Website credibility is a key factor that no small business owner can realistically afford to ignore, as it affects sales and customer engagement.
Without a reliable and credible website, your ability to:
- Maximize your sales.
- Interact effectively with your customers.
- Communicate your value to potential customers,
it becomes difficult and limited.
Think about your own online shopping experiences. What are some of the top reasons you have abandoned an online shopping cart?
- The website payment gateway was not secure.
- Shipping or postage costs were not disclosed until near the end of the transaction and were too expensive.
- No physical address that you can easily find on the website.
- Customer support phone numbers and email addresses are hard to find.
- The website “return policy” was either non-existent or hard to find.
- The above are just some of the reasons web visitors may abandon a shopping cart. If a prospective customer does not believe that he is dealing with a professional and trustworthy service provider, he is likely not to complete the transaction online.
Here are some easy-to-implement changes that can help improve your website’s credibility.
How to increase the credibility of your website
1. Easy access to customer service
Make it easy for people to contact you through your website. Remember that customers like to have customer service options. For example:
- phone support
- support email
- live web chat
Making it easy for customers to contact you means they can quickly ask a question about your product or service. This makes it more likely that they will make a purchase, as it helps them feel more secure knowing that they can easily get in touch if they have a problem.
2. Include your contact information
Put your contact details on your website. Sounds simple, right? You’d be surprised how many websites don’t! At a minimum, you should include your phone, email, and a physical address, even if it’s a PO Box. Often when we can’t find contact information on a website, we immediately wonder if they are hiding something or why they are hiding this information.
Links to social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, or Instagram are also useful for building credibility, as they show that the business markets and promotes itself on various platforms.
3. Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Google reviews, Facebook reviews, and customer testimonials help create a higher level of social proof. This helps build credibility for your brand and website. If you haven’t added these social icons to your website, I suggest you do so.
4. Logos and security insignia
Are you an accredited service provider? Do you have a CPA qualification or perhaps another well-recognized qualification? If so, be sure to add these logos to your website. Including logos of well-known industry institutes or bodies can help increase the credibility of your website.
If you have a product-based business and sell online, security badges can also be very useful. If customers know that their online transactions will be secure, they are more likely to provide their credit card details.
5. Articles and press
Don’t underestimate the power of print media. Articles, editorials or mentions in the press are another great way to build your brand and create credibility online. Add these articles or add a link to them on your website. If there are some great images used in the article, share them on your website as well, which again helps build your business profile.
6.About Us Page
An informative “About Us” page listing credentials and experience is also a great way to increase credibility. After the “Home Page”, the “About Us” page on a website is one of the most visited pages. So if yours could use an upgrade, go for it.
Take action – most are easy to implement
Above all, many of the suggestions above are easy to implement, so take a moment to review your website and see if there are any opportunities to improve it.
Remember that with the right knowledge and a positive attitude, you can make the changes necessary to grow your business. If you’re not sure what to do or need help, consider seeking the assistance of a qualified marketing consultant.
