SEO isn’t just about keywords and rankings. One of the most important parts of modern search is proving that you are a trustworthy and experienced business. Google looks for real signs that you know what you’re talking about, and visitors are doing exactly the same.
These are known as “authority signals”, and they play a big role in how your pages perform in search results. What many business owners don’t realise is that these signals also help your Google Ads campaigns. When Google’s AI sees strong, trustworthy content, it can understand your pages better and match your ads more accurately - improving performance on both sides.
Why trust matters to both visitors and Google
People buy from businesses they trust. Google works on the same principle. If your website demonstrates real experience, clear explanations and honest examples, Google is more confident recommending you to searchers.
Authority signals help to:
- build confidence with potential customers
- show Google your content is genuine and helpful
- help the AI behind Google Ads judge your landing pages correctly
- improve the quality of the visitors you attract
Trust is now a ranking factor, a conversion factor and a paid advertising factor.
Show your real experience through simple details
You don’t need awards or formal accreditations to demonstrate authority. Small, everyday details often make the biggest difference.
- explain things in plain English using real situations
- use real photos instead of stock images
- describe the types of customers you regularly work with
- show your process in a simple, friendly way
- include project examples, even short ones
These elements show Google that your content comes from genuine experience, not from guesswork or AI-generated filler.
Use customer stories and case studies to build credibility
A strong case study is one of the most powerful authority signals you can add to your website. It proves you’ve done the work and that you understand the problems your customers face.
Good case studies include:
- a short explanation of the customer’s situation
- what the customer needed help with
- how you approached the problem
- the results or outcomes you delivered
- a real quote, if possible
These don’t need to be long. Even one paragraph per section is enough to strengthen trust.
Add proof wherever people make decisions
Authority signals work best when they appear near key decisions - such as your service pages, pricing sections, forms or contact points.
Useful types of proof:
- customer testimonials written in real language
- before and after photos
- logos of companies you’ve worked with
- industry certifications or memberships
- screenshots, results or clear numbers where relevant
Each of these helps visitors feel more confident, and Google recognises them as signs of a trustworthy business.
Use author profiles to show who is behind the content
Google wants to know who is speaking. Adding simple author information shows real expertise behind your content.
You don’t need long bios. A short sentence or two works:
- what you do
- your experience
- why you know this subject well
This helps build E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authority and trust), which is a major part of search today.
Why authority signals also help Google Ads
Even though authority is usually seen as an SEO concept, it has a direct impact on your paid ads too. Google’s AI looks at the content of your landing pages to decide:
- whether your page is trustworthy
- how well your page matches your ads
- whether visitors are likely to find what they need
- how to assign quality scores and relevance
When your pages have strong authority signals - real examples, clear explanations, genuine experience - Google Ads performs better. The AI understands your page more clearly, which can reduce wasted spend and attract more accurate searchers.
Keep improving your authority over time
Just like everything else in SEO, authority is built with small, regular improvements. You don’t need to overhaul your whole site at once.
Simple ongoing improvements include:
- adding a new case study every month or two
- updating older articles with fresh examples
- adding real photos from recent work
- including short testimonials in key sections
- signing your content with an author name
These quiet improvements create a strong, trustworthy message across your whole site - and Google notices.
A quick plan to boost your authority this month
If you want to get started right away, here’s a simple plan:
- add one short case study to a key service page
- update one older page with clearer examples or a testimonial
- swap one stock image for a real photo
- add a short author line to your blog posts or guides
These changes make your website more trustworthy for visitors - and more understandable for Google’s search and advertising systems.
Now that we’ve covered trust and authority, you’ve got the full picture: structure, fixes, content and SEO. These foundations make your website a reliable asset for long-term lead generation.
