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Word of mouth is essential for SEO because it boosts your rankings through trust. When customers recommend your website or services, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable and credible.

This type of organic promotion increases your visibility without needing paid ads. As people share their positive experiences, both online and offline, it builds a reputation that contributes to higher authority and trust in your brand.

Search engines like Google take into account these endorsements when determining search rankings, recognizing that trusted recommendations lead to quality results.

In this content, I will show you how to use it effectively and explain how WOM works for SEO. To leverage word of mouth, focus on delivering exceptional customer service and creating content that resonates with your audience. Encouraging reviews, testimonials, and social media sharing can amplify your reach.

Additionally, creating a strong online community where your customers engage with each other can help accelerate WOM, boosting your SEO performance over time. Click here to see our content about Google SEO: 10 Key Tips for Businesses to Dominate Search

Word of Mouth: What is it?

If you’ve ever recommended a movie to a friend or shared your thoughts about a new game, you’ve experienced word of mouth. 

At its core, word of mouth is simple: it’s the process of people talking about something—whether it’s a product, a service, or even an idea—and sharing their experiences with others. 

It’s basically the digital-age version of your friend saying, “Hey, you need to watch Spirited Away; it’s amazing!”

Think about it: if you hear great things about a movie from multiple people, you’ll likely go see it, right? That’s word of mouth working in action. 

Now, imagine the same concept applied to your business. When your customers share their positive experiences with others—whether it’s through reviews, recommendations, or even social media posts—they’re giving your business a massive credibility boost.

It’s kind of like when you’re choosing a restaurant to go to. You could walk down the street and pick a place you’ve never heard of, but if your friend swears by it and even posts about it on social media, that’s the version of “word of mouth” that helps you make a decision. 

You trust your friend’s opinion. Now, let’s translate that into SEO terms. Search engines, like Google, trust your brand when people talk about it positively.

And this trust signals to Google that your website is worth ranking higher in search results. If you want more about why SEO is important, we have another article with 7 reasons why matters

Word of Mouth: How Social Proof Influences SEO Rankings?

Ever heard the term “social proof”? Think of it like this: when you see a product with hundreds of positive reviews, you’re more likely to trust it and buy it, right? The same applies to SEO. 

If your business generates buzz and gets mentioned across the web, Google notices this as a sign that your business is credible. 

Google’s job is to deliver the best, most trustworthy results to users, so it takes things like reviews, testimonials, and mentions into account when deciding where to rank your site.

So, in essence, the more your business is talked about online in a positive light, the higher your chances are of ranking better in search engine results. Still too complex? Click here to see the other content that I just explained about technical SEO: What is it in simple terms?

Google E-E-A-T

You’ve probably heard of E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), but in 2024, Google has added another crucial factor to the mix: Experience.

This new concept, E-E-A-T, emphasizes that the content must come from someone who has direct, real-life experience with the topic at hand.

This shift highlights the growing importance of authentic, firsthand knowledge in content creation. Google now places a greater value on content that isn’t just theoretically sound but is backed by real-world experience.

How does this relate to word of mouth? Simple. When customers share their genuine experiences with your product or service, they’re providing social proof that aligns with E-E-A-T. Their reviews and testimonials show Google that not only are you an expert in your field, but your customers trust you.

It’s like when a player in Call of Duty shares a strategy with others—other players are likely to trust that advice because it’s based on real, hands-on experience.

Similarly, when customers advocate for your business based on personal use, it signals credibility and builds trust, both for your audience and for search engines. This social proof creates a cycle of trust and authority that positively impacts your rankings.

Word of Mouth: How to Build Trust?

Now that we’ve set the stage, you might be wondering: How do I build trust using word of mouth? The good news is, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some easy steps you can take to harness the power of word of mouth and build trust online:

Great Content

Create content that your audience will want to talk about. Think about it—if you enjoy playing Mario Bros, you wouldn’t talk about it if it was a boring game, right? You’d share your experience with your friends because it’s fun, engaging, and worth their time. 

The same applies to your business. If your content resonates with your audience—whether it’s a blog post, video, or social media post—they’ll be more likely to share it, thus creating a ripple effect of positive word of mouth.

If you have a business, my advice is to create content that helps your potential customers right away. It could be a tip, a strategy, or something useful to build their trust in you.

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Uma publicação partilhada por Matheus Xavier Copy (@matheusxaviercopy)

Backlinks from Word of Mouth

Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site. These are valuable because they signal to Google that your site is credible and authoritative. 

Now, how does this tie into word of mouth? When people talk about your business and link to your content in their posts, they’re creating backlinks naturally. Every time someone links to your site, it’s a trust signal to Google.

To make this work for you, think about content that people will want to link to. Could be a case study, a how-to guide, or even an epic list of resources. 

Just like in Mario, you need to create a good “level” (content) for people to “play” (engage with) before they’ll want to share it with others. Click here to see my content about how to do keyword research, it’s a full guide in 3 steps!

The Role of Reviews and Testimonials

Reviews and testimonials are your secret weapons. Just like the way you might recommend a game you love, customer reviews give other potential customers the confidence to try your product or service. But reviews also have a double benefit: Google looks at them as social proof.

Encourage your customers to leave honest reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or social media. When your happy customers share their experiences, it creates a cycle of positive word of mouth that improves your SEO. 

And just like in running, consistency is key—your reviews need to keep coming in, and they need to be genuine.

So, if you’re looking to boost your SEO rankings, start focusing on building trust. Word of mouth, when done right, is a natural way to build that trust. 

Whether it’s through creating engaging content, encouraging reviews, or earning backlinks from happy customers, each piece plays a vital role in strengthening your online presence.

As a freelancer, I know firsthand how tough it can be to compete in a crowded market. But when you combine word of mouth with solid SEO practices, you set yourself up for long-term success. 

Trust me, just like mastering a game or learning a new language, building trust takes time, but the payoff is worth it. Take the time to nurture those customer relationships, and the rest will follow.

Feel free to implement these strategies step by step, and keep an eye on the results. Word of mouth and SEO go hand in hand, and with a little effort, you’ll see the difference it can make in your rankings.

Did you like our content about word of mouth? Share it! And don’t forget to check out the brand-new articles we have on the blog to learn more and achieve the best results with your website.