12 Ways to Build Trust on Your Website

12 Easy Ways to Build Trust on Your Website

Posted on 22. Dec, 2009 by JulieP in Marketing Tips

Let me start by asking you a simple question.

If you were choosing a contractor to build your new home – who would you choose?

Would it be someone completely unknown to you – or – someone who is trusted by someone YOU trust – such as a close family friend or relative?

Of course, the answer is the person who is already considered trustworthy by someone you trust.

You already know that Trust is really important in life – and it is especially so with a website.

It is vitally important that your website creates an environment of trust otherwise, most of your efforts will be wasted.

Have you ever consciously considered how to create an environment of trust on your website?

Don’t panic, it’s actually quite simple to increase the environment of trust for your online visitors, it just takes a little forethought and some small changes.

Building trust for your online visitors cannot be achieved by just a single action. Trust is achieved by many little actions you take throughout your website which when taken together as a whole, gives users a sense of stability, honesty and legitimacy for your business and services you provide.

The good news is that only a few website owners focus on building trust in the minds of their visitors. So, if you do it well, it can become a real and sustainable advantage for your business and you can get one over your competitors straight away.

Here are 12 simple steps you can take to get started.

Your website design is the first impression.
Make sure it is professional and even more important relevant to the subject matter.
Navigation must be intuitive.
If visitors can’t find what they are looking for easily, they will question your competence in providing what they want.
People buy from People.
Make the website personal by giving it its own tone and voice.
Follow the HEART rule of creating online content.
HEART stands for Honest, Exclusive, Accurate, Relevant and Timely.
Build Empathy.
Use language that is appropriate to the audience.
Regularly add new content to your site.
It shows that the business is alive and kicking.
Check ALL links.
Doubts will quickly form in your visitors’ minds if links don’t work or, worse still, take them to error pages.
Good grammar and spelling matter.
Errors give the impression of sloppiness and carelessness.
Don’t put down, curse or insult competitors.
It’s unprofessional.
Don’t Sell, Sell, Sell
Focus on building your long-term reputation, not on making quick sales.
Provide Content People will Like.
Write articles for humans, not search engines.
Make your ‘About’ Page Personal and Comprehensive.
It plays an important part in making visitors feel comfortable that real people are behind the site.

The last tip is to keep your website up to date.

Ensure that you are continually improving your trustworthiness in the eyes of your clients and visitors.

Every time you go to a website, ask yourself whether you trust it or not. Then ask yourself why you have formed the opinion you have – and adjust your own website.

Trust is a way to “reduce the risk” in the eyes of your clients. Make sure you live up to it and they will keep coming back for more – time and time again!