How to build trust online blogging?

How to build trust online, especially when blogging?  It takes time, but it is achievable.  Find best practices, with blogger illustrations that you can use.

My 12 years of solopreneurship gave me handy experiences to learn from.  7 years of blogging included, I’ve seen the challenges of growing a site.  It takes time, but it’s possible to see results.

Trust as a part of EEAT

Online presence isn’t a joke.  It’s how you appear to the world.  EEAT is important and supports your site’s success..

Bloggers must develop EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).  One of the 4 components is trust.  It can be built over time.

Build trust examples 

Building trust online is a rather general statement.  However, some best practices support it.  In my article, I’ll highlight blogger-relevant examples.  Anyone can grasp the idea and see how it helps in their situation.

Areas to pay attention to:

1. Tech 
2. Content creation
3. Community building
4. Compliance
5. Visibility 

The areas in my list are crucial for bloggers to evaluate.  You can be a beginner or already experienced.  However, revisit them and ask yourself frequently, how well is your blog accomplishing them?

Embrace best practices 

You can’t fully control how you’re perceived online.  However, take measures to ensure a good experience for your visitors.  Your blog readers are at the centre of your attention.

Tech side

WordPress, the best blogging platform, is user-friendly.  I point out that I’m referring to their self-hosted version.  There’s so much you can achieve by having better control over your site.

Want to compare web hosting pricing?

Read my other article.

Web hosting

Returning to the technical aspect of running a blog, using plugins makes things easier for non-technical users.  Pay special attention to certain things.  These include having a proper SSL certificate, good site speed, mobile responsiveness, and other key factors.  While most blogs aren’t perfect when starting, gradually improve what you have. 

I used and tried both the managed and self-hosted versions of WordPress.  I must say, if you plan to monetize, go with self-hosting right from the start.  The managed version is convenient mostly for hobbyists.  I started there, but my activity developed into a side hustle.

Content creation

Knowing what your site visitors experience is a top priority.  UX is a crucial factor affecting time on site, bounce rate, and engagement time.  Find how and where these happen, and take measures to correct them.

Learn more about UX in my other article.

UX for non-techies 

Show your personality as a blogger.  With personal brands, individuals can build trust over time.  Originality, human touch, and quality stand out in an ocean of fake, generic content.

Use your brand colors strategically.  Be consistent with your branding across platforms.  It’s something visitors recognize.  

Use your credentials when possible.  For example, my BBA and solopreneur experience are relevant to my niche.  I’ve added them to my blog about page and my Instagram bio.

Link to trustworthy sites when appropriate.  If you cite something, do so from a trustworthy source and link back.  Also, interlink internally to your existing content.  Check periodically for any broken links and replace them.

Consistency is key.  I’ve always published a new article every week since I started my site.  I also update older ones when needed.

Community building 

Network with your peers to build a community.  You may either attend local physical events or connect online.  A blend of both is ideal.

Enable comments on your blog to encourage feedback.  Reply promptly to your readers, as far as possible.  I prefer to manually approve comments.  I also do so in my time zone, and at regular intervals throughout the day.  

Take advantage of social proof, especially if you sell your digital or physical products.  Handle negative reviews as well, if any.  Client testimonials are a powerful tool.

Send newsletters to connect with your best blog readers.  They’re your most interesting audience.  Also, share your lead magnets on social media.

Planning on starting or growing an email list?

Find handy tips in my other post.

Newsletter best practices

Compliance

Have disclosures, such as for affiliate links and the use of AI.  Also, publish a privacy policy, terms and conditions, and any other pages that apply to your blog.  Having these is a must, and supports building trust.

Visibility 

SEO is for every platform, not just Google.  Search happens on social media and AI tools.  These different sources can drive traffic to your blog.

AI Overviews take many of the clicks from SERPs.  Along with traditional SEO, optimize keywords for every platform possible.  Prioritize where your ideal audience is present.

Want to find out how to easily optimize your existing articles, working smarter?

Find out more in my other article.

Low-hanging fruits 

For bloggers who vlog

My article is focused on how bloggers can build trust online.  I’ll now briefly highlight how vloggers can.  I blog and also vlog (through Instagram reels).  Both formats and platforms complement each other and reach a wider audience.

When it comes to videos, showing your face supports building trust.  You build a better connection with your followers.  Speaking is even better.  However, if you want to go faceless, it can sometimes work.  I’ve seen faceless accounts that are successful.

How to build trust in an online business?  You’ve seen ideas and best practices in my article.  It takes time, yet it is achievable.  Learn ongoing through feedback what your ideal audience needs and values most.

Conclusion

How to build trust online can be intriguing.  However, through best practices and gradually over time, it can happen..

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