Here’s my answers from the latest #semrushchat I participated in last week on Twitter. If you want to rank well on Google you need to build Expertise, Authority. and Trust to your website, so this discussion goes into some detail on some ways to incorporate these into your overall SEO strategy. I was trying to answer all the questions first so thus the #semrushchat #lighteninground was born!
Together with @sherrybonelli and you guys we'll discuss:
Ways to build Expertise, Authority, and Trust to Boost your SEO! #semrushchat pic.twitter.com/emAxMEkW13
— SEMrush (@semrush) August 22, 2018
Before you read the answer to this question, you should know that in the simplest terms, “authority” is a predictor of how well a site will rank. It provides a glimpse into the SEO “strength” of a website.
If you’re curious, I use Ahrefs to evaluate a website’s authority, along with Majestic & Mozbar which allow you to analyze domain authority as well.
#A1 #semrushchat in my opinion the *fastest* way to build authority using SEO is cranking out great pages containing (better) information about the subject matter than anyone else
— Matt Roberts (@1PwnNoobs) August 22, 2018
I focused on the fastest way here. Sure, “quality” is subjective but if you can create stellar content about a variety of subjects related to subject matters you intend on ranking for – your website will rank better! Bill Slawski so eloquently answered:
A1 Become indispensable; a source of information and expertise on topics that people have an interest in, so that you become the go to person on topics (Not convinced that there is an instant way to do this – it involves rolling up sleeves and working.) #SEMRUSHChat
— Bill Slawski ⚓ (@bill_slawski) August 22, 2018
Question two moves to on-site areas for building trust and authority. Very frequently I see people making all kinds of mistakes with their on-site SEO that prevent them from ranking (webmasters and agencies alike)
Q2. What are the top three on-site areas where a site can build trust and authority? #semrushchat
1. answer people's common questions you researched beforehand
2. show off positive reviews
3. Be sure to show must-have info to so people can see answers fast— Matt Roberts (@1PwnNoobs) August 22, 2018
To start, you just can’t go wrong with providing people with relevant answers to stuff they were searching for. Plus showing off positive customer reviews is also something you should prioritize because this is a great way to build trust ( plus this will increase your conversions! )
A3:
Google establishes “experts” based on first-person experience in addition to formal education or training. Links are still the core authority signal in Google’s algorithm and they measure trust in their algorithm with TrustRank#semrushchat
— Matt Roberts (@1PwnNoobs) August 26, 2018
Question 3 is nothing new. Google’s E-A-T factors have been well known for several years and it boils down to content and links 😉.
Q4. #semrushchat
Start with helping them understand what their customers actually care about ( and what those potential customers are actually searching for)
Get strategy right before you start attempting tactics.
— Matt Roberts (@1PwnNoobs) August 22, 2018
When I speak to clients about who they want to attract to their websites, and what they want to sell to these people – there’s often a big disconnect regarding what those potential customers really care about. If you zero in on users intent your website will perform much better!
Local businesses like Realtor and Plumbers often face a slew of competitors with similar content and websites, most of them all repeating the same mistakes. In order to really stand out in those markets you have to show people why you’re unique, what your competitive advantages are. I find customers are more likely to listen to you if you can quickly show them you understand their problems.
Q5. What are the main metrics you would use when identifying good brand authority? #semrushchat
0. backlinks
1. rankings
2. reviews
3. engagement
4. trafficI'd start with those
— Matt Roberts (@1PwnNoobs) August 22, 2018
Generally speaking, brand authority has to do with the extent to which people know of, believe in, and trust the ideas of a particular company. However, as a concept, it is largely subjective and therefore difficult to define and measure.
Q4 Recap:
⭐️Get reviews on GMB
🔗Build PR links using local media sources
✔️Build apps and create offers
🤝Partner with known local brands and businesses
📍Local citations#semrushchat pic.twitter.com/t54Ag9FsUp— SEMrush (@semrush) August 22, 2018