Has your website done enough to build trust with Google?

If you get into a relationship with someone, everything in that relationship is founded on trust. They trust that you tell them the truth, that it is factual and that you are credible. If you refer or recommend something to them, they will trust that the information you provide will improve their life experience.

When it comes to SEO, Google approaches the relationships that it has with website owners in a similar way. Google wants to provide users with a good user experience since they are recommending or referring websites. The ‘trust factor’ lies in Google recommending information on sites that the person is likely to have never visited before.

So with this factor being so important, why do so many webmasters overlook this in order to focus on ‘gaming Google’ to get the SEO results that they desire?

Building trust takes effort.

In the same way that you build a relationship with a stranger, Google needs time to trust the site that is recommending them content. In the same way ‘first impressions’ make an impact, websites need their content to demonstrate value to the search engines so they can have the confidence to refer the content to their audience.

What actions are needed to make this happen?

Build out informative content that your visitors will enjoy.

It’s common for people to build a simple landing page and expect their website’s visitors to simply input their details so they can opt into something or proceed with a sale. But in any customer journey, it is important to build trust and rapport until the point when you can ask the potential customer permission for the sale.

If you know that your website is lacking in this aspect, it must be addressed as a high priority. Now with Google, it is ideal to publish this in text. However for the sake of conversions, it may also be worthwhile adding video footage to keep the audience engaged.

Demonstrate value.

You can follow the traditional sales copy approach whereby you demonstrate value through:

• The story about the product or service that is on offer.
• Testimonials from others that have used your product or service.
• Proof that your product or service does what it says.
• Show awards or press coverage or case studies.

Use images to capture and intrigue your site’s visitors.

Think about it. The most popular websites on the web all use images either through photography or videos to capture the attention of people. So it’s necessary that you also incorporate the use of imagery on your site. There are some industries that are more data-driven. However, data visualization techniques can still be applied to intrigue and capture people’s attention.

Is your website mentioned elsewhere on the web?

You and your business might be known in your circle, but if you want to get ahead you need to become a ‘somebody’ on the web. So you need to increase your influence by getting influencers to cite or mention your website. The easiest way to get started is by contributing information to influencers that are interested in the information that you share. This could be sharing links with useful information. Or contributing your own written submission in the form of a guest post to their web platform.

Also read “Tips on re-purposing Old Content“.

As your website gains more mentions across the web, Google will see those links as votes to your website. These ‘credibility signals’ will trigger Google to start ranking your site for keywords.

Age is also key.

If you have just started your website, it’s unlikely that the site will rank quickly. The site needs to gain trust and credibility as it ages over time. Typically, this is a two year period, however Google can give credibility to certain sites in different niches more quickly. The main way to overcome the age hurdle is to publish valuable content and to gain relevant mentions as quickly as possible.

Unlock Google’s door of trust.

Trust is what makes everything work especially in the world of SEO. If you want to succeed with SEO as a part of your long-term game plan, your website needs to gain trust as quickly as possible in your niche so your site can start dominating across different keywords.