First-Person Narrative: How to Write Content That Shows Real Experience

First-person narrative is the most direct way to demonstrate Experience in EEAT. When you write “I tested this for 3 months” instead of “Testing shows,” you're putting your credibility on the line—and both readers and AI recognize that accountability signal. This guide shows you exactly how to use first-person voice effectively.

Why First-Person Narrative Works #

First-person pronouns with action verbs create accountability. Compare these two statements:

When you use first-person, you're essentially saying: “I personally verify this claim.” That's a higher trust signal than “someone somewhere found this.”

How AI Recognizes First-Person Experience #

AI systems parse content for experience indicators. The combination of:

• First-person pronoun (I, we, my, our)
• Action verb (tested, used, tried, analyzed, measured)
• Specific context (for 3 months, on my MacBook, in my kitchen)

...creates a strong experience signal that distinguishes content from generic, researched, or AI-generated text.

First-Person Power Phrases #

These combinations of pronouns and action verbs signal authentic experience:

Testing and Usage #

• “I tested...”
• “I used this for [time period]...”
• “We analyzed...”
• “I measured...”
• “I ran [specific test]...”

Discovery and Learning #

• “I discovered...”
• “I found that...”
• “I learned...”
• “I noticed...”
• “What I didn't expect was...”

Personal Perspective #

• “In my experience...”
• “From my perspective...”
• “What worked for me was...”
• “My take is...”
• “Here's what I think...”

Comparison and Contrast #

• “Compared to [previous product I used]...”
• “Unlike my experience with...”
• “This was better/worse than I expected because...”
• “I've tried [X alternatives] and...”

Before and After Examples #

Here's how to transform generic content into experience-rich content:

Product Review #

Before (Generic):

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones offer excellent noise cancellation 
and comfortable fit for long listening sessions. Battery life 
is rated at 30 hours.

After (Experience-Rich):

I've been using the Sony WH-1000XM5 as my daily headphones for 
4 months. The noise cancellation eliminated airplane noise on 
my recent 12-hour flight to Tokyo. I wear them for 6-8 hours 
daily and never feel ear fatigue. I got 28 hours on a single 
charge with ANC on and occasional calls.

How-To Guide #

Before (Generic):

Sourdough bread requires careful temperature control. 
The dough should rise at 75-78°F for optimal results.

After (Experience-Rich):

I struggled with sourdough for months before I cracked the 
temperature puzzle. My kitchen runs cold (68°F), so I started 
using my oven with just the light on—that gets it to exactly 76°F. 
Since making this change, my rise time dropped from 8 hours to 5.

Comparison Article #

Before (Generic):

Notion and Obsidian both offer note-taking capabilities 
with different approaches to organization.

After (Experience-Rich):

I used Notion for 2 years before switching to Obsidian 
6 months ago. My 3,000+ notes migrated in about 2 hours. 
The difference I notice most: Obsidian's offline-first approach 
means I never wait for pages to load, but I miss Notion's 
databases for project tracking.

Balancing First-Person Usage #

First-person is powerful, but overuse can make content feel self-centered. Here's how to balance:

Strategic Placement #

• Introduction: Establish your experience early (“I've tested 15 laptops this year...”)
• Key claims: Use first-person for important findings
• Subjective opinions: Own your perspectives
• Conclusions: Summarize your personal takeaway

When to Use Less First-Person #

• Technical specifications: “The M3 chip has 8 cores” (not “I found it has 8 cores”)
• Established facts: “USB-C supports 40Gbps” (not “I discovered USB-C supports...”)
• General information: Don't claim personal discovery of common knowledge

Recommended Density #

Common Mistakes to Avoid #

Vague First-Person #

Weak: “I think the camera is good.”

Strong: “I shot 500 photos over 2 weeks, and the low-light performance exceeded my iPhone 14 Pro in most conditions.”

First-Person Without Action #

Weak: “I like this laptop.”

Strong: “I've used this laptop for video editing daily for 6 months and haven't experienced a single crash.”

Claiming False Experience #

Never fake first-person experience. If you haven't actually tested something, be honest:

Honest approach: “Based on analyzing 200+ user reviews...” or “According to hands-on reports from tech reviewers...”

Frequently Asked Questions #

Is first-person appropriate for professional/academic content? #

Yes, increasingly so. Academic writing has shifted toward accepting first-person for methodology and conclusions. Professional content benefits from the credibility first-person provides. The key is using it purposefully, not excessively.

Should I use “I” or “we”? #

Use “I” for personal opinions and individual testing. Use “we” when representing a team or company. Both are valid experience signals—just be consistent and accurate.

Can brands use first-person? #

Yes, through named authors. “Our team tested...” works, but “Sarah, our Product Manager, tested...” is stronger because it ties to a real person.

About the Author

Yue Zhu@Seenos.ai

Product Manager at Seenos.ai. Pioneer in AEO research since 2024, exploring the convergence of SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Led multiple AI-powered content optimization projects that achieved 300%+ citation increases in ChatGPT and Perplexity.