Content Quality & E-E-A-T Analysis

When to Use

• Use when auditing content quality, readability, thin content risk, or E-E-A-T signals.
• Use when the user wants a content-focused SEO review rather than a full technical audit.
• Use when checking whether content is structured and trustworthy enough for search and AI citation.

E-E-A-T Framework (updated Sept 2025 QRG)

Read seo/references/eeat-framework.md for full criteria.

Experience (first-hand signals)

• Original research, case studies, before/after results
• Personal anecdotes, process documentation
• Unique data, proprietary insights
• Photos/videos from direct experience

Expertise

• Author credentials, certifications, bio
• Professional background relevant to topic
• Technical depth appropriate for audience
• Accurate, well-sourced claims

Authoritativeness

• External citations, backlinks from authoritative sources
• Brand mentions, industry recognition
• Published in recognized outlets
• Cited by other experts

Trustworthiness

• Contact information, physical address
• Privacy policy, terms of service
• Customer testimonials, reviews
• Date stamps, transparent corrections
• Secure site (HTTPS)

Content Metrics

Word Count Analysis

Compare against page type minimums: | Page Type | Minimum | |-----------|---------| | Homepage | 500 | | Service page | 800 | | Blog post | 1,500 | | Product page | 300+ (400+ for complex products) | | Location page | 500-600 |

Important: These are topical coverage floors, not targets. Google has confirmed word count is NOT a direct ranking factor. The goal is comprehensive topical coverage; a 500-word page that thoroughly answers the query will outrank a 2,000-word page that doesn't. Use these as guidelines for adequate coverage depth, not rigid requirements.

Readability

• Flesch Reading Ease: target 60-70 for general audience

Note: Flesch Reading Ease is a useful proxy for content accessibility but is NOT a direct Google ranking factor. John Mueller has confirmed Google does not use basic readability scores for ranking. Yoast deprioritized Flesch scores in v19.3. Use readability analysis as a content quality indicator, not as an SEO metric to optimize directly. - Grade level: match target audience - Sentence length: average 15-20 words - Paragraph length: 2-4 sentences

Keyword Optimization

• Primary keyword in title, H1, first 100 words
• Natural density (1-3%)
• Semantic variations present
• No keyword stuffing

Content Structure

• Logical heading hierarchy (H1 -> H2 -> H3)
• Scannable sections with descriptive headings
• Bullet/numbered lists where appropriate
• Table of contents for long-form content

Multimedia

• Relevant images with proper alt text
• Videos where appropriate
• Infographics for complex data
• Charts/graphs for statistics

Internal Linking

• 3-5 relevant internal links per 1000 words
• Descriptive anchor text
• Links to related content
• No orphan pages

External Linking

• Cite authoritative sources
• Open in new tab for user experience
• Reasonable count (not excessive)

AI Content Assessment (Sept 2025 QRG addition)

Google's raters now formally assess whether content appears AI-generated.

Acceptable AI Content

• Demonstrates genuine E-E-A-T
• Provides unique value
• Has human oversight and editing
• Contains original insights

Low-Quality AI Content Markers

• Generic phrasing, lack of specificity
• No original insight
• Repetitive structure across pages
• No author attribution
• Factual inaccuracies

Helpful Content System (March 2024): The Helpful Content System was merged into Google's core ranking algorithm during the March 2024 core update. It no longer operates as a standalone classifier. Helpfulness signals are now weighted within every core update. The same principles apply (people-first content, demonstrating E-E-A-T, satisfying user intent), but enforcement is continuous rather than through separate HCU updates.

AI Citation Readiness (GEO signals)

Optimize for AI search engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews):

• Clear, quotable statements with statistics/facts
• Structured data (especially for data points)
• Strong heading hierarchy (H1->H2->H3 flow)
• Answer-first formatting for key questions
• Tables and lists for comparative data
• Clear attribution and source citations

AI Search Visibility & GEO (2025-2026)

Google AI Mode launched publicly in May 2025 as a separate tab in Google Search, available in 180+ countries. Unlike AI Overviews (which appear above organic results), AI Mode provides a fully conversational search experience with zero organic blue links, making AI citation the only visibility mechanism.

Key optimization strategies for AI citation: - Structured answers: Clear question-answer formats, definition patterns, and step-by-step instructions that AI systems can extract and cite - First-party data: Original research, statistics, case