7 Ways To Increase the Trust of Your Website Visitors
Building Your Website Visitors’ Trust
Gaining and maintaining the trust of your website visitors is the essential building block of any healthy relationship. No, this is not romantic advice.
Business, like any relationship, is between people. You need to trust someone in order to bring them into your lives, and you need to trust a business before you consider parting with your hard-earned cash. But this isn’t just about money.
Any brand wants potential customers to consider them experts in their field. Your bare-bones website could be falling short of selling visitors on your knowledge and expertise. It’s important that your website be secure, authentic, and well-informed if you want to convert visitors into customers.
We’re going to explore how to increase the trust of your website visitors and why it’s important for your bottom line. Afterwards we will go into 7 ways to increase visitor trust on your website with simple changes you can start working on today.
Why Is Website Visitor Trust Important?
All the marketing in the world won’t help if visitors to a website don’t trust the website. With so many businesses vying for the attention of your customers, they have no reason to stick around if anything in your online presence scares them off.
People that trust your business can become loyal, lifelong customers and promoters. A loyal customer can do more for your business that hundreds of marketing dollars through referrals, glowing reviews, and repeat business. Likewise, people that don’t trust your business can cost you a lot of money and heartache. This is especially true in the B2B sector where the customer journey can involve months of careful deliberation. (HubSpot) Trust is a deal-breaker in any relationship, but especially in business.
The truth is website visitor trust helps your business and your bottom line. If you are authentic and demonstrate your expertise, website visitors are more likely to convert into paying customers. Stop scaring money away with your website!
7 Ways To Increase Website Visitor Trust
1. SSL Certificate
Let’s begin with the basics here – security and maintenance. If you want your website visitors to trust your website, then your website should be at minimum safe and secure. An SSL certificate will be included with most recognized hosting packages and will ensure that Internet traffic on your website is encrypted and the server identity is secure. An SSL certificate can be easily recognized by the HTTPS in front of a website address, or a little lock symbol in front of the website in some browsers.
Not only is having an SSL certificate standard practice for modern websites, but it is essential for both your customers and your business. An insecure website is vulnerable to hacks and data breaches, not to mention it will drive potential customers away faster than you can say “click”.
2. Payment Logos
If you accept payments on your website, whether for a product or service booking, the checkout page is a great place to include payment logos for payment methods you accept. A secure checkout service like PayPal is something customers will immediately recognize, and if your business is Better Business Bureau accredited, be sure to include that too.
With so many transactions happening online, people are frightened of falling victim to credit card fraud. Include recognizable logos of institutions you use to build trust with your customers and show them they are in good hands.
3. Testimonials
Your products and services may be great, but website visitors aren’t just about to take your word for it. Data indicates that 92% of customers refer to online reviews before making a purchase (Big Commerce) so showcasing testimonials on your website is great for both cementing trust and boosting your sales.
When displaying customer testimonials, try to include their logo (if they are a business) or a picture of the customer when you can. Recognizable logos cement trust and capitalize on loyalty customers may already have towards another brand. Customer photos go the extra mile to demonstrate that these are in fact real people who are happy with your products or services.
4. Social Proof
In addition to testimonials, which are the best kind of social proof, be sure to link your social media profiles on your website. Social media pages with a solid following and regularly posted content are another way of proving that you are real and involved in your community. If you’ve ever been featured in any sort of press, make sure to have that on your website as well along with the logos of the publications you were in.
Use your social media pages as an opportunity to interact with customers by answering questions, tagging local events you appear at, and providing top-tier customer service. Not only is this important for building the trust of website visitors, but a solid social media presence can be an invaluable tool in boosting your overall SEO.
5. Original Photography
We’re not here to bash your beloved stock photos. We understand that they can be extremely useful in a pinch! However, if your resources allow it, original photography is always best. Not only does this set your website apart but it brings a level of authenticity to your brand.
Show real images of yourself and your team. Let website visitors get to know the faces behind the business. Where applicable show real images of your business in action or throw in some short videos if the context is appropriate.
6. A Solid About Us Page
Tell the unique story of your brand and don’t be afraid to show off a little! This is a great place to [humbly] brag about your experience and demonstrate why you are an expert in your field. A personal touch will help set you apart from your competitors and work wonders in forging a human connection with your potential customers. Be sure your brand messaging is aligned and communicated clearly throughout your entire website.
The fact of the matter is that there are lots of other businesses that do what you do. In your About Us page, talk about the things that make you special and strive to forge an emotional connection with your customer. Not much of a writer? You don’t have to be! Hire a professional content writer to put your feelings into words, and use original photography or videography to make your story stand out.
7. Quality Content
Last but certainly not least, your website should feature well-informed, high-quality content. Show off your expertise and remind visitors why they’re coming to you in the first place! A blog is a great way to share your industry knowledge and provide value to your users. Converting website visitors into paying customers doesn’t happen overnight. If they learn to trust you and value the content you’re putting out for free, they are more likely to remember you when they have a bigger problem they can’t resolve on their own.
There is no quick, overnight way to build website visitor trust. It’s a long-haul process that require ongoing effort. But if you put in the work, you’ll find yourself with loyal, lifelong customers on the other side.
Sending Out A Website S.O.S?
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Contact us online or call our office at 1-888-262-6687 to set up a consultation with our web design team.
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