT is a search quality guideline published in 2014. EAT stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. It is not an algorithm or a scoring factor on Google ranking. It is, however, an important factor in making a content land on the first page of a Google search result. Google EAT is the number one criteria for YMYL pages. YMYL means “Your Life, Your Money.” For Google, these are searches that affect people’s lives and finances. These are content that impacts a searcher’s decision on health, happiness, livelihood, and safety. Google has thousands of humans that manually review the quality of web pages based on YMYL. These quality analyses help improve Google’s algorithm. 

How Does Google EAT Work?

Google search is a big piece of software that takes the words users type on Google to look for information on the world wide web. To determine the legitimacy and ranking power of a site, Google search measures the expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness of its online content.

  • Expertise focuses on competency and in-depth knowledge of the content. When people search on Google, they either look for an answer to a question or a solution to their problem. So, content or website should address these queries by providing more accurate and useful information on target keywords.  The data should be based on one experience and knowledge. Be like a doctor prescribing the right cure or medication for a patient’s sickness.
  • Authoritativeness has to do with the content or website’s credentials. Such ranking comes from external signals like quality links from relevant forums, social channels, and websites. Referencing your content from leaders or experts of a certain field or topic can mean providing information that has authority and credibility.
  • Trustworthiness focuses on the reliability and transparency of content. To rank well, content should earn the trust of Google and its users. To do so, content must be updated, relevant, and truthful. The website should not contain broken links, coding errors, incorrect information, or poor grammar. Make the website safe and secure website. An SSL certification puts a searcher’s mind at ease.

Google Eat is a continuous process. It means building the strongest content possible across the pages of a website. It doesn’t stop with mere linking to reputable websites and using target keywords. It means continuously educating the audience in making their lives as easy and meaningful as possible.

How to Use Google EAT to Increase Online Revenue

By following Google EAT guidelines, content or website has a higher chance of ranking in Google’s search results. Here are the most basic highlights of such guidelines:


  • The content must be free from factual errors. Most business websites contain different types of content. These include about pages, academic writings, advertising copies, emails, homepages, marketing copies, etc. It is important to proofread everything before publishing. A fine piece of content must be free from grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. The word choice should match the theme of a site. Factual errors on a piece of content can be a reflection of poor expertise and knowledge. Factual errors don’t only cover a piece of content. They also include broken links and slow-loading pages that affect the users’ experience.  A digital marketing agency Hong Kong improves a business website earnings by fixing technical errors and improving the content of its website.
  • The content must be original and relevant. An original and relevant content delights, engages, and supports the target audience. It is best to create unique content answering the audience’s queries. These should contain complete information for the audience not to seek information elsewhere.  Today, video marketing Hong Kong is now one of the most important strategies to rank in Google. Video content delights and engages the audience with media-rich information. They get 80% more conversions than images and text. Try using Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn Stories, or Twitter Fleets to share a brand’s message, and add product tags to support the audience with a better buying experience.
  • The content must be written by someone who knows or researches the topic well. Expertise is gained through formal and informal education. Formal expertise means gaining knowledge through certifications, training, or years of studies. While informal expertise can be obtained through hands-on experience. The easiest way to create an expert’s content is to have an industry leader, influencer, or subject matter expert write the content. While a challenging option is to write about topics where you excel. To build an expert’s reputation, you must do research and relay information objectively on your content. After providing expert tips, it will now be easy o pitch how a product or service can solve the needs of the consumers.


  • The content must still give substantial information even if pulled from other sources. Backlinking is an important process in gaining authority from Google. Backlinks are links that connect one website to another. The most common way to have backlinks is to use them as a reference for content. Yet, it doesn’t mean purely copy-pasting what is written. The key is to digest the information on a site and write it in simpler statements that can be understood by the target audience. Another 
  • The content should be optimized for mobile devices. Around 60% of people search for information using mobile devices. This makes it important to produce mobile-friendly content or content that readers can digest on the go. Short titles containing 5 words have higher click-through rates on mobile. Chunk your content into smaller sections by using bullets, images, lists, short paragraphs, subheads, or white spaces. Stick to simple layouts to stand out on small screens.


  • The content should be well-presented and well-organized. A well-presented and well-organized content makes it easier for readers to absorb information. They are more likely to continue reading the content if they find the information relevant. It is best to narrate a story in chronological order. To avoid confusion among readers, start by explaining simple ideas before going onto the complex ones. Or the problem should come first before giving a solution. The end result of trustworthy content is sales conversion. As Andrew Davis quoted: “Content builds relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust drives revenue.” 
  • The content should provide more substantial value than the other search results. A trustworthy content uses data, facts, and statistics to support the veracity of information it presents. To rank in Google search results, content must stay ahead by providing the latest information and trends. A key to adding a substantial value in content is listing accurate contact information about the brand, marketing speaker Hong Kong, website, or writer. It is the biggest proof of existence that can build the reader’s trust. By providing contact details, Google knows that the site can give comfort to customers to easily get support in their buying experience.