Voices of Search Podcast

Episode: How will machine trust signals evolve for content creators next year?

Date: September 10, 2025
Host: Tyson Stockton
Guest: Duane Forrester (Unbound Answers)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tyson Stockton and Duane Forrester dive into the future of machine trust signals—focusing on how search engines and AI language models (LLMs) will evaluate credibility and authority for content creators in the coming year. The conversation covers actionable strategies around structured data, third-party trust, user responsiveness, and the evolving concept of digital "footprints," highlighting the growing sophistication of algorithmic trust mechanisms and what creators must do to stay competitive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Future of Machine Trust Signals: What Comes Next? ([00:43])

• Crystal Ball Question: Tyson prompts Duane to predict how machine trust signals will evolve for creators in the upcoming year.
• Structured Data is Foundational:
  • Duane, who helped launch schema.org, insists that structured data is still mission-critical:
    • “Get it done. Don’t ask, should I use this? Yes, you should.” (Duane Forrester, [01:07])
  • The schema.org library can be influenced and is not static, but proposals must be for broad, not selfish, benefits.
    • "You can't propose something that benefits you and not anyone else. It has to be a group benefit." (Duane Forrester, [01:17])
• Format Doesn't Matter, Signals Do:
  • Choice of markup (JSON, schema.org, RDFa) doesn’t matter, but maintaining accurate, up-to-date trust signals is vital.
• Don’t Retroactively Panic:
  • No need to go back and retrofit all old content with every new format; consistency and presence of signals are key.

2. Expanding Trust Beyond Schema: Third-Party References Matter ([02:00])

• "Trust signals that we all tried to game back in the day” now matter more than ever for LLMs and AI systems.
• Real-World Credentials:
  • External validations (e.g., appearing as a graduate on your university’s public list, belonging to professional associations) influence machine trust.
  • "It's kind of important to the LLM who doesn’t personally know you, that you are in fact that doctor, that there is a direct connection there—and who better to maintain that than you..." (Duane Forrester, [02:25])
• Guard Your Signals:
  • Maintaining these references is in your self-interest—bad actors will attempt to hijack them.

3. Responsiveness as a Ranking Vector ([03:15])

• User Experience Signals:
  • Responsiveness to customer feedback (e.g., how quickly you reply to reviews) will factor into machine trust and search rankings.
    • "That one signal, that one, one signal is a vector and that vector says you suck against the query. So you will immediately be filtered out in favor of somebody who sucks less..." (Duane Forrester, [03:36])
• Differentiator in Commerce:
  • Customer service records—especially for product queries—could determine whether your site is shown to consumers.

4. The Importance of Diligent Content Policing ([05:21])

• Fact-Checking and Editing:
  • Each piece of content must be fact-checked, typo-free, and rigorously edited; basic errors negatively impact trust signals.
    • "How anyone can publish something with a broken link or a typo today... it's beyond me." (Duane Forrester, [05:38])
• Human Oversight:
  • Keep a “human in the loop” to maintain credibility—even minor editorial diligence plays a role in trust.

5. Social Currency & Digital Footprint ([06:05])

• Brand Footprint in the Digital World:
  • Long-term engagement, local involvement, and “the exhaust” a brand leaves behind add to its trustworthiness.
    • "Over time, you are going to have conversations about the graffiti in your neighborhood ... and those kind of build up a social currency around your brand..." (Duane Forrester, [06:10])
• LLM Personalization:
  • LLMs (like ChatGPT/Bard) learn user and brand preferences over time—your accumulated signals affect whether you “fit the context” of a query.

6. Consistency is Crucial ([07:14])

• Tyson reiterates the need for ongoing consistency:
  • “It's looking for the consistency for a lot of that trust element, 100%.” (Tyson Stockton, [07:15])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Duane Forrester, emphasizing structured data:
  • “Get it done. Don’t ask, should I use this? Yes, you should.” ([01:07])
• On third-party validation:
  • "It's kind of important to the LLM who doesn’t personally know you, that you are in fact that doctor..." ([02:25])
• Responsiveness as a filter:
  • "That one signal... is a vector and that vector says you suck against the query.” ([03:36])
• Classic content diligence:
  • “How anyone can publish something with a broken link or a typo today... it's beyond me.” ([05:38])
• Footprint and context in LLMs:
  • “What kind of footprint do I leave behind and what does my exhaust trail look like? Are people generally happy in my wake or are they generally perturbed?” ([06:23])
• Tyson Stockton on consistency:
  • “It's looking for the consistency for a lot of that trust element, 100%.” ([07:15])

Practical Takeaways for Content Creators

• Implement and update structured data across your site—don’t wait.
• Seek and maintain real-world, third-party references for your credentials and business reputation.
• Respond rapidly and professionally to reviews and user inquiries to build a record of customer care.
• Keep all content factual, polished, and error-free—use human editors whenever possible.
• Cultivate a positive, meaningful digital footprint through ongoing engagement with your audience and community.
• Be consistent—in your content, reputation, and interactions—to be favored by AI systems and search engines.

Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------------------|-----------| | Future of Machine Trust Signals / Structured Data | 00:43-02:00| | Third-Party References & Trust | 02:00-03:15| | Responsiveness as a Ranking Vector | 03:15-03:50| | (Ad Break Omitted) | 03:51-05:21| | Content Policing & Human Editing | 05:21-06:05| | Social Currency & Digital Footprint | 06:05-07:14| | Consistency and Wrap-up | 07:14-END |

This episode offers a forward-looking roadmap for creators intent on maximizing trust and authority signals for next-generation SEO.