Full Definition

Authority Signals are various indicators that help AI systems evaluate the credibility, expertise, and trustworthiness of content. These signals influence whether AI systems cite, recommend, or trust information from a source.

Types of Authority Signals:

Author Attribution

Named, real authors
Author bios with credentials
Links to author profiles
Publication history

Temporal Signals

Publication date
Last updated date
Content freshness indicators
Version history

Citation Signals

References to authoritative sources
Academic citations
Links to primary sources
Data attribution

Schema/Structured Data

Author markup
Organization markup
Article metadata
Review/rating markup

Technical Signals

HTTPS security
Fast page speed
Mobile responsiveness
Clean URL structure

External Validation

Backlinks from authoritative sites
Social proof (shares, engagement)
Reviews and testimonials
Industry recognition

How AI Uses Authority Signals:

1. Source Selection: Prioritize trustworthy sources

2. Fact Verification: Cross-reference claims

3. Citation Decisions: Choose what to cite

4. Confidence Levels: Affect certainty in responses

Improving Authority Signals:

Add comprehensive author bios
Include publish and update dates
Cite sources and link to research
Implement schema markup
Build genuine external citations

Authority Signals