Why Trust Is the Missing Piece in Your Website SEO (And How to Fix It)
I’ve been a web designer for 5+ years now and am also an SEO professional, and a topic that has been coming up more and more lately is the concept of trust. So much so that I have actively been making changes to my own website behind this scenes. So if you're curious what professional web designer is updating on their own site and why trust is an increasing concern, then this is the blog post for you.
Why Trust Matters More Than Ever
Unfortunately with the rise in AI and so-called "experts" who make big claims but don't drive results, people are becoming more skeptical about businesses and service providers.
You may have even heard it being called a “trust recession” and I completely understand why. Things are tough right now and as small business owners we want to work with people who they can actually rely on.
That's why as business owners, it's our job to reassure people they're in good hands, that we are trustworthy, reliable people.
Our website is the perfect place to do that, especially as it's often the first impression people will get of us, or will at least be the place that people go to get reassurance e.g. off the back of a referral.
But this isn’t just about your visitors - it also matters for Google.
Trust and SEO (Google’s E.E.A.T. Framework)
In case you weren't aware Google has its own guidelines for what makes our website worth ranking and one of the biggest things is trustworthiness. Google's helpful content guidelines follow the concept of EEAT - expertise, experience, authority and trustworthiness. Showcasing these things directly on your website is therefore important if you want to grow your traffic via Google.
Showing that your website belongs to a real, reliable business is increasingly important - especially with the rise of AI content and anonymous experts.
This is especially important if you are in a very competitive industry, or if you feel you're doing "all the things" when it comes to SEO. You're adding keywords, you're optimising your pages and adding blog posts regularly - but if you're not demonstrating trust, this could be the missing piece of the puzzle.
But how you actually show trust?
Adding Trust Signals To Your Site: My Recent Addition
With Google and readers both looking for content from reputable businesses, I've made a recent addition of trust signals to my own site, in the form of logos.
Right below the hero section on my homepage, I've added a new section designed to reassure potential clients and show Google that my site is a credible source.
For me, this includes logos for my:
Professional insurance
ICO registration
Data privacy certification
Squarespace partnership
These small details help visitors quickly see that my business is legitimate, secure and accountable. I also placed them high up the page so they make an immediate impact.
But what could this look like for you?
Ideas for Trust Signals You Can Add
Hopefully I've convinced you by now the importance of adding Trust signals to your site but what could that actually look like for you here's a couple of ideas of credibility signals you could add to your website:
Qualifications
Certifications or professional memberships
Logos of clients you’ve worked with
Partnerships or accreditations
Awards
Security or data protection certifications
Case Studies
Testimonials
Reviews
And just to be clear, these don't have to come in the form of logos like my own website. This could look like adding qualifications to your about page, adding case studies to your services pages, or highlighting any awards you've won.
The important thing is, these elements help your dream clients quickly see that you’re the real deal, and they only take a few minutes to add.
Summary & Your Next Steps
As a web designer and SEO professional I am hyper aware of changes and trends in the industry, so I always make it a priority to experiment with my own website first. But I also think it's important to share these learnings with you too.
Hopefully this blog post inspires you to make some small tweaks to your site, because they can make a surprising difference to how trustworthy your website feels.
And if you'd like support accountability and co-working to implement changes like this, I'd love to see you inside my membership: The DIY Website Club.
It's a space where business owners work on their websites together get expert guidance and keep their websites up to date with the latest industry movements like this. I’d love to support you inside the club.
