Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness – how EEAT compliant is your content?

THE days of simply having a website as a digital brochure are gone because now Google requires you to publish content which demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness – it’s called EEAT compliance.

Google first introduced EAT as part of its updated Search Quality Guidelines in 2014. These guidelines have continually been updated for manual content reviewers to spot trustworthy sites. In December 2022, Google changed E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). In other words, it added an “E” for ‘Experience’.

Don’t let the acronyms scare you off. If you have a website, you, your content creators, your marketeers or your PR people need to be crawling all over this. If you’re not using your website to tell your story, showcase your expertise, and engage your audience, you’re missing a powerful opportunity. Some of you may be missing out on attracting new customers, but you also might be missing out on getting noticed by journalists, editors and industry influencers.

EEAT

So, what does this mean for your business and the content you are creating? Think about EEAT and what it means;

• Experience – Are you sharing insights from real-life experiences? Have you worked with clients or tested your products and relayed the real life stories / case studies or testimonials?
• Expertise – Are you showcasing your industry knowledge? Are your blog posts informative and well-researched?
• Authoritativeness – Are you recognised as a leader in your field? Are other reputable sites linking back to your content?
• Trustworthiness – Are you providing accurate, reliable information? Is your website secure, transparent, and credible?

Businesses which focus on authentic storytelling, real expertise, and trust-building content will benefit. Those relying on outdated SEO tricks will struggle to rank.

This is a key reason why brands need to focus on EEAT content—not just for Google, but for their audience, journalists, and potential customers.

 

If you’re not visible, you’re not in the game

While high-quality, well-written and trustworthy content has always been important, Google’s EEAT framework has become more prominent in recent years. This is due to major shifts in how information is consumed, misinformation concerns, and advancements in AI-driven search algorithms.

Google prioritises high-quality content which meets these standards. This means businesses needs to create content which engages and demonstrates credibility. A brand journalism approach to storytelling can help you tick these boxes. It will help while boost your search engine optimisation (SEO), your online visibility and setting you ahead of your competitors who do not invest in the EEAT framework.

Storytelling on your website is essential, it improves your SEO, and journalists, editors and customers alike may take notice.

Search engines are the modern-day gatekeepers of information. When potential customers are searching for products, services, or industry insights, your business needs to show up in their search results. This is where SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) plays a crucial role.

By creating high-quality, informative, and engaging content on your website, you give search engines more reasons to rank your site higher. The more useful and authoritative your content is, the more Google rewards you. This isn’t just about stuffing keywords into your blog posts—Google’s algorithms have become far more sophisticated. They favour content which demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT).

Brand Journalism: A storytelling approach which builds credibility

By telling your brand’s story in a journalistic style which aligns with EEAT compliance, you’re not just improving your SEO—you’re building trust with both search engines and your audience. Many of you will be selling directly to the public but many of you will want to get noticed by the right people – journalists and editors.

Over the years, newsrooms have diminished in size. Less staffers and more freelancers. The flurry of freelance journalists are helping to fill pages of regional and national newspapers and magazines. They want stories delivered to their desk in the most professional way, well written and with high res photography. The days of the four paragraph press release being sent in were over long ago – one of the very reasons I set up MGMPR.

So why does Brand Journalism work for SEO and EEAT? Since I started MGMPR in 2012, and as a journalist and editor, I have worked since then with extremely savvy web designers, developers and while SEO has always been a crucial part of our strategy, so too has EEAT content – albeit the extra E was added in 2022. And here’s why:

• Search engines love fresh, valuable content – Regular blog updates with high-quality content signal to Google that your site is active and relevant.
• Customers engage with stories – People buy from brands they connect with emotionally, and storytelling is a great way to build that connection.
• Journalists and media outlets take notice – Well-written, newsworthy blog content can attract media attention, leading to PR opportunities and increased credibility.

Your storytelling strategy is key and if you don’t have one, please do your business a favour and get one written and start implementing it.

Referral Traffic: The power of social media links

Your website shouldn’t exist in isolation. To maximise its impact, you need to create a strong digital ecosystem which connects your site to your social media channels. So, what this means is – when you publish EEAT compliant content on your website, and do it correctly, don’t leave it sitting on your website – share it out on your socials.

Why does linking back to social media matter?

• Boosts referral traffic – when visitors share your blog posts on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter, more people are directed to your site.
• Increases engagement – social media comments, shares, and discussions can drive even more interest in your content.
• Strengthens your brand authority – Google recognises social signals as part of your online presence, which can indirectly impact your search rankings.

By embedding social media links within your content, you encourage readers to share your articles, expanding your reach and attracting new potential customers.

How to get started with brand storytelling on your website

If you’re not already using your website as a storytelling platform, now is the time to start. Here’s how:

1. Create a blog section – This will be the hub for sharing stories, industry insights, and company updates.
2. Write with authenticity – Share behind-the-scenes experiences, customer success stories, and expert advice.
3. Optimise for SEO – Use relevant keywords, internal links, and meta descriptions to help your content rank higher.
4. Encourage sharing – Add social sharing buttons and encourage engagement by asking questions or inviting discussions.
5. Monitor and refine – Use analytics tools to track which stories perform best and refine your content strategy accordingly.

Your website is your digital storefront – Make it work 

For years it’s been the case that just having a website isn’t enough. Nowadays, it’s a requirement that you use it strategically by publishing EEAT compliant content. By telling your story in a way which aligns with EEAT principles, you can boost your SEO, attract new customers, and even catch the attention of journalists and editors looking for credible sources.

It doesn’t matter what sector you work in – give your readers content which excludes experience, expertise, authority and be trustworthy. Combine this with a strong social media strategy and you’ll create a digital ecosystem which drives traffic, builds trust, and positions your business as an authority in your industry. Some examples of where I have used authentic storytelling in the past are I thought I’d share some examples with you.

Examples

1. This first story was to promote that the Countrysports Fayre NI was happening. Rather than fluffy duck PR stunts, I secured a double page spread in the Belfast Telegraph with this story – ‘Our forge came from Harland & Wolff and was there in the era of the Titanic’
2. This was also a double page spread in the Belfast Telegraph. It was very much about raising brand awareness of MacIvors Cider Co and the delicious ciders they make. For me it needed to be so authentic. I asked Greg if I could come and spend the morning picking apples in the orchards. Everyone was delighted with the final article, including the then editor of the Belfast Telegraph who very kindly emailed me to it was ‘a beautifully written feature’.  ‘We’re caretakers of the land and we’re here to leave it in a better state than we found it’
3. And just a final example – I worked for about eight years promoting the annual Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre. This is a celebration of our county’s PGI protected Bramley Apple. I travelled to the renowned Jenny Bristow’s beautiful home where we shared freshly baked treats and coffee while I interviewed here for this lovely piece. Again – another double page spread to promote the Fayre at which Jenny was the guest in the chef demo tent – Jenny Bristow: ‘As a child growing up in the country, harvest was always my favourite time’

Try not to neglect your digital storefront. If you’re not already using your website to tell your story, the question is: what’s stopping you? If you have a query and wonder how MGMPR can help you get your EEAT strategy right, email me on eleanor@mgmpr.co.uk.