In my previous article on areas of focus for SEO I outlined Authority as important. Understanding and improving website authority is critical for SEO. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of website authority and its relation to EAT (Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness). We’ll also provide practical strategies for increasing website authority.
What is website SEO authority?
Website authority refers to a website’s credibility, trustworthiness, and reputation in the eyes of search engines and users. Factors such as content quality, backlinks, website age, history, and social signals are key in its determination.
Why is SEO authority important?
High website authority boosts SEO, as search engines use it to assess relevance and credibility. This results in better rankings, leading to increased traffic, visibility, and conversions. EAT is also becoming an increasingly important factor in determining website authority. Google’s algorithm now places greater emphasis on websites that demonstrate expertise, authority, and trustworthiness in their niche.
Here are some tips for improving website SEO authority.
Create high-quality, informative content
One of the most effective ways to increase SEO website authority and demonstrate expertise is to create high-quality, informative content that provides value to users. Ensure that the content is well-written, unique, and provides a unique perspective on the topic. Google rewards websites that add value to users and ranks them higher in search results.
Build high-quality backlinks
Backlinks are a crucial factor in building website authority and demonstrating trustworthiness. They help search engines determine the credibility and relevance of your website.
Here are some specific ways to get backlinks to your website:
- Guest blogging: Guest blogging is an effective way to acquire high-quality backlinks and demonstrate expertise. Identify reputable websites in your niche that accept guest posts, and reach out to them with your pitch. Ensure that the content you create is high-quality, informative, and relevant to the website’s audience.
- Broken link building: Broken link building is another effective strategy for acquiring backlinks and demonstrating trustworthiness. Identify broken links on reputable websites in your niche, and reach out to the website owner with a suggestion for a replacement link on your website. Ensure that the replacement link is high-quality, informative, and relevant to the website’s audience.
- Infographics: Infographics are highly shareable and can be an effective way to acquire backlinks and demonstrate expertise. Create a high-quality infographic on a topic relevant to your niche, and reach out to websites that publish infographics in your niche. Offer to provide the infographic for free in exchange for a backlink to your website.
For more ideas check out this YouTube video from ahrefs on how to build backlinks.
Optimize your website for mobile
Optimizing your website for mobile devices is essential for establishing authority because more and more people are using mobile devices to browse the internet. In fact, mobile devices now account for more than half of all internet traffic, so having a mobile-friendly website is no longer optional – it’s a necessity.
Here are some specific tips for optimizing your website for mobile:
- Use a responsive design: A responsive design ensures that your website will adapt to the screen size of any device. This means that your website will look great and be easy to use on both desktop and mobile devices.
- Keep it simple: Mobile users don’t have the same amount of screen real estate as desktop users, so it’s important to keep your website simple and easy to navigate. Use a clear and simple layout, with large buttons and easy-to-read text.
- Optimize images and videos: Large images and videos can slow down your website’s load times, which is particularly problematic on mobile devices. Optimize your images and videos to reduce their file sizes and improve your website’s load times.
- Use mobile-friendly fonts: Not all fonts are created equal when it comes to mobile devices. Some fonts may be difficult to read on smaller screens, so it’s important to use fonts that are mobile-friendly.
- Test your website on multiple devices: Make sure to test your website on multiple devices and across multiple platforms to ensure that it looks and functions correctly. This will help you identify any issues and ensure that your website is optimized for all devices.
Improve website speed
Improving website speed is crucial for establishing authority because it affects both user experience and search engine rankings. Slow-loading websites can frustrate users, leading to higher bounce rates and lower engagement. In addition, search engines prioritize websites that load quickly because they want to provide their users with the best possible experience.
Here are some specific tips for improving website speed:
- Optimize images: Large images can significantly slow down your website, so it’s important to optimize them by reducing their file size. You can use image compression tools or plugins to accomplish this.
- Minimize HTTP requests: Each element on your website (images, CSS files, scripts) requires a separate HTTP request, which can slow down your website. You can reduce the number of HTTP requests by combining CSS and JavaScript files, reducing the number of images, and using a content delivery network (CDN).
- Use caching: Caching allows frequently-accessed pages to be stored locally on a user’s device, reducing the amount of time it takes for those pages to load. You can use plugins or enable caching through your web host.
- Enable GZIP compression: GZIP compression reduces the size of your website’s files, allowing them to load faster. Most web servers and content management systems support GZIP compression.
- Use a fast web host: The quality of your web host can significantly impact your website’s speed. Look for a host that uses fast servers and offers features like SSD storage and content delivery networks (CDNs).
Leverage social media to increase SEO authority
Leveraging social media is critical for establishing authority because it allows you to reach a wider audience and build relationships with your followers. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram have billions of active users, making them an excellent opportunity to increase your website traffic and establish your authority in your niche.
Here are some specific tips for leveraging social media:
- Share high-quality content: Share valuable content that your followers will find interesting and informative. You can share your own blog posts, as well as curated content from other sources.
- Engage with your followers: Respond to comments and messages promptly, and show genuine interest in your followers’ opinions and feedback.
- Use hashtags: Hashtags can help your content reach a wider audience by categorizing it and making it easier to find.
- Collaborate with influencers: Collaborating with influencers in your niche can help you reach a wider audience and establish your authority. You can collaborate with influencers by offering them guest posting opportunities, sponsoring their content, or working on a joint project.
- Use social proof: Share testimonials, awards, and other forms of social proof to demonstrate your authority and expertise in your niche.
- Offer exclusive content: Offering exclusive content to your social media followers, such as webinars, e-books, and guides, can help you build trust and establish your authority.
- Analyze your social media metrics: Analyzing your social media metrics can help you identify what’s working and what’s not, so you can refine your social media strategy over time.
I hope this helps give you an outline of why SEO authority is important and a few ideas on how to increase it on your website. SEO is always changing and there are always new ideas. I’d love to hear what works for you. Drop me a line at shaun.mcquaker@gmail.com anytime!