How To Know If Your Website Is Credible
All search engines, whether Google, Bing, or Yahoo, have filters to avoid displaying results that are irrelevant to a searcher’s query. These algorithms consider hundreds of factors, such as publishing date, bounce rate, content quality, credibility, and others.
However, credibility is by far one of the most important ranking factors. As a result, the most credible websites will typically have the highest rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPs). You may recognize some: Angie’s List, Wikipedia, and Yelp. They are among the world’s most credible websites. In addition to review and media sites, the most credible niche-related or industry websites also rise to the top. You may be familiar with some of them in your industry. So, is your website credible? Here’s how to determine just that:
How Google Determines Website Credibility
While the exact details of Google’s ranking factors are confidential, there are four well-known indicators (E-E-A-T) frequently cited in the SEO industry that Google uses to determine if your website is credible:
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)
Google’s E-E-A-T formula, which is a derivative of its older (E-A-T) version, is an important factor its human quality raters use in determining website credibility. It signals that the search engine is prioritizing content written using first-hand experience. It’s more critical for health and financial websites, but any website can benefit from optimizing content that meets Google’s Search Rater Quality Guidelines.
Key Factors for Determining Website Credibility
Experience: Websites can demonstrate their expertise in establishing or improving credibility through author bios, about pages, and referencing first-hand experiences when writing content.
Expertise: Websites can demonstrate their expertise by producing original, well-written, in-depth, and accurate content using your experience. Accuracy is the key here, and citing authoritative sources in the content is another important factor that demonstrates a website’s credibility.
Authority: Respected websites that mention your brand and organically link to your site in their content are like upvotes for content approval, which is why it’s another Google factor for determining website credibility. Thus, publishing high-quality content that garners high-quality backlinks from reputable sites is critical to improving credibility.
Trustworthy: Building trust is another link in the credibility factor chain. Websites can demonstrate this by being transparent in their work, producing original, accurate, and ethical content, having easily accessible NAP contact information (name, address, and phone) on their website, and maintaining a positive brand reputation.
Other Website Credibility Factors
Other factors, including engagement rate and errors can also affect a website’s credibility:
User Engagement: Are most of your website visitors moving from page to page or bouncing off the first page? Search engines use metrics like bounce rate and time on site to gauge user interest when determining website relevancy and credibility.
Website Errors: Websites without error pages provide a smooth user experience. Permanently redirect pages you remove to more relevant pages to avoid users getting a page not found (404) or other error when clicking on your link in search results. Websites with errors or incorrect redirects may not be considered trustworthy and risk getting penalized and losing credibility.
How to Boost Your Website Credibility
Brandtastic is not just a digital marketing agency, but your trusted partner in building a credible online presence. We play a crucial role in your business’s success, helping you navigate the online world, ensuring your content gets noticed, and ultimately achieving profitable results from your marketing budget. When your website, blog, and marketing strategy yield measurable results that increase customer visits, they become your top salesperson. Brandtastic’s talented professional writers craft engaging and informative content that demonstrates authority to your audience. We are committed to helping you maximize your return on investment and customer lifetime value for your digital marketing campaigns in 2024 and beyond.
Since 1998, Frank Motola, President of Brandtastic, has been helping clients attract more customers and profits through their websites. Contact him today and we’ll keep your website and blogs updated with authoritative and engaging content to attract more customers today!