AEO ScannerE-E-A-T for AEO: building authority signals AI trusts
Google's E-E-A-T framework — Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness — applies to AEO too, but the implementation differs.
E-E-A-T — Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness — is Google's framework for evaluating content quality. The same signals matter for AEO, but how you implement them for AI assistants differs from how you implement them for Google.
The four signals, retranslated for AEO
Experience
First-hand experience with the topic. Original research, real case studies, named authors with relevant backgrounds.
AEO implementation: publish case studies with named customers and specific outcome numbers. Author bylines with real LinkedIn-linked profiles. Avoid ghost-written, generic content.
Expertise
Depth of knowledge demonstrated in the content itself.
AEO implementation: the content should reveal specific knowledge a casual writer wouldn't have. Names of edge cases, specific numbers, named comparisons. LLMs extract these because they're rare and verifiable.
Authoritativeness
Others recognize you as a credible source on the topic.
AEO implementation: citations from other sites that LLMs trust. Mentions in editorial coverage. Speaking slots at recognized events. Inclusion in expert roundups.
Trustworthiness
The site overall feels reputable.
AEO implementation: HTTPS, no spammy ads, a real About page with team members, a clear privacy policy, working contact info, a real company address. LLMs use these as quality signals when deciding which sources to extract from.
What works in 2026
- Author pages with credentials, LinkedIn, and a list of articles. Treat them like resumes.
- Methodology pages explaining how you produce your data or research. LLMs are biased toward sources that explain their methodology.
- Cited primary research. If you reference a stat, link to the original source — and LLMs reward sites that consistently do this.
- Update dates on content. Pages with visible "Updated 2026-05-12" get cited more than undated content.
What's wasted effort
- Vague trust badges ("As seen in CNN") without links to actual coverage.
- Fake author bylines on generic AI-written content. LLMs are getting good at detecting this.
- Over-claiming authority. "The #1 X in the world" without supporting data hurts more than it helps.