I was talking with Edward Sturm on the Edward Every Day Youtube show discussing E-E-A-T. Edward is a Early viral video creator on YouTube with a monthly in-person digital marketing class with 70-100 attendees per class.
I don’t normally do Youtube Shows but Edward is on a marathon sprint of posting every day and he is almost at video 1000 so I thought I’d pitch in with some content. I think his show could be a perect timescapsule of SEO in 2026. Now I have broke my Youtube duck, for a short while in 2026, I am scheduled to appear on a few other shows talking about the Google leak, and indeed, keynote an upcoming 2026 seo conference (details soon).
This episode is a high-level, strategic overview of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). It bridges the gap between Google’s official documentation and the technical reality of how search systems work today.
Video Summary
I used AI to extract some details form the video::
In this “lightning round” episode, Shaun Anderson – (me) – (founder of Hobo SEO) breaks down the mental model of E-E-A-T. He clarifies that while it is not a direct ranking signal, it is the most important framework for long-term SEO success because it determines how Google’s quality algorithms perceive and trust your site.
Key Discussion Points:
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Defining E-E-A-T: Shaun defines it as a “mix of factors” used to determine content helpfulness.
“E-E-A-T stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness… it’s to prioritize content that is helpful to users.” [01:05]
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The YMYL Threshold: High E-E-A-T is specifically critical for “Your Money or Your Life” topics—areas where bad information could cause real-world harm.
“Any medical or financial queries… Google want a certain level of trust and that trust has got to be demonstrated in particular areas… across the web including on your site.” [04:48]
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Context is Everything: Not every site needs a PhD-level author. The level of trust required depends entirely on the advice being given.
“If you are giving advice of any kind then you are probably in an E-E-A-T topic… whether you need a high level of E-E-A-T is determined by what you are presenting on the page.” [05:25]
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On-Site vs. Off-Site Trust: While backlinks (PageRank) are a form of authority, true E-E-A-T involves off-site reputation and on-site transparency.
“Google essentially distrusts everything that a user will add to their own website… if it’s not repeated across the web. So reputation, for instance, across the web is a major E-E-A-T factor.” [07:16]
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Technical Trust Mechanisms: Shaun emphasizes that simple “common sense” additions like contact methods, physical addresses, and clear terms of use are non-negotiable for high-stakes topics.
“The guidelines indicate that even a terms and conditions page can render an entire site low quality if the terms and conditions page is not adequate for the topic.” [15:50]
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The Strategic Lever: For Shaun, E-E-A-T is the primary defense against being categorized as spam.
“Trust is the lever that if you’re marked low quality… not by raters but by the algorithms… then you’re effectively in the spam category to Google.” [16:22]
Conclusion
The video concludes with a reminder that E-E-A-T isn’t just for Google – it’s for conversions and risk management. Even if you “don’t need it” for rankings, you need it to convince users to buy.
“Why would you spend 100 grand in an SEO campaign and just ignore this stuff? It’s easy.” [23:56]
Watch the full video here: EEAT Explained: What Google Actually Uses to Judge Trust & Quality
My Complete Body of Work on E-E-A-T, Contextual SEO, and Content Quality
This article is the final, canonical collection of my writing on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust), contextual SEO, content effort, and Google quality systems, published across Hobo Web and Searchable.
Part 1: Hobo Web – Foundations, Context, and Practical Application
Hobo Web is where I document real-world SEO experience, testing, auditing, recovery work, and applied theory. My E-E-A-T work here focuses on what actually breaks sites and what actually fixes them.
1. Contextual SEO: The “It Depends” Edition
https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/contextual-seo/
In this article, I explain why SEO — including E-E-A-T — is always contextual.
There is no universal checklist that works for every site. What Google expects depends on:
- The topic
- Whether the site is YMYL or non-YMYL
- The site’s history
- The intent behind the content
- The risk profile of getting the information wrong
I make it clear that E-E-A-T is not a static rulebook – it is applied differently depending on context. This article frames everything else I’ve written on quality and trust.
2. E-E-A-T Decoded: Experience, Expertise, Authority & Trust
https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/eeat/
This is my foundational Hobo article on E-E-A-T.
I break down what Google actually means by:
- Experience (first-hand, demonstrable involvement)
- Expertise (depth, accuracy, and consistency)
- Authoritativeness (recognition, citations, reputation)
- Trust (transparency, accountability, purpose)
I strip away SEO mythology and focus on what raters are trained to look for and how those expectations translate into site-level quality signals. I also mapped the leak to public algorithm updates.
Its is a work of logical inference but the fact it was so easy to map such a system in so many areas is what i think makes it so compelling: https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/evidence-based-mapping-of-google-updates-to-leaked-internal-ranking-signals/.
It looks to me as if E-E-A-T and the systems that rate it is Google’s doctrine codified, at least.
3. E-E-A-T Is the Goal, Q-Star Is the System, Site_Quality Is the Score
https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/e-e-a-t-quality-score/
In this piece, I explain my mental model for Google quality systems.
E-E-A-T is the goal.
Behind it are systems that attempt to measure it.
The output is a site-level quality assessment.
This article connects:
- E-E-A-T
- Quality rater concepts
- Machine-level scoring systems
It’s about how abstract quality ideas become enforceable at scale.
4. The ContentEffort Attribute, the Helpful Content System, and E-E-A-T
Here, I connect E-E-A-T directly to measurable effort.
My argument is simple:
- Google is not just judging what you say
- It is judging how much real human work went into saying it
This article explains why low-effort, templated, and mass-produced content fails — and why effort is the hidden spine of E-E-A-T.
5. What Is Google’s Content Effort Signal?
https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/what-is-googles-content-effort-signal/
This article goes deeper into the content effort concept as a ranking reality.
I explain how effort manifests through:
- Original research
- First-hand experience
- Depth
- Editorial care
- Maintenance and updates
E-E-A-T does not exist without effort. This article makes that explicit.
6. E-E-A-T SEO Checklist
https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/e-e-a-t-seo-checklist/
This is my practical implementation layer.
It turns E-E-A-T theory into:
- Auditable signals
- Page-level checks
- Site-level responsibilities
The checklist is intentionally conservative. It reflects what I’ve seen actually work when sites are under quality pressure.
7. Hobo E-E-A-T Review & Task Prioritisation
This page documents how I evaluate E-E-A-T professionally.
It reflects:
- How I prioritise fixes
- How I assess risk
- How I distinguish cosmetic changes from meaningful quality improvements
It exists because E-E-A-T work must be prioritised intelligently, not blindly implemented.
8. The Definitive Guide to SEO Audits (Post-Leak)
https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/seo-audit-framework/
This article embeds E-E-A-T into a full audit methodology.
I explain how quality, effort, intent, and trust are now inseparable from:
- Technical SEO
- Content audits
- Recovery work
E-E-A-T is no longer optional in audits — it is structural.
9. Prompt: Rate My Page Quality Using the Hobo SEO Method
https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/prompt-rate-my-page-quality-using-the-hobo-seo-method/
This is an applied framework for quality self-assessment.
It forces honest answers about:
- Purpose
- Audience
- Experience
- Effort
- Trust
It exists to prevent people from lying to themselves about content quality.
10. Thanks to AI, Websites Will Never Die
https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/thanks-to-ai-websites-will-never-die/
This article explains why AI does not replace E-E-A-T — it amplifies its importance.
AI increases supply.
Trust controls demand.
E-E-A-T is how real websites survive abundance.
Part 2: Searchable.com – Systems, Signals, and the Open Web
I am a special advisor to Searchable.com. Searchable is where I focus on systems thinking, algorithm interpretation, and the future of search.
11. E-E-A-T: The Only Answer for the Open Web
https://www.searchable.com/blog/e-e-a-t
This article states my core thesis:
E-E-A-T is the survival mechanism of the open web.
I argue that:
- AI content is not the threat
- Low-effort content is
- Trust is the final uncompressible asset
This is my most explicit statement on why E-E-A-T matters now more than ever.
12. Decoded: Google Quality Rater Guidelines – Content Quality
https://www.searchable.com/blog/decoded-google-quality-rater-guidelines-content-quality
Here, I map rater concepts to real scoring logic.
This article explains how:
- Effort
- Originality
- Expertise
- Purpose
Are likely translated into machine-readable features.
It bridges human judgment and algorithmic enforcement.
13. Decoded: Google Helpful Content Guidelines
https://www.searchable.com/blog/decoded-google-helpful-content-guidelines
This article explains how Helpful Content and E-E-A-T overlap.
“Who, how, and why” are not slogans — they are filters.
This piece shows how Google evaluates intent and motivation, not just text.
14. Content Effort Score Guide
https://www.searchable.com/guide/content-effort-score-guide
This guide formalises effort as a measurable concept.
It explains:
- What effort looks like
- How it compounds
- Why it resists automation
Effort is the connective tissue between E-E-A-T and ranking outcomes.
15. The Marketing Cyborg Technique
https://www.searchable.com/blog/marketing-cyborg-technique
This article explains how to use AI without destroying trust.
It’s about augmentation, not replacement.
E-E-A-T survives when humans stay accountable.
16. What Is Searchable.com? The Operating System for the Agentic Web
https://www.searchable.com/blog/what-is-searchable-com
This article provides context for my broader work.
It explains why E-E-A-T, effort, and trust are foundational to how modern search systems must function in an AI-driven world.
Final Position
Across both platforms, my position is consistent:
- E-E-A-T is not a ranking factor nor a signal.
- It is a ranking reality.
- It emerges from effort, intent, expertise, and accountability.
- And it is contextual, measurable, and enforceable.
Everything here exists to answer one question:
How do you make real human value visible to machines in 2026?
This collection is my answer.
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You can also contact me directly by email.
Disclosure: I use generative AI when specifically writing about my own experiences, ideas, stories, concepts, tools, tool documentation or research. My tool of choice for this process is Google Gemini Pro 2.5 Deep Research (and ChatGPT 5 for image generation). I have over 20 years writing about accessible website development and SEO (search engine optimisation). This assistance helps ensure our customers have clarity on everything we are involved with and what we stand for. It also ensures that when customers use Google Search to ask a question about Hobo Web software, the answer is always available to them, and it is as accurate and up-to-date as possible. All content was conceived, edited, and verified as correct by me (and is under constant development). See my AI policy.