Website users are losing trust in companies…
Market research firm Ipsos MORI revealed recently: 89 percent of 2,000 UK Internet users avoid companies that don’t protect their privacy.
When people think twice about trusting you, you can kiss your credibility goodbye — along with your profits.
For businesses, trust is the bedrock of every relationship.
Whether it’s between you and another business or you and your retail customers, trust keeps sales pouring in and it keeps your market from going to your competitor.
Trust and credibility keep your business going — and for the most part, successful…
Table of Contents
Why website credibility matters
Trust is where businesses starts….
And to build trust with your market, you need to build website credibility…
Your consumers need to know and believe that you will be true to what your business promises.
They need to know they can rely on your website if they give their credit card details and other personal information.
They need to know they can trust your organisation to follow through and do what you claim. And you website plays a big role in helping you achieve this.
If your website users are having to ask themselves the following questions, your trust and credibility are low and you have a problem:
- Did you make this website yourself?
- Is this a real company?
- Are you still in business? Where are your contact details, blog or social media?
- Are you part of a business organisation — any organisation?
- Are you as amateur as your website?
Your website visitors (read: consumers) shouldn’t have to be asking those questions.
How do you increase website sales and credibility?
Keep consumers informed. Help them trust you…
…and use the following five methods to boost (or develop) website trust and credibility…
1. Provide a great user experience
Create a great website design and user-experience. Professionally!
Sure, you could try to build your own website without hiring a web designer, thanks to free and open-source platforms like WordPress.
But will it provide a great user experience and design and help you convert more visitors into leads and sales? And will it offer the kind of user experience that will build a successful brand that generates good will, return visitors, happy users and repeat customers?
With many other websites that may be selling the same products and services you do, you must also provide a great design to reduce your website bounce rate and stop your visitors from leaving for your competition. Design and user-experience is often the difference between success and failure, particularly in mature and competitive markets.
The stats say:
- 48 percent of people cite website design is the number one factor in deciding the credibility of a business.
- 94 percent said they mistrust or reject a website based on its design.
A good UX and website designer will not only help your create the best user experience. They will help you develop the architecture you need to make your website load fast, work across all devices and improve your on-site SEO and search engine position over the long term.
A fast and user-friendly website will encourage your users to stay on-site and move towards your goal, such as sign up for an email list, share your site and increase engagement, leads and sales.
2. Use trust seals and certifications
Your website should have trust seals and certifications that users recognise…
Green Certified Site, VeriSign Trusted, TRUSTe and a SSL certificate are all great examples and an excellent way to increase website credibility and sales.
These badges give your users confidence that they can surf on and transact with your website without worrying about getting their information stolen.
Some seals also tell your users that you follow a certain standard when doing business, which will give your visitors more reason to look into or buy what you’re selling.
3. Associate yourself with authoritative organisations
Has your business been mentioned in the press?
Don’t be shy, share that recognition.
From being featured in quotes to getting full coverage, be proud about what your business is recognised for and you will establish trust as well as increase website sales.
For example, if your company has been mentioned in Forbes, you’re far more likely to get business enquiries and from bigger clients.
4. Integrate social media
Your website should have links to social media and share buttons…
The ones your consumers are frequently on.
Social media gives you greater reach, which gives your website better exposure…
It also allows you to build brand credibility, authority and leadership because you are able to engage with your customers more (e.g., sharing, responding to their comments, replying to questions, and so on). And this has the potential to increase website sales and profits.
According to a report from Hubspot, social media also helps you save money on marketing while still helping you increase traffic: 95 percent of marketers using social media six hours per week mentioned increased exposure for business and nearly half saw decreased marketing costs.
5. Show reviews and testimonials
Favourable reviews tell new customers that your products and services are awesome…
It will also show website visitors you run a good business.
With currents stats revealing 73 percent of consumers trust a business more when they get positive reviews and 79 percent saying online reviews are as trustworthy as personal recommendations, your website needs to be making the most of testimonials and social proof.
If you’re a startup, a good way to get those positive reviews going is to offer free trials or bonuses, which have a powerful way of turning into actual sales the next time your users come visiting.
Your website should not just be wasting space on the Web. It should help you build trust with your market and allow you to develop credibility in your industry.
From design and content that inspire confidence to a system that will assure security, start building your credible website and powerful business tool TODAY.
Have you thought of other techniques to boost people’s trust in your site? Share your insights in the comments below.
