The Differences Between Reliable Content and Fallible Information

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The internet is useful for finding reliable content about a particular individual, company, service, and product. Depending on the website you are visiting, it can also mislead consumers and users with fallible information. A credible site connects with its audience and stands by what they want the readers to learn. A fraudulent site provides misleading information to entice consumers to make a purchase.

Investors, for example, rely on credible sites to make strategic trading decisions on stocks, commodities, and currencies. They use such websites to inform them about the economy, stock gainers, SEC filings, insider trades, IPOs, and other information. Most of the info is in real-time and helpful for deciding which stock to sell or purchase. Individuals are careful about the site they choose for content in monitoring their investments.

Stock Tools to Look For in Credible Websites

A credible website has reliable stock tools for screening gainers by its listed exchange, price, trade volume, and market capitalization. The information comprises commodity, currency, and financial instrument assets. MarketBeat, for example, provides investors with multiple menus in a drop-down list for sorting data and information based on groups. The site is not for advising investors nor for stock trading. It’s helpful for watching the performance of the stock market in real-time and accessing reliable information.

Internet users should be careful when searching for information on websites online and learn which is reliable or unreliable. Some sites intentionally provide false content to misinform readers on various topics, especially investments. Most online businesses use blogs and social media to connect with consumers and customers about their services or products. A credible site uses factual content and social media posts with frequent and engaging information. It builds trust between the authors and the readers.

The most important thing about content is its quality and not quantity. Users of the internet often search for information to benefit their needs. They don’t search for how many articles are posted on a website but for that article with high-quality information. Consumers, customers, and clients, including investors, should learn how to tell if a website is credible or not. There are ways you can distinguish authentic information from useless content.

Five Ways to Identify Credible Websites

  • You can tell a reliable website by its domain name ending with .com, .net, .org, .edu, or .gov. The most credible sites will have domains with .edu and .gov. Colleges, universities, and other educational institutions use a domain with .edu and government agencies such as SEC uses .gov. These two sites have reliable sources to retrieve information and data. Websites with .com, .net, and .org domains aren’t as credible as government and educational sites. It’s best to research the site and read its blog to learn about the author and provided sources.
  • Pay close attention to the writing style of an author. If there are grammatical errors and poor spelling, it may be a sign the information is unreliable and misleading. The content should be easy to read and to understand.
  • Observe the website you are visiting to ensure its credibility. A reliable site is usually user-friendly with a good design which makes it easy to access information. An internet user will most likely look for info elsewhere if it’s difficult to find content.
  • When you access content on a website, ensure there is an author owning the authorship. Most reputable authors and writers will provide their names and contact information, including emails or phone numbers. They stand behind their content and are quick to correct any erroneous information. If there is no author listed with the article, the information is likely unreliable. Remember, everything you read online isn’t always factual nor authentic.
  • Authors who use information from other sources should cite where they retrieved it and the date. The information normally comes from books and scholars. If there are no sources, it may be plagiarism.

Internet users, including investors, consumers, existing customers, and clients, must learn the difference between reliable content and fallible information. If you are an investor, be sure you are using a credible site with the tools. You can keep up-to-date on stock trades, commodities, and currencies. The information above should be helpful in determining which website is credible or misleading.