Every day, a lot of content is published online. Finding the right one can be overwhelming. We can easily get lost if we try to find something right straightaway.

To make it easier for our readers, the following are the five steps to validate the credibility of online content:

Who is the author of the content?

First, we should check the author’s and publisher’s details. The credibility, affiliation, expertise, and previous citations of the author play an essential role in the credibility of the content.

Is it relevant?

If the content is up to date and has statistical information, it is a good sign. The recent changes should be visible, and there should be no broken links in the content.

Is it accurate?

If the content is well-written and free from the spelling mistakes, it can be trusted. Good content comes with citations of the verified resources.

Are links useful?

Check if the links are relevant, useful, and are not dead. If the links lead to 404 pages, the credibility of the content is questionable.

What is the purpose of the content?

The purpose of the content should be checked to verify the credibility. Credible content has:

• A specific purpose e,g educational, informational, etc.
• Unbiasedness
• Clear audience
• Facts and figures.
• Ownership by the publisher

What is the TLD of the content?

The TLD shows the authority of the content. A .gov domain showing facts and figures is more credible than a common .com domain.

Conclusion

Identify the authorship, relevancy, accuracy, and purpose of the content to validate the credibility of the online content.