What makes a website or blog credible?

When you go to a site for the first-time, how do you determine the trustworthiness or credibility of that site? Do you look for contact info? Third party endorsements? Privacy policy?

If you are a directory owner, not whether you accept them or not, but your first thought.

 

I'm immediately turned off by sites that look like they were created just for AdSense purposes. I'm turned off by sites that seem to just have random articles pasted into them. I'm turned off by sites that have a lot RSS (like Yahoo news headlines...) as it just looks like a trick to fool the search engines. Poor site design & poor grammar are two more killers. I also really hate those in content underlined links (like kontera). I think that's a horrible trend. It's not necessarily a deal breaker but it's not a good first impression. I also pop ups of any kind. Oh and interstitial ads. Those suck.

I think about 90% of the websites on the internet are spam/m4a garbage. No scientific study there - just from my own experience.

 

That's usually the very first thing I look for, since I require it for websites selling any goods or services, and that accounts for most submissions. It also gives me an idea whether or not the website is in the right country for my regional directories.

After that, first impressions count. Some websites just look spammy because they're not very unique. If it's a default Wordpress or Drupal site, or an absence of design, then the writing will have to be really good to make up for it.

 

THERE are so many things that negates for being acceptable to directory owners & as for as a good website, it you can realize its design quality at
a galnce, so website design is the major thing i consider.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmeeeeennnnnn !!!!

 

To me, a simple clean design is an indication of quality. A site that is cluttered with many different sizes and kinds of ads gives me a bad impression.

 

Clean design Good layout. No blatant spelling errors, Insightful titles (eg. How I learned to stop Adwords and Love Seo, Rather than say.... Seo for idiots.)

 

sites that look like they just stepped out of 1994!!

 

I think content is more important than looks. If a site looks basic with not a lot of glitz, but the content is useful for a visitor, it is acceptable for me.

 

What kind of site are you talking about? A directory, a BestBuy.com type site that sells goods or what?

The question asked here in my opinion is being asked to the wrong people. Go ask that same question in a forum that doesn't have SEO or webmaster types in it. Go ask your friends, ask your family. I'd be willing to bet that not one of them would say that there's too many ads on a site therefore I don't trust it.

My mother, father, brother AND sister wouldn't know an AdSense ad it it jumped off the screen and bit them in the face!

 

Exactly, use to a visitor, not to the directory owner.
+rep
Ahh, gotta spread rep before I can rep you again

 

I was selling Moon Cakes as a kid to the US Navy when they arrived at Sangley Point in 1969 after a Vietnam War Tour while listening to "Proud Mary" of Credence Clearwater Revival; so for me to wear some bling blings and buggy jeans with the waist line below my ass would not look NORMAL.

Hell yeah, I have content and a few here knows what a SexyBeast I am. How about it threebuckchuck ?

70% or more of the college students here in Baltimore doesn't even know what a damn web directory is or a an SEO ?

 

Exactlly my point!

I do still have the links you sent me of you and your family. If you want me to make them public, let me know and people can make their own minds up.

 

gotta love our hometown of B-More (believe)

 

Lol!!! I was only kidding and don't want the public to view the Beast.