One of the things that Google looks for when grading your site for its algorithm is website trust. In other words, is your website trustworthy to recommend to Google's clients? You may stamp your foot and say that of course your website is worthy of trust, but truthfully how can Google differentiate your site from millions of other sites. Since we can't expect Google's algorithms to read our minds (and really do we want them to?), it is our job as website owners to signal the search engine that our site can be trusted. So, what factors signal website trust?
Longevity
Longevity is not something that you can change on your site, however if your company and site has been around for more than five years, that in itself is a signal that you are a real company and successful in doing business. Five years is a long time on the internet and if you can last, then that is a good signal for Google.
Growth
A steady growth pattern for your site shows that you have been offering information that is significant to your readers, and they are coming back and sharing your site. As you gain a readership, Google will pay attention and reward you for that.
Links to Your Site
If sites that link to you are trustworthy, then Google will show that as a plus. However, be aware that you can get dinged if you have bad links to your site, especially if there are several bad links.
Links from Your Site
Randomly linking to other sites is not a good idea, however linking to relevant information is helpful. For instance, linking to references for more information will give people a place to do more research.
Linking within Your Site
If your posts relate to each other, it is beneficial to link new posts to past posts. A good link network within a site will signal Google that you are developing a rich resource for your customers.
Contact Information
If you have a physical location, posting it and your contact information on the site adds to your trustworthiness. If you don't want to put your address, you can post a P.O. Box to receive mail.
Virtual Tour
A virtual tour in image or video form also gives authority to your site. If you don't really have anything to show in a tour, you can post images of yourself and your staff with short bios.
Social Proof
Social proof can be added in several ways. You can provide testimonials on your own site or on social media from your customers. You can also have your customers post their testimonials on their websites or social media accounts. The more people who talk about your company, the more you are building up social proof for yourself and your brand.
Branding
Having a logo to help promote your brand is a great way to raise awareness and trust for your business. You can use your logo in so many places including your site, social media accounts and any other place you post. Your logo is also used anytime your company is recognized for donations or sponsorships.
Gaining social trust varies in difficulty depending on your industry, locale and audience; however you can continue to build trust every time you create a post or add valuable information to your site.
