What makes or breaks a website?
Trust.
Without trust, nothing else matters. Great products. Competitive pricing. Flashy marketing… if a website doesn’t look legit, visitors will run for the hills.
And here’s the kicker…
Trust online is easy. Doesn’t matter how niche the industry is or how complex the service is. Trust on the web is built by mastering the basics. Yes, even design matters.
In this guide, you’re going to learn:
- Why Online Trust Matters More Than Ever
- The Role of Website Design In Building Credibility
- 5x Trust-Building Basics Every Website Needs
- How To Keep Visitors Coming Back
Round up the marketing team and let’s build a trustworthy website.
Why Online Trust Matters More Than Ever
Trust online is at an all-time low. Today’s consumers think twice about where they spend their money and what websites they give their details to.
Here’s the problem.
According to recent research, 69% of American consumers have abandoned transactions at least once because a website didn’t feel trustworthy. That’s nearly 7 in 10 visitors!
And that’s not all…
67% of consumers admit they now use fake personal details when buying online from suspicious websites. That means businesses are not only losing sales. They’re losing access to real customer data.
Online trust is a huge deal. And businesses that take website credibility seriously are the ones earning that trust from customers. The ones not investing? They’re losing money.
The Role of Website Design In Building Credibility
Picture this…
Imagine someone visits a website for the very first time. In fact, they’ve never heard of the brand before. When they land on the homepage they will instantly form a positive or negative opinion about the business.
How fast do you think they’ll make this judgement?
Research shows visitors make a subconscious judgement about a website in just 50 milliseconds. HALF A SECOND.
And you know what they’re judging?
Website design.
Website Design simply matters. And if you want a website to look professional and gain customer trust, you need to invest in quality website design services.
According to recent studies, 94% of those first impressions are design-related. Page layout, colour, typography. If a site looks unprofessional and outdated, visitors will assume the business is too.
That’s bad news for any business that hasn’t updated its website in…
5 years?
10 years?
5x Trust-Building Basics Every Website Needs
Alright. Now that the important stuff is out of the way. Let’s dive into the meaty part of this blog.
These are the 5 trust-building basics that every credible website needs. They’re simple. Some might even seem obvious. But you’d be surprised how many websites don’t get these basics right.
Let’s fix that.
Clear and Professional Design
If there’s one thing you could blame for a lack of trust it’s poor website design.
As already discussed, websites are giving consumers first impressions in under a SECOND. At that speed, visitors can’t judge the quality of products. Or how amazing the customer service is.
Instead, they judge the website design. And if that’s outdated and unappealing? They run.
Keep the website simple, clean and easy to navigate. Use professional typography. Choose complementary colours. Let content breathe with whitespace. Don’t publish walls of text and stick in fonts from 1998.
Fast Loading Speed
This is non-negotiable.
Websites that take more than 3 seconds to load are abandoned by visitors more than websites that load instantly.
If a website isn’t swift then visitors will assume the business doesn’t care about their experience. And if the business doesn’t care about the experience why should they trust it?
Visible Contact Information
Okay this is embarrassing but you’d be surprised how many websites miss this point.
Make sure visitors can easily find a way to make contact. Include a phone number. An email address. Better yet, the physical address of a brick-and-mortar location if there is one.
Nothing says ‘legitimate’ than proving to visitors the business exists beyond the digital realm.
Social Proof and Reviews
Let’s face it. When it comes to deciding if a website is trustworthy or not, visitors like a bit of reassurance.
Showing visitors there are plenty of happy customers is a great way to build trust. Whether that’s through published testimonials. Case studies. Product reviews or review widgets.
Building customer trust doesn’t have to be complicated. Sprinkle in a few testimonials and watch conversions grow.
Security and Privacy Signals
There’s a reason why HTTPS shows up in browser addresses. Website visitors like to feel secure. Especially when they’re asked to share personal details or payment information.
Ensure every site is fully equipped with an SSL certificate. Make sure there is a visible privacy policy. And showcase security badges where earned.
Trustworthy websites make visitors feel safe. Unsafe websites push them toward the competition.
How To Keep Visitors Coming Back
The hard work of earning visitor trust is done. But how does a business keep it?
Here are a few tips to ensure trust is not only gained. But maintained year-after-year.
Consistently Fresh Content
Show up on the website regularly. Whether that’s through a blog. Fresh resources. Updated product and service pages.
You get the idea. Keep a website living and breathing by showing it’s an active brand that keeps up with industry news.
Consistent Branding
Speaking of branding…
Make sure the website has a consistent look and feel across every page. Enforce brand guidelines wherever content is published. Inconsistent websites make visitors feel uneasy. Eliminate those doubts by aligning with the company’s branding strategy.
Mobile Friendly Design
This is a mobile-first world. If a website isn’t working seamlessly on smartphones and tablets it’s destined to lose visitors.
Ensure every website is responsive on all devices. Fixing common mobile bugs and glitches is another great way to show visitors the business cares about their experience.
Ongoing Website Maintenance
It’s easy to let the guard down once a website has gone live. But the competitors won’t…
Make sure to stay on top of broken links, outdated info and slow-loading pages. These things might not seem like a big deal on their own. But cumulatively they destroy credibility.
Let’s Bring It Home
At the end of the day trust online starts with mastering the basics.
Every business needs a website that looks professional and tailored to its industry. One that loads quickly and is secure. Features visible contact details. Showcases social proof. And provides a crystal clear checkout experience.
Sure, those are just the basics. In-depth copy. Creative graphics. Shopify integrations. There’s a lot that goes into building a trustworthy website.
But to earn trust online? Start with these 5 fundamentals and build from there.
