Profitable and long-standing customer relationships are always built on trust—and that isn’t only true in face-to-face interactions, but key in digital connections. When a user visits your website, they want to know certain things; that you are a reputable business, that you take online security seriously, that you will protect their personal information, and that they can feel confident about your products or service. Therefore, from the first initial digital “handshake” when a prospective customer lands on your site, through to the time they input their credit card details to buy a service or provide their contact information so you can get in touch, they want to confirm that your company has their best interests at heart.
Here are a few ways to make your website more trustworthy at all stages of the consumer’s journey.
Strong Design Matters
When you walk down the street and see an attractive storefront, you experience a natural pull to go check it out and see what that shopkeeper has to offer. The same holds true about a website that is visually appealing, alluring, and user friendly. A customer is going to be more inclined to stay a while and check out what you have to offer—and possibly make a purchase—if your website is well designed, easy to navigate, and expertly managed.
Avoid Spam—At All Costs
Your website’s credibility can seriously tank if you display spammy ads or even present your own pop-ups that demand a visitor to opt-in to an offer or enter personal information before they have even had a second to get to know about your company. Ultimately, most website visitors are comfortable with sensible and conservative use of ad-space and pop-ups on a website, but ensure your use of these features is not akin to a proverbial used car salesperson shouting at a visitor the moment they arrive.
Make it Personal
Consumers want to feel a connection when they make a purchasing decision—and they want to know that a real, living human being(s) is behind the digital storefront they are surfing. Therefore, a great way to show a visitor that there is a team of people ready to deliver high-quality customer service is by featuring an About page that showcases some names and faces in the form of photos, bios, and even videos. Convey information about what your team is passionate about or committed to delivering as well as your company’s history and how you have developed as a brand. Oh, and remember, skip the stock images on this page.
Display Your Contact Information
This might seem like an obvious point, but it is surprising just how many businesses get this wrong. To up the trustworthiness of your website, ensure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) is on every page of your site. Typically, a visitor will look for your NAP in the footer of your site, or as a menu item, and it’s best to keep it simple so they don’t end up having to search too hard. Additionally, besides being a great way to build trust, having NAP easily displayed helps you improve your rankings in local SEO.
Additionally, beyond displaying NAP prominently, it’s also wise to include a secure contact form where customers can communicate with you. These types of forms convey professionalism and send out the signal that someone is standing by, ready to fulfill a potential customer’s request in a timely and efficient fashion.
Display Social Proof
Social proof can be showcased in a number of ways; it could mean having active Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages with considerable followings or it could mean regularly updating your website with user testimonials, case studies, or simply showing your business is open and relevant through regular blogging. Anything that indicates that there is plenty of activity going on behind the scenes can build considerable trust with a website visitor and offer them confidence that if they choose to do business with you, that you aren’t closing down shop anytime soon.
Use an SSL Certificate
This last point is truly technical in nature but builds much confidence from an end user’s perspective. An SSL certificate helps you use HTTPS and feature the highly sought-after padlock for your website in people’s browsers. The SSL certificate not only makes your website more secure but allows a visitor to relax knowing that their personal information is safe as they browse your site.
Of course, there are many more points that we could discuss as it relates to boosting the trustworthiness of your website—and we would love to have the chance to do that with you one-on-one. If you are interested in building consumer confidence as your prospects and clients visit your website, then give the team at Woland Web a call and let’s develop a strategy for you. Reach out to us today and let’s chat.
