Almost everywhere you look for business advice these days you will find people telling you that you need to demonstrate you are an expert. However, new research suggests that it is better to focus on being more accurate on your website, with expertise being much less important to credibility.

The study examined diet websites. It discovered that only those with limited knowledge on a diet topic preferred visible expertise over accurate information. The researchers found that for website credibility, the correctness of information was more crucial than clear expertise. Additionally, when individuals had even a bit of knowledge about the topic, that influenced whether the site was considered expert.

This study suggests that everything we post online is being subconsciously evaluated by our readers and viewers. If the information we share is correct and reliable, our website gains credibility, no matter our level of expertise. On the other hand, if we prioritize showcasing ourselves as experts over being accurate, our website’s credibility can suffer. The only people who won’t notice the inaccuracies are those who are unfamiliar with the subject of your website. Unless your target audience is complete beginners, this is a problem.

How to be more accurate on your website

To focus on being more accurate on your website, you need to prioritise accuracy over demonstrating expertise. People will believe you more if you are accurate.

So, here are steps to take to ensure that your website is accurate.

Read information carefully. Avoid skim reading. Instead, make sure you read the source information thoroughly, making notes if necessary. Do not just quickly look at something else online and think “that will be good to use”.

Check the information source. What is the credibility and trustworthiness of the source itself? If it is from a refereed journal, the reliability of the information is likely to be high. Similarly, if it is from a professional media organisation, it will have already been “fact checked” before publication. But if your source of material is from an unknown blogger, perhaps you need to think more carefully and investigate further.

Triangulate your information. If one person says something, it might or might not be true. However, if several different sources are saying the same thing, then the information is likely to be more reliable. If you have a “lead” for something to write about on your website, check to see if other people are saying the same things.

Review what you have written. Once you have written your material check things within it. Make sure any facts mentioned are accurate, checking with reliable sources. Make sure that all links work too. Don’t just write something, spell check it and then assume it is all OK. If possible, get someone else to check your content before it is published.

Making sure what you have written is accurate sounds obvious to do. However, many websites appear to focus on showing they are experts in their field and in doing so can neglect accuracy. You will be trusted as an expert more if you focus less on that and more on the accuracy of your content.