E-E-A-T in the AI Era: Why Author Profiles and Trustworthiness Are More Important Than Ever for Online Success

The digital world is changing faster than we ever imagined, and with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) into everyday life and especially into search engines, the rules of the game in online marketing are constantly being rewritten. In this dynamic era, where content is generated with the push of a button and information is available in vast quantities, one metric is becoming critically important for success: E-E-A-T. This stands for Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. If you thought E-A-T (the older version without Experience) was important, in the AI era, the expanded E-E-A-T is an absolute cornerstone. Without verifiable author profiles and unwavering content trustworthiness, it's almost impossible to succeed in the competitive online environment. It's a clear signal from Google that it prioritizes human experience and reliability over the quantity and speed of AI-generated content. Let's dive into why this change is so fundamental and how you can prepare for it.

What is E-E-A-T and Why Does It Matter More Than Ever?

E-E-A-T, or Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, represents a set of criteria that Google uses to evaluate the quality and reliability of web content and its creators. These criteria are detailed in Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines, which serve as a manual for thousands of quality raters who manually assess search results. Their feedback then helps fine-tune Google's algorithms.

• Expertise: Indicates that the author has deep knowledge in a given field. This includes verifiable education, certifications, years of practice, or specific skills. Someone writing about medical topics, for example, should be a doctor or a recognized healthcare professional.
• Experience: This is the newest addition to the acronym and is crucial for the AI era. It means that the author has first-hand experience with the topic they are writing about. Not just theoretical knowledge, but also practical skills and personal experiences. For example, a product review is much more valuable if written by someone who has actually used the product and can describe its pros and cons from personal experience, not just from reading specifications. In this context, there's a difference between AI summarizing 100 reviews and a real person who tested the product writing one detailed review.
• Authoritativeness: Attests that the author or website is considered a leading source of information in the given industry. This is demonstrated through mentions in other authoritative sources, citations, links from relevant websites, and overall reputation within the community. As Vancity Media emphasizes in their article, topical authority in the era of AI and SGE is more important than ever, as it helps search engines identify expert sources.
• Trustworthiness: Is an overarching element that encompasses all others. Content must be accurate, truthful, transparent, and secure. Trustworthiness is built over time and is fundamental for any long-term online success. Authors of business plans should always build and present their trustworthiness, as one academic source suggests, because it is crucial for the acceptance of their proposals.

Why is this so critical now? With the advent of advanced AI models, such as GPT-4 and others, a vast amount of synthetic content is emerging. While AI can generate grammatically correct and structurally coherent text in a fraction of the time, it often lacks real experience, depth, and verifiable trustworthiness. Google is aware of this and actively combats low-quality or misleading content. For pages that publish information affecting people's lives (YMYL – Your Money Your Life), such as finance, health, or law, E-E-A-T is absolutely essential.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Content Creation and SEO

The AI era brings with it a revolution in content creation, but also new challenges. As Vancity Media states, "we are entering an era where... in the era of AI and SGE, topical authority is more important than ever." AI can quickly and efficiently generate text, translate (TUZVO mentions AI as a pragmatic adaptation for translations), and summarize information from various sources. This leads to an exponential growth in the volume of online content. By 2025, it is estimated that more than 90% of online content will have some form of AI interaction in its creation.

Advantages of AI in content:

• Speed and efficiency: AI can generate drafts, articles, product descriptions, and marketing texts in seconds. This dramatically accelerates content production.
• Scalability: It enables companies to produce vast volumes of content, which was previously unthinkable.
• Personalization: AI can analyze data and tailor content to specific target groups or even individuals.

Limitations of AI and the need for E-E-A-T: Despite all advancements, AI has significant limitations, especially concerning E-E-A-T. AI lacks personal experience, cannot live through an event, does not feel emotions, nor does it have a moral compass.

• Lack of real experience: AI cannot cook a meal, travel the world, test software in real-world conditions, or experience a serious illness. Therefore, it lacks the crucial Experience component, which is immensely valuable to a human audience.
• Potential for misinformation and hallucinations: If AI works with inaccurate or outdated data, it can generate erroneous information. Sometimes AI even "invents" facts or sources (so-called hallucinations). This is particularly dangerous for YMYL topics.
• Generic content: Without human oversight and creativity, AI-generated content can often be generic, lacking a distinct tone and depth that would differentiate it from millions of other texts.
• Ethical questions and trustworthiness: Who is responsible for AI-generated content? Without a clear human author, it is difficult to determine the source, verify facts, and build trust. One publication mentions the challenges of testing writing skills in the AI era, suggesting that distinguishing human work from AI is becoming increasingly difficult.

Google is actively adapting its algorithms to distinguish between high-quality, trustworthy, and relevant content and a mass of low-quality, potentially misleading material. As early as 2017, VSM, in its conference proceedings "Management Challenges 21st Century," stated that "new advancements in technology... were more than ever before" thus foreshadowing the rapid changes we face today. For websites, this means one thing: you must demonstrate that your content is not only technically correct but also comes from trustworthy, experienced, and authoritative sources.

Author Profiles: A Guarantee of Authenticity and Expertise

In an era where artificial intelligence can imitate human writing with convincing quality, real, verifiable authors become beacons of trustworthiness. Google wants to know who is behind the content. Why? Because people with demonstrable expertise and experience are less likely to spread misinformation or low-quality content.

Why Are Author Profiles So Important?

1. Increase trustworthiness: If we know that a health article was written by a certified doctor or a financial product review by an experienced financial advisor, we automatically trust that content more. One academic author previously noted that "authors of business plans should build and present their trustworthiness." The same applies to creators of any content.
2. Demonstrate experience: AI has no experiences. Only a human can describe their real experiences, which is key to the new E-E-A-T component. An author profile can link to their years of practice, projects they have led, or research they have participated in.
3. Build authority: When articles from renowned experts appear on your site, your website automatically becomes a more authoritative source in that industry. Authors like Zhang et al. (2019) are recognized in the academic world thanks to their publications and contributions. It works similarly in online content.
4. Improve SEO: Google actively looks for E-E-A-T signals. Well-crafted author profiles are a clear signal to algorithms that the content is high-quality and trustworthy. They contribute to the website's so-called topical authority, which is crucial for AI and SGE.
5. Differentiation from AI content: Author profiles are one of the most effective ways to distinguish your content from that generated purely by artificial intelligence. While AI can write text, it cannot write a biography for itself that demonstrates real human expertise and history.
6. Historical context: It is interesting to look at history. The cultural yearbook Slovaca mentions how "authors did not sign their texts with their own name, but with a pseudonym, which Budaj insisted upon (so that the authors would not be exposed by the secret police)." That was a time when anonymity protected. Today, it is exactly the opposite – transparency and a real name are the key to trustworthiness and success. We need to know who is behind the information to trust it.

What Should an Ideal Author Profile Contain?

• Real name and photograph: Visual identity is important for building trust.
• Short biography: A summary of qualifications, experience, and relevant achievements.
• Links to social media (LinkedIn, Twitter): Provide further evidence of their expertise and engagement.
• Links to publications or projects: Demonstrable results of the author's work.
• Verifiable awards or certifications: Confirm expertise.
• Contact information: Shows openness and transparency.

Building Trustworthiness in the Online Industrial World

Trustworthiness is a fundamental pillar of success in the online space. Without it, all SEO strategies, marketing campaigns, and content efforts are futile. As already mentioned, authors of business plans should build and present their trustworthiness, and the same applies to every entity in the digital environment. In the AI era, trustworthiness is more important than ever, as the volume of information increases and the ability to verify its origin and veracity becomes increasingly challenging.

Key Aspects of Building Trustworthiness:

1. Accuracy and Verifiability of Information: All facts, statistics, and claims must be accurate and supported by reliable sources. Citing reputable research, studies, or authors (such as Zhang et al. in the field of management and technology) adds weight and credibility to the content. Clearly stating sources and linking to them is essential.
2. Transparency: Be open about who you are, what your intentions are, and how you arrived at the conclusions in your content. If you use AI to generate or support content, consider transparency in this regard. Maintaining "the preservation of web-published articles" (DAVALMANACH) in their original form without manipulation contributes to trustworthiness.
3. Reputation and Feedback: A good online reputation is invaluable. Actively monitor what is being said about you and respond to feedback, whether positive or negative. Reviews, testimonials, and media mentions (even in a critical context, as suggested by reflections on media and manipulation in the era of Vladimir Putin) contribute to the overall perception of trustworthiness.
4. Security and Privacy: For websites, it is crucial to ensure the protection of personal data and the security of transactions. Using HTTPS, clear privacy policies, and compliance with legislation (e.g., GDPR in Slovakia and the EU) are fundamental.
5. Consistency and Timeliness: Regularly updating content and keeping it current contributes to the perception of the website as a reliable source. Outdated information can harm trustworthiness, even if it was originally accurate.
6. Professional Design and Usability: An aesthetically pleasing and easy-to-use website signals professionalism and care. Poor design, broken links, or confusing navigation can reduce trustworthiness from the first impression.
7. Focus on Solving User Problems: Content that genuinely helps users solve their problems builds a strong connection and trust. Always strive to provide value and answer the questions your target audience truly has.
8. Maintaining Topical Authority: As we mentioned with the Vancity Media source, building topical authority within your industry is now crucial. This means not only writing about various topics but becoming the definitive source for comprehensive and in-depth information within your specific niche.

Ultimately, trustworthiness is not something you can buy or quickly generate. It is a value that is built patiently, consistently, and above all, through an unwavering commitment to truth and quality. In an era where information flows constantly and with unprecedented speed, "trustworthiness is more important than ever," and therefore it has become the focus of Google and its evaluation algorithms.

Practical Strategies for Strengthening E-E-A-T in Your Content

If you want your content to stand out in the era of AI and SGE, you must actively build and demonstrate your E-E-A-T. Here are concrete steps you can take:

1. Create Robust Author Profiles:

   • Dedicated author pages: Each author should have a separate page with a detailed biography, professional photograph, a list of qualifications (education, certifications), relevant work experience, and links to social media (especially LinkedIn).
   • Include evidence of experience: Instead of general phrases, provide specific projects, publications (like authors Zhang et al. cited in academic contexts), awards, or case studies that demonstrate real experience.
   • Publish contact information: An email address or a link to a contact form increases transparency.

2. Focus on Expert and Experiential Content:

   • Original research and data: Instead of reformulating existing information, bring original statistics, surveys, interviews with experts, or case studies.
   • First-hand reviews: If you are writing about products or services, ensure that reviews come from people who have actually used them and have real experience with them. Video reviews are even stronger.
   • "How-to" guides with personal tips: Showcase your process, share tricks you've learned during your own practice, and point out potential problems you've encountered.
   • In-depth analyses and commentary: Show that you understand the nuances of the topic and can analyze it from various perspectives.

3. Build Topical Authority:

   • Comprehensive topic coverage: Instead of one article on a topic, create a group of interconnected articles that cover all aspects of the topic in depth (so-called "pillar content" and "cluster content"). Vancity Media clearly states: "In the era of AI and SGE, topical authority is more important than ever."
   • Regular updates: Ensure your content is always up-to-date and relevant. Regularly review and update old articles.

4. Enhance Overall Website Trustworthiness:

   • Use verifiable sources: Always cite the sources of your information, especially when quoting statistics or scientific claims.
   • "About Us" and "Contact" pages: Provide detailed information about your company, its history, mission, and team. Reliable contact details are essential.
   • Website security (HTTPS): This is a basic prerequisite for trustworthiness and security.
   • Privacy policy and terms of use: Clear and easily accessible documents increase transparency.
   • Reviews and testimonials: Collect and display reviews from satisfied customers or users.
   • Links from reputable websites: Obtain backlinks from authoritative and trustworthy sources in your industry.

5. Utilize AI Wisely, Not Blindly:

   • AI as a tool for efficiency: Use AI for brainstorming ideas, generating outlines, translation (as TUZVO mentions in connection with sentence translation), or summarization.
   • Human review and enhancement: Whenever AI generates content, it must undergo thorough human review, editing, and enhancement to add personal experience, depth, and trustworthiness.
   • Add a "human touch": Even if AI assisted with the first draft, ensure the final text has your unique voice, perspective, and reflects your actual experience.

By implementing these strategies, you will not only strengthen your E-E-A-T but also create content that is truly valuable, reliable, and will bring you long-term success in an increasingly challenging digital environment.

Conclusion

In an era where artificial intelligence constantly reshapes the landscape of content creation and online search, it is crucial to return to the fundamental principles that have always determined value: expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness. E-E-A-T is not just another buzzword in SEO; it is a fundamental shift in how Google and users themselves perceive and evaluate online information.

As we have seen, author profiles and demonstrable trustworthiness are more important now than ever before. They are beacons that guide users to reliable sources in a sea of AI-generated content. Without clearly defined and transparent author profiles that demonstrate genuine human experience and expertise, your content can easily get lost in the noise or even be penalized by search engine algorithms.

New advancements in AI technology have brought us enormous opportunities, but at the same time, they have increased the need for authenticity and verifiability. Companies and individuals who invest in building their E-E-A-T – through detailed author profiles, original content backed by experience, and a transparent approach to building trustworthiness – will be those who not only survive but thrive in this new era. It is time to embrace this challenge and ensure that your voice, your expertise, and your trustworthiness resonate clearly and distinctly above the digital noise.

Ready to strengthen your E-E-A-T and dominate in the AI era? Contact ABRA Consulting today and discover how we can collectively build your online authority and trustworthiness for lasting success!