As a business owner, it’s crucial to take the time to build customer trust with a website. Unlike the real owner(s), a business’s online presence never sleeps and needs to be accessible twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Whether a site is being built from scratch or undergoing a branding overhaul, implementing the suggestions below will ensure favorable impressions.
Build Customer Trust with Outstanding Website Design.
The most basic and essential building block to build customer trust with a website is through outstanding website design. This starts with a custom domain name to establish the business brand, rank higher in searches, and stick in a customer’s mind. From there, consider the site structure, SEO, and calls to action. The design should be mobile-responsive, quick to download, and secured with an SSL certificate.
A sleek and modern web design can go a long way toward increasing conversion rates. The visual appeal and navigability of the website should create a positive user experience and be viewable in multiple web browsers.
Build Customer Trust by Establishing Expertise.
Once up and running, it’s crucial to build customer trust with a website by establishing expertise. Publishing blog posts on a regular basis demonstrates the knowledge a business has in their given field. New content in fitting categories equates to search engines that continually crawl the site and return those results in online searches. Stick with in-depth posts written in conversational language while keeping keyword relevance and audience interest in mind.
Another way to establish trust and expertise is to offer a download incentive, such as a how-to guide. This helps in growing the email list of the business, and subscribers benefit by receiving new blog posts and/or newsletters. Yet another option would be to hold webinars
Build Customer Trust with an About Page and Photo.
It’s only natural that fellow humans connect with other fellow humans, not faceless business entities. The about page is where potential customers can learn what the business does. What is unique about the origin story of the business? Explain what produces or services the business offers and how it does it.
Along with being forthcoming, add photos of the main players within the business. Or, if it’s a small business, feature all the staff in some capacity. Make it clear everyone has a valued part to play. Grainy and unfocused selfies should be avoided. If professional headshots aren’t a possibility, a great profile picture can be taken with most phones and cleaned up a bit with a photo app.
Build Customer Trust by Including Testimonials and Reviews.
The presence of customer testimonials and product reviews can go a long way to build customer trust with a website. Testimonials are handpicked snippets where customers state how a product or service has benefited them. Feature 3-5 compelling testimonials rather than scrolling list of 25. Be sure to update them on a regular basis as well. It would be embarrassing to list a testimonial for product no longer offered.
By contrast, reviews posted on sites like Amazon can’t be controlled. However, consider allowing starred on-site reviews by customers since strictly glowing five-star praise can look suspicious and unnatural. A poor review can be seen as a chance to improve. Resist the urge to respond personally to a negative review. Simply move on.
Build Customer Trust with Badges, Logos, and Social Proof.
Badges can be used to communicate various aspects of a business, such as what type of warranty may be offered, quality assurance, or a money-back guarantee. Client logos are an excellent way to quickly communicate work history via visual recognition, and payment logos when selling items directly from a site can help ease buyer wariness.
Social proof in the from of likes and follows displays authority and also speaks to the need for inclusion. The goal of social media is not to promote a business endless, but to build brand by tending to community and establishing trust.
It’s important to remember that the trust-building process is an ongoing one, but one worth tending to continually reap the benefits a business needs to be viewed as trustworthy.
What steps have you taken to build customer trust with a website?
