Build trust for your readers with Trust.txt

By THAD SWIDERSKI, President, eType Services

Trust in the online environment is critical in a world flooded with multiple sources of digital information. Users need news to help them make important choices and having trustworthy sources is essential to solid decision-making. Local newspapers offer a unique source of trust, both in print and online, but in the face of competing media streams they can struggle to find ways to authenticate themselves in this wild west of the web.

Several years ago, the organization journalist.net began adding a trust.txt (TXT) file to websites so that Internet services like Google could determine who was a legitimate news source. eType Services embraced this approach and, partnering with the Texas Press Association, added this file to all our Texas customers’ websites. If you are an eType Services customer, this file is part of your website.

Adding this file creates value for your paper in several ways. Firstly, the trust.txt file will help readers know you are a reliable source of information in your community. Secondly, it will help your search engine results as sources that display this TXT file are prioritized by major search engines. Thirdly, adding the TXT file links your site to other trusted sites throughout the country. By linking sites, newspapers can band together to combat the web bots looking to promote false information. Lastly, this approach helps position your sites to mitigate the emerging threats of artificial intelligence in the local news environment.

Your readers trust you and making sure that the Internet also trusts you is a top priority for eType Services. We have worked behind the scenes to help make your web presence robust and we will continue to make sure you remain a trusted source in your community.