Building trust online is essential if your web marketing efforts are going to pay off. Attracting visitors is great, but to convert them to customers you must establish credibility before you can gain their trust.
According to a study by Stanford University, almost half of web users assess a site’s credibility based on the appeal of the overall design, including layout, typography, and color scheme. The “look and feel” is the first and most important test of your site’s credibility. But if they decide to stick around beyond a couple seconds, more factors come into play.
Take the quiz below to determine if your website is building (or undermining) your credibility. Score each question 1 (nope), 2 (so-so) or 3 (yes, very much). Add up the total, then see our recommendations at the end.
- Is the visual design appropriate for your type of business?
Within a few seconds of coming to your site, visitors will form an impression. People respond positively to sites with a polished, professional look. But the connection between design and credibility isn’t simple. In the study, overly “slick-looking” sites frequently received negative comments. - Is the content up-to-date?
Visitors assign more credibility to sites that have been recently updated or reviewed (and no, just putting the current date and time isn’t going to help). - Is contact information easy to find?
If visitors can’t find your contact info (including your real-world address and a phone number) they aren’t going to feel comfortable doing business with you. - Are all the links working?
Broken links and “files not found” on your site present a big credibility problem. Even worse– hosting that’s not reliable. If your hosting company doesn’t guarantee 99.9% uptime, find another host. - Do you include testimonials or other 3rd party endorsements.
You can and should highlight your expertise. But no matter how impressive your credentials or experience, people pay attention to what others have to say about you. Membership in the Chamber of Commerce, BBB, local organizations and professional associations also help build trust. - Do you provide photos of yourself and key staff?
People do business with people. Help your prospects get to know you. Good quality photos (please– no mug shots or high school year book photos) communicate your level of professionalism. Stock photos of happy smiling models posing as business people never fool anybody. - Is your copy appropriate to your audience?
Always remember that your website is about your visitors. Your web copy should set the right tone and offer useful information. Kill the jargon and happy talk. Eliminate the typos. And don’t stuff it with keywords in a futile attempt to trick the Search Engines. - Do you offer free trials or downloads?
What about case-studies, white papers, or samples? When you give something to visitors, regardless of the cost, they’re more likely to trust you.
Recommendations
Score less than 12
Your site is undermining the credibility of your company. Get help– immediately!
Score 12 to 18
Your site is doing OK, but it’s not converting as many visitors as it could. Identify areas that are weak and make improvements.
Score greater than 18
Your website is helping to build trust in your company. Consider ways to increase your credibility even further and be sure to measure your success. Set up and track your conversion goals in Google Analytics.
