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3 Things to Help Google Trust You
By Mark Daoust (c) 2006

Google is all about trust. Who knows, maybe they were in a bad
relationship, but if you want to rank well with Google, you need
to be trustworthy. And let me make the bold assumption that you
are currently not trustworthy (most sites are not – especially
new sites).

So how do you get Google to trust you? The most obvious answer,
and most commonly quoted answer, is to get inbound links from
trustworthy sites. Any webmaster who has been around the block
a couple of times knows that this is a bit of a catch-22. Sites
that are high in Google's trust typically do not just hand out
links to small startups – those go to sites that are already
established.

Unfortunately, while this is probably the most frustrating
answer you can receive, it is also the lions share of building
trust with Google. There are, however, a few other things you
can do to help Google trust you more. While having these things
may not rocket your site to the top of the rankings, they will
bring you closer to finding a good relationship with Google.

Define a Privacy Policy

A privacy policy is a page that explains to your users what
information is collected, how it is being used, and what options
they have to access or change that collected information. It may
be a bit ironic that a major search engine would place any
emphasis on privacy in light of the recent AOL data release
scandal (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/
2006-08-17-aol-data_x.htm), but having a privacy policy in place shows a certain
level of trustworthiness.

This may seem like a very small step when we look at the big
picture, but keep in mind that Google is looking for responsible
and reliable websites to send their users to. A privacy policy,
while non-consequential for many websites, shows an attention to
detail and a sense of responsibility to user's privacy.

Offer Detailed Contact Information

For many small website owners, this is a step that can be quite
tricky. Offering detailed contact information on your site shows
that responsibility and reliability that Google is looking for,
but at the same time many small website owners are not running
their websites as a full-time business.

You should always offer some sort of contact information on your
site. At a minimum, you should offer an email address (I was
surprised at how many websites – specifically blogs – did not
offer any contact information at all). If possible, you should
include your address and a phone number where people can contact
you. Of course, if the only phone number you have is your home
phone number, this may not be the most ideal option.

Show Consistency Over Time

This may be the single most important tip in this article.
Google has shown an affinity towards sites that remain
consistent in structure, growth, content, and popularity. At
the risk of sounding prosaic, outside of receiving highly
trusted inbound links, the best way to bring Google to trust
you is to show Google over time that you are trustworthy.

Think about your relationship with Google as you would any
other relationship. Relationships take time, they take
commitment over time, and trust in a relationship needs to be
cultivated. If you happen to screw up, it takes time to regain
any trust that was lost.

With your website, show Google that you are consistent, that you
are dedicated, and that you actually care. Do not change your
website's structure or focus entirely just because you feel like
it. Spend time every day for months, even years, growing your
site and promoting your site. Take the time to make sure it is
as user friendly as possible taking into account issues such as
accessibility. And whatever you do, do not take the chance of
trying to cheat on Google by using a 'shortcut' – it can and
will set you back in your relationship several months, if not
longer.

It May Not Be the Best Model

Far be it from me to be a Google apologist – I certainly do
not agree with everything that they do. The move towards a
trust-based system is one that has received both praise and
criticism, and both praise and criticism is deserved. While
Google might be doing well in fighting search engine spam, they
have simultaneously (if not inadvertently) hurt the small
business owner who does not know any better.

There are many who complain about Google being 'unfair' towards
website owners. Whether or not they really are being unfair is
ultimately a moot point, Google is what Google does. If you
choose to continue to care about having quality rankings in
Google, complaining will not bring you higher rankings,
adapting to their changes will.

These days Google wants to know that they can trust you. If you
have been around long enough, they may already trust you, but if
you are starting fresh, or if you have made mistakes in the past,
you may have a long road ahead of you to prove to Google that
they should care about your website, and that it is suitable for
their rankings. Keep in mind that high trusted, one way in bound
links will always be the fastest route to rankings, add a
privacy policy and good contact information, follow the typical
guidelines that make a site reliable (see Google's webmaster
guidelines), and be consistent with your site.
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Mark Daoust is the owner of Site Reference. Recently he just
launched the nice site Brewing KB (http://www.brewingkb.com/).
Take a moment, if you will, to visit Brewing KB, a community for
home brewers.
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