8 Effective Ways To Build Trust On Your Website
Summary:
Trust is the most valuable currency in this digital landscape we all live in. It’s a herculean effort to gain it, and takes a second to lose it forever.
That’s why we created this blog, to share some tips and tricks on how to effectively build trust on your own website. But first, let’s discuss how trust works in the business world.
What is a trustworthy website?
A trustworthy website gives its visitors a sense of security, credibility, and reliability. An ideal site is easy to navigate, provides crystal clear information about the product or service, and has evidence to back it up.
Here’s what you can do to build one:
1. Understand the Hierarchy of Trust
80 years ago, Abraham Maslow created the famous hierarchy of needs that explains the order of basic human needs, from food and safety, all the way to self-actualization.
Following Maslow’s step, Nielsen Norman Group created the idea of the pyramid of trust. The thought behind it is that trust must be built gradually between humans or businesses.
And you gain trust by overcoming their doubts. When building a website, it’s important to assume that first-time visitors will be skeptical, and it is the responsibility of the website owner to fulfill their needs and increase their comfort level.
Here’s what the pyramid of trust looks like.
2. Leverage levels of trust
When visitors come to your site, there isn’t any trust established yet. However, as you fulfill their needs, they move up until they’re willing to commit to your brand, product, or service.
Here are some questions that a visitor might ask on each of these levels.
For example, if your visitors are still on the first level, it is not wise to ask them for a name or an email. That request belongs to the third level, and there’s a big chance you might lose them if you ask prematurely.
Of course, these questions will not be articulated exactly like above. But you can safely assume these questions lie in the back of their mind, whatever they are thinking at that moment.
Now that you understand the dynamic of your demands and visitors’ needs, let’s dive into concrete tips and tricks to improving trust on your website.
3. Provide clear information
It’s vital to make sure your website is easy to navigate and has a clear message about your brand and what you offer.
This refers to every segment of the site, from the product descriptions to the contact information. The more information you provide, the more trustworthy you appear.
4. Showcase credibility and reviews
One word from others about you replaces a thousand words you have to say about yourself. That’s why you must prove your credibility. Take every opportunity to show off your reviews, credentials, and ratings.
They are some of the most potent weapons in your arsenal. Here are some of the most effective ways to build credibility.
5. Capitalize on graphic design
If you want to have a website that commands trust, your messaging should be paired with aesthetically pleasing graphic design. Without that, all your efforts at building a trustworthy website will go down the drain.
High-quality graphic design will significantly improve your website’s visual appeal, boost your brand recognition, and provide a much better overall browsing experience.
6. Use security badges.
Just like with reviews and credibility – show your badges! Especially if you have an industry-specific badge that means something in that world, don’t be shy to show it.
Whether it’s SSL Certificate, BBB Accreditation, or some other quality guarantee, put it somewhere visible and be proud of it.
7. Include testimonials
Testimonials are proof that others had a positive experience doing business with you, while at the same time, they signify to others that they can expect the same.
You can supplement your testimonials with specific examples that showcase how your product or service has helped past customers.
Basically, testimonials are the modern equivalent of referrals. The more you have them – the more people will believe in you.
8. Optimize for mobile
52.08% of all web visits come from mobile devices. And you should adapt your website to that fact. If some of that 52% come to your website and find a clunky, unoptimized, and slow website, the trust in your brand goes down the drain.
That means you lose a significant amount of potential traffic and customers. Plus, Google and other search engines favor mobile-friendly websites in their search results and penalize those that aren’t.
Conclusion
Building a trustworthy website is more about putting yourself in customers’ shoes and less about following exact steps.
Building trust requires a combination of clear information, credibility, reviews, visuals, security badges, testimonials, and mobile optimization.
Implementing these tips will surely increase trust and confidence in your website. But why stop there?
Assist-o can help you discover dozens of other ways to increase trust and build a website for you that will dominate every result page.
All you have to do is contact us, and we’ll be at your service!
