To ensure that the information you are working with is factual and meets EAT requirements, you need to find authoritative sources. This article provides tips for recognizing and finding them.
Rock Content Writer
Content writer
Apr 22 | 4 min read
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The internet is still like the wild frontier—there are websites that act as if they’re factual when they’re actually parody or comedy sites, biased, or otherwise untruthful.
Then, there are also legitimate websites run by those with true knowledge of the things you want to know about, such as digital marketing agencies (like us at Rock Content) with experience in their fields.
To make sure the information you’re working with is factual and comes from a solid background (and to pass EAT requirements), you need to look for an authoritative source.
Most authoritative sources come from well-known professionals and experts, medical facilities, government agencies, or educational institutions.
How to Recognize an Authoritative Source
There are three types of widely accepted authoritative sources. They include.
Recognized sources, such as .edu and .gov websites
Scholarly sources, including publicly accessible databases like Google Scholar and ScienceDirect
Credible news sources, such as Bloomberg and The Whatsapp Database New York Times (but keep in mind that news sources may be biased)
Where to Look for an Authoritative Source
Now that you know what an authoritative source is and have an idea of the types that exist, you need to start looking for them. How do you find them, though.
Use this Google search tip
If you use Google, there is a helpful trick that can assist you when looking for content on .edu, .gov, or .org sites. Type in your search term followed by “site:.gov” or “site:.edu.
By doing this, you’re telling Google that you only want .gov or .edu websites in your results.
Search for an exact match
Another option that can help you get access to an authoritative source involves going directly to a source you trust. For example, maybe you’re writing content on a piece containing medical information.
You could type in “Cleveland Clinic” and visit the hospital’s website to explore medical content related to your marketing work.
Similarly, you can seek exact matches for journals or educational institutes as needed. Just remember, if you go directly to a source, you do need to be sure that it is an authority on the subject.
Look for a specific domain name
Similar to searching for an exact match, looking for a specific domain name can help. For example, imagine that you’re trying to learn more about search engine optimization and are familiar with Semrush.Typing in “Semrush.com” will take you directly to the company’s website. The Bulk Lead same is true for us at .If you don’t know which domain name to look for, then you’ll want to choose a different option, such as searching for a specific organization or using a keyword to find related content.
