Hello {{First name | there}},
People don’t buy from search results.
They buy from businesses they trust.
AI hasn’t changed that.
It’s just made trust more visible — and easier to compare.
This week, we’re talking about why experience, expertise, authority, and trust still matter more than any algorithm update, and how small businesses can build all four without hype or shortcuts.
Catch Up on Past Mini-Courses
Everything in this series builds toward becoming the obvious, trusted choice in your market. If you missed these free courses, they lay the groundwork:
Build a 3-Month Content Queue - turn real customer questions into consistent, helpful content.
Analytics Made Simple - focus on the signals that actually drive growth.
Local SEO That Works - earn visibility by showing up clearly and consistently where customers search.
Build a Website That Works - create a fast, reliable foundation that supports everything else you publish.
Each one is designed to help you build momentum one step at a time.
Real-World Story
At OptSus, we build trust by teaching.
This email series is part of that strategy.
So is publishing every issue in a public archive.
So is creating YouTube videos that explain what we know and how we think.
None of it is designed to “sell.”
It’s designed to show experience, share expertise, and give real examples of how businesses grow.
That same proof shows up in other places too — client success stories, testimonials, LinkedIn recommendations, and Google reviews.
And it works.
I’ve had people come up to me at professional networking events and thank me for these emails.
They already knew how we approach marketing before we ever spoke.
We’ve also closed sales that can be directly traced back to this content positioning OptSus as a trusted expert.
The trust was built long before the conversation started.
Why It Matters
Google calls this E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust.
But you don’t need the acronym to understand the idea.
Experience means you’ve actually done the work.
Expertise means you can explain it clearly.
Authority means others reference, review, or recommend you.
Trust means your message is consistent everywhere people encounter it.
AI tools and search engines don’t invent these signals.
They surface businesses that already behave like experts.
The more you teach, the clearer those signals become — for machines and for people.
Common Mistakes
Treating E-E-A-T like a technical checklist.
Publishing content without examples or proof.
Hiding expertise behind sales pages.
Ignoring reviews and testimonials.
Expecting authority without consistency.
This Week’s Action (Checklist)
This week, focus on turning what you already know into visible proof.
Pick one common customer question you answer all the time.
Write a short piece of educational content answering it — email, blog post, or video.
Include a real example from your work that shows how you’ve helped solve that problem.
Publish it where prospects can find it.
Ask one happy customer for a review that reinforces that expertise.
Why OptSus recommends this:
Because teaching builds trust faster than promotion.
And trust is what both AI tools and customers respond to.
How It Fits Into the Bigger Picture
Trust isn’t built in a single post or email.
It compounds through repetition and consistency.
Next week, we’ll look at why consistency has become one of the strongest visibility signals in search and AI — and how small businesses can use it to their advantage.
Key Takeaway
AI amplifies expertise — but only if you consistently show it.
Want more support while you’re doing this?
Join the free SEO Social Club — a monthly meetup to see what’s working in SEO right now.
Explore Marketing ROI Essentials if you’re ready for deeper strategy.
Or join the premium OptSus Marketing Community for ongoing feedback and advice.
Talk soon,
Frank
P.S.
Hit reply and tell us what you’re teaching your customers right now. We’ll respond with one specific suggestion to help strengthen your credibility — free.
🛠 Free Tools to Help You Grow Smarter
Want to revisit something you missed? Get direct help? Here's what’s available right now:
📬 Catch up on past issues: Grow with OptSus Archive
🎯 SEO Social Club – Next session: 🕛 First Tuesday each month at 12 PM ET
🛠 Need help with your site? Schedule a free WordPress Help Desk call
🎓 All upcoming events and past replays: OptSus Events
All free. All built to help you grow - without wasting time or money.