Authority signals are indicators of the reputation and recognised competence of a person or organisation. They correspond to the A (Authoritativeness) in E-E-A-T.Open glossary entry → demonstrate that a person or organisation is recognised in its field. They are part of E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. It is a quality framework from Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines, not a single technical ranking factor.Open glossary entry → and complement Experience, Expertise is the subject-matter competence behind a piece of content. It is the second E in E-E-A-T and should be visible through author details and supporting evidence.Open glossary entry → and Trustworthiness.
Typical authority signals include:
- publications, talks or media appearances,
- certifications and awards,
- references, case studies and client logos,
- partnerships and industry expertise,
- official profiles linked via
sameAs.
At the An entity is a uniquely identifiable thing or concept, such as an organisation, person, brand, product, place or technical term. Search engines and AI systems process information as entities and their relationships.Open glossary entry → level, consistent external confirmation strengthens perceived authority: when a brand or person is described the same way on trustworthy reference pages, it is easier to classify unambiguously.
Importantly, authority signals must be genuine and verifiable. Exaggerated or invented awards, purchased entries or fake profiles do more harm than good and undermine trust.