Search engine optimisation (SEO) has evolved far beyond stuffing keywords and building backlinks. Today, Google’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to assess not just what you say, but who you are. This is where brand authority comes into play.
Building strong brand authority isn’t just good for your customers — it’s a critical ranking factor that can give you a competitive edge. In this article, we explore why online authority matters in modern SEO, how it is measured (with a focus on SEMrush’s Authority Score), and how UK businesses can improve their online authority to outperform their competitors.
What is Brand Authority?
Brand authority refers to the level of trust, credibility and recognition your brand commands in your market. It’s about how both users and search engines perceive your business — are you seen as a reputable, knowledgeable source, or just another name in the crowd?
Google increasingly prioritises businesses that demonstrate experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) in their content. This aligns with their mission to deliver the best possible results to searchers.
Put simply:
If your brand is well-known, highly trusted and frequently mentioned online, Google is more likely to rank your website higher than lesser-known competitors.
How SEMrush Measures Authority: The Authority Score
At Jump 2 IT Media, we use SEMrush, one of the most respected SEO tools, to measure and track brand authority. One of its key metrics — Authority Score — provides a clear, actionable way to assess your domain’s credibility.
What is SEMrush Authority Score?
Authority Score (AS) is a composite metric, scored between 0 and 100, which evaluates the overall quality and SEO strength of a domain.
It’s calculated using three core factors:
- The quality and quantity of backlinks to your domain.
- The search traffic your website receives.
- Other signals such as spam factors and the domain’s trustworthiness.
A higher score suggests your domain has greater authority, making it more likely to rank well in search results. According to SEMrush, UK websites with Authority Scores over 50 tend to dominate competitive industries. Top-tier brands like bbc.co.uk and nationaltrust.org.uk, for example, achieve scores well above 80.
For smaller businesses, however, even improving from a score of 10 to 30 can significantly increase visibility in your niche.
Why Does Google Care About Brand Authority?
Google’s goal is to serve users with the most reliable and relevant results. When a brand has strong authority signals — such as high-quality backlinks, positive online reviews, mentions in credible publications, and consistent branding — it tells Google:
- This site is trusted by others.
- This business has expertise in its field.
- This content is likely to satisfy the searcher’s intent.
Conversely, if your website lacks these signals or appears spammy, it can hurt your rankings, no matter how good your on-page optimisation may be.
In fact, recent updates to Google’s core algorithms have placed even more emphasis on online authority, particularly in the Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) sectors such as finance, health and legal services.
How to Build Your Brand Authority (and Improve Your SEMrush Score)
Here are some effective ways to strengthen your brand authority and help boost your SEMrush Authority Score:
Create Valuable, Authoritative Content
Publishing high-quality content that demonstrates your expertise helps build trust with both users and search engines. Make sure it’s original, well-researched, and genuinely helpful.
Earn High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks remain one of the strongest authority signals. Focus on earning links from reputable sites relevant to your industry, rather than chasing quantity over quality.
Optimise Your Google Business Profile
For local UK businesses, appearing in the Google Map Pack and maintaining a complete, accurate profile can build trust and authority in your local market.
Build Brand Mentions
Even unlinked brand mentions (also called “implied links”) on credible websites can contribute to authority. Aim to get your name featured in local news, industry blogs and trusted directories.
Improve User Experience
A fast, easy-to-navigate website builds credibility with visitors — and Google notices. Our article on how to improve your website speed has more advice here.
Why UK Businesses Should Prioritise Authority
In the UK’s competitive online landscape, brand authority can be the difference between ranking on page one or getting lost in the noise. According to recent studies, over 90% of UK consumers research a business online before making a purchase, and they are more likely to trust brands they recognise and perceive as authoritative.
Brands with higher Authority Scores are also more resilient to Google algorithm updates — an important consideration given how frequently these occur.
Our Final Thoughts
In 2025 and beyond, building brand authority should be at the heart of your SEO strategy. It’s not just about satisfying search engine algorithms — it’s about earning the trust of your audience and establishing your business as a leader in its field.
If you’d like help assessing and improving your website’s online authority, contact us today. Our expert team can provide a detailed SEMrush audit of your site, along with a tailored strategy to help you grow.
