Trust is a fragile thing. It takes time to build and seconds to destroy. That is especially true online when there is no opportunity to interact face-to-face.
Without the trust of your clients and customers, you’ll struggle to grow your business online. We’ve all heard the horror stories of people being scammed online, losing money to dodgy suppliers, service providers vanishing halfway through the job or personal details being stolen and sold on.
It’s all a bit terrifying for consumers. And it plays a huge factor in whether people buy from you or not. People need to trust you, they need to know that you can do what you say you can and do it well.
Building trust with your website may seem like a challenging task but it isn’t actually as difficult as it sounds. To help you I’m sharing 7 ways you can easily build trust on your website.
1 // Look Like A Professional
First impressions matter, especially online. So having a professional looking website is a no-brainer when it comes to showing that you are trustworthy. People aren’t going to buy from a shabby website that screams that you put it together in 5 minutes and forgot all about it.
I’m not saying that you need to go out and drop money on a website designer to achieve this. There are a number of resources available that allow you to DIY your website on a budget and still have a professional presence.
Whether you are building your website yourself or hiring a designer it’s important to ensure it looks the part. A clean and modern design will instantly boost your trustworthiness.
Quick tips for a DIY professional website:-
- Find a clean, modern website theme
- Use high-quality photos
- Have a custom domain name
- Make sure your website is responsive for mobiles
- Check your spelling and grammar
When you do have money to invest in your online home, do seek the help from a website designer. A good website designer will be able to strategically design a website that looks good and works for your individual business needs.
You can check out my website design services if you are on the lookout for help – I have packages to suit all types of business.
2 // Share Testimonials & Reviews
Do you provide an awesome service or product to your customers? Yes, then make sure you tell others about it by sharing testimonials and case studies on your website.
Testimonials are a fantastic way to show that your work has proven results. Ask clients for feedback after you’ve finished a project or after a sale for inclusion on your site. Adding a photo beside each testimonial is a further way to add weight and authenticity to their words.
SiteGround do this well by sharing testimonials from leading industry experts as well as a link to read more reviews.
3 // Statistics + Numbers
People like proof that you have the experience and ability to deliver what they need. You can do this by sharing relevant statistics and numbers on your website.
You’ll have seen this technique used on various websites, quick go look at some of your favourites, they typically share statistics and numbers of customers served on their homepage. This can help provide visitors with instant reassurance because if 16,000 other businesses use this then it must be good.
If you have been in business for 10 years or have 2,000 people on your email list share those numbers on your website. It shows your experience and that you are valued by thousands of customers.
A perfect example of stat sharing is from StudioPress, on the homepage they list the number of website owners using their products.
4 // Guarantees & Free Trials Are A Winner
Do you provide a money-back guarantee if customers aren’t satisfied? By displaying a guarantee on your website you are showing that you believe in your product enough to make sure customers are 100% happy.
Offering a free trial period can also provide peace of mind to customers as they can try it out before committing to buy. I often do free trials for products or services, as I can then make sure it’s worth the investment and fulfils my needs. If it does, then I’m much more likely to pay.
If you have an online shop, add security badges to give people peace of mind if they are ordering through your website that you value their security.
You can also display badges of the secure payment gateway you use to process their payments. It may not seem like much, but it goes a long way to showing that you will protect them.
A fantastic example of this is Plutio* who have a 14 day trial for all their plans, you don’t even need to sign up with a credit card.
5 // Show Your Human
People buy from people, especially when it comes to services.
Faceless organisations can be off-putting for potential customers. Even Facebook has a front man that everyone associates with the company (we’re looking at you, Mark Zuckerberg).
Having an about page that shows who you are and what you’re all about can go a long way with visitors. It creates a connection and they are in turn much more likely to buy from you.
For example, I have my name, photo and information on my about page and I get enquiries from people who already know my name. I’ve found this can help create a more personal connection that you just don’t get when you hide who you are.
Quick tips for a good about page:-
- State who you are and what you do
- Include photos of you, your team and office
- Be fun, interesting, quirky – basically show some personality
MailChimp may be a huge company but they still make their about page personalised with photos of the senior team and from the community.
Tying this in with social media can enhance that human element by allowing people to see more of you and behind the scenes of your business. I tend to do this on Instagram by sharing photos related to my work and snippets from my life outside the office.
6 // Leverage Your Clients
Display prominent or recognisable brands that you’ve worked with or supplied is another brilliant way to exhibit trust on your website. It shows people that you have a good reputation and can count top brand names on your client roster.
Take a look at Later* – on their homepage they have a double whammy of displaying the number of users along with brands such as GQ and Yelp who use their Instagram scheduling service. Most of us know these brands and instantly we want in on the action.
7 // Are You Active?
When looking on a website for a service or to buy a product, I will usually check their social media before making my final decision. And I bet I’m not the only one, right?
When a business has social media profiles but hasn’t updated them in months (or years) it gives the impression they are no longer active. Or possibly even out of business.
Ensuring that you have an active social media presence and are engaging with your followers shows that you are accessible and gives people peace of mind.
For businesses who aren’t on social media, you can still show that you are active online by utilising a blog on your website. Posting articles, updates and your latest news regularly will keep your brand alive.
Final Thoughts
Trust is crucial online and without it, you will struggle to establish and grow your business in an online marketplace. Visitors and customers need to know that you are credible and provide a good quality product that they can rely on.
By implementing the tips above you are on the right track to having a trustworthy website.
Do you have any thoughts on building trust on your website?
Feel free to reach out in the comments or tweet me at @wildflowerspix.
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