miji.beE-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These four criteria are defined in Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines as the framework for evaluating web content quality.
In December 2022, Google added "Experience" to the existing E-A-T framework. The update signals that content written by someone who has first-hand experience in a topic is valued more highly. An article about running a URL shortening service written by someone who actually operates one can carry more weight than a purely theoretical piece.
Among the four criteria, Trust sits at the center. Google's guidelines describe Trust as the foundation, with the other three supporting it. A site that lacks trustworthiness - one that spreads misinformation or engages in deceptive practices - will receive a low rating regardless of how strong the other three signals are.
For a URL shortening service, E-E-A-T is especially relevant. URL shortening touches on security and privacy, placing it close to YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) territory. Google explains that its systems give more weight to strong E-E-A-T on topics that can affect people's health, financial stability, or safety. Providing clear operator information, a transparent privacy policy, detailed security explanations, and real-world usage examples all build the trust that such an assessment rests on.
E-E-A-T is not a direct algorithmic ranking factor. It is a guideline for human quality raters. However, Google uses rater feedback to refine its algorithms, so E-E-A-T influences rankings indirectly.