How to build trust on your website
In any situation, we are all looking for trust. Whether buying a product online or searching for a professional service, we want to know that we are buying from or about to strike up a conversation with a credible company.
Your website allows you to unfold the story behind your business, you present your services, your approach and the benefits you believe you bring to the table but how do you get your audience to trust you, believe that you will provide them with the best service possible and ultimately pick up the phone? In an ever-growing world there is a lot of competition out there and gaining the trust of your visitors is crucial for your website.
Show that others trust you
Displaying a client logo on your website gives you a great opportunity to show that other companies believe in you. A large business will be instantly recognised by your audience and the knowledge of your work with high profile clients will spark confidence in you being good enough to work with them too. This doesn’t rule out including smaller businesses, every company helps to build credibility and shows people have invested in you. A variety of business types and sizes can help to show the range of people you work with and help your audience to position themselves in there.
Let them see what others have to say
Better yet, let your audience see what your clients have to say. When looking for something new we always ask around to see if we can find any recommendations. Whether we are asking our peers or reading reviews online, first-hand experiences give us a brilliant insight into whether this could be the right or wrong option for us. Including testimonials on your website will show exactly what it’s like to work with you and add a great vote of confidence in your product and services.
Where possible display the company logo and an image of the person to add extra credibility.
Show what you have done
Once you’ve done a great job showing your new visitors what you can achieve in a case study. A quick write up of the job you have completed and the results you have achieved can help to paint a really good picture of how your business works, reassuring your audience to pick up the phone and see how you can help them. These can offer an insight into your approach and expertise.
For Ecova the case study area also highlights the great clients they work with and the bold imagery means this section of the homepage is hard to miss.
Awards and accreditations (if you’ve got them) show them off
Accreditation from a recognised body can provide instant reassurance. Similarly, if you are winning awards for the outstanding work you do and are getting recognition in the industry, let your audience know about it.
Avoid stock imagery
We can all recognise a standard stock image, overly cheesy, exaggerated expressions, the biggest smile straight down lens and not forgetting the overly exuberant handshake. While there’s nothing wrong with scouring these sites to find the natural shots, there is nothing more convincing than real-life photography. Allowing your audience to see your office and staff in real-life situations will instantly display authenticity, as there will be no denying that this office and those people do not exist.
Introduce your team
If you are investing in company photography you may have thought about taking profile pictures of your staff. Everyone likes to know who they are talking to and being able to put a face to the name is a reassuring factor. Introducing your team through a simple team page can let the personality of the business shine through and give your audience the confidence to get in touch as they know exactly who they’ll be talking to.
Depending on the nature of your business these can range from formal head to shots, to natural office shots or something a little playful. For VetCare@Home we included profiles for the staff’s pets, this little touch reveals a personal look into the life of each member and shows you just how much the team loves and cares for animals.
Let your audience get in touch with you
Hiding your contact details can leave people feeling uneasy. Displaying your details in an easy to find location will show that you are easily contactable and happy to help with any queries or difficulties. You can include your phone number and email in the header and/or footer of your website as well as including everything on a contact page. This could be the factor that wins you the business for those who prefer a quick call to see if you can help rather than emailing and waiting on a reply.
Show your social
There’s no way to avoid social media in this day and age, it has become part of everyday life, so being on social media is an easy way to show your audience that you are an active company. You can link your social media accounts to your profile with a simple link in the footer or it suitable for your business, pull through the latest posts. This will allow your audience to quickly check out your accounts, see the number of followers you have and how you engage with your audience.
Be the fountain of knowledge
One way to build trust with your audience is to offer advice. Rather than focusing on the hard sell driving people to get in touch, positioning your website as a resource of knowledge can help to build trust and encourage people to reach out to you.
The roundup
Making your website trustworthy is an important factor in improving your website’s conversions. Adding trust signals will begin to build you as an honest and trusted company, giving your audience the confidence to get in touch. If you need help optimising your website, get in touch with a member of the team.