Google has updated its guidance for websites that handle Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) topics. These include sites about health, finance, legal advice, and safety. Google wants users to find trustworthy information when they search for these important subjects. The company says site owners must focus on building real trust with their audience.
(Building Trust for YMYL Sites with Google)
Trust starts with clear information about who runs the site. People should know who is responsible for the content. Authors and experts should be named. Their credentials must be easy to find. Sites must also show contact details and provide ways for users to reach them.
Content quality matters a lot. Information must be accurate and up to date. It should come from reliable sources. Outdated or incorrect facts can hurt trust. Google encourages regular reviews of all published material to keep it current.
User experience plays a role too. Sites should load quickly and work well on phones and computers. They must be safe to use. Security features like HTTPS are basic requirements. Ads and pop-ups should not get in the way of reading or using the site.
Transparency builds confidence. If a site makes money through ads or affiliate links, it should say so. Readers deserve to know if content is influenced by payments. Honest disclosure helps people decide what to believe.
(Building Trust for YMYL Sites with Google)
Google does not rank sites based on trust alone. But trust affects how people see a site. When users feel safe and informed, they stay longer and return more often. That behavior sends positive signals to search engines. Site owners who put effort into trust are more likely to succeed in the long run.