Whether you are a B2B or B2C company, your customers and prospects must trust you. That’s what content marketing is all about, and your website plays a massive role in building trust. Your site may be their first interaction with your company, so make sure you set yourself up as a business they can trust. Let’s explore How To Build Trust Through Your Business Website.
Here are 4 ways to build trust through your business website.
How To Build Trust Through Your Business Website
- Don’t Over-Promise
- Display Customer Testimonials
- Be Professional
- Provide Great Content
How To Build Trust Through Your Business Website
1. Don’t Over-Promise
Businesses are often tempted to use their website as bait to lure potential customers in and work things out once they have a visitor’s information. Don’t do this! If you do not offer a service, don’t advertise it. Or, if you cannot follow through on an offer, don’t discuss it on your website. For example, don’t advertise free shipping all over the site; only to tell customers at the last page of your online checkout system that the free shipping is only valid for members, only for orders only over a certain payment amount, and only for select items.
This is ultimately part of being a trustworthy business in general. Customers don’t appreciate bait and switch, so treat them respectfully and be upfront about what you offer. Transparency is key.
Tips on how to not over-promise to your customers
- Keep your messaging consistent throughout the site
- Don’t over-sell or make promises you can’t keep
- Always be clear and honest about pricing and services
- Avoid making vague statements that could mislead customers
- Provide contact details in case customers have questions or concerns
2. Display Customer Testimonials
Online reviews or testimonials influence nine out of ten consumers, and 88% of people consider an online review from a stranger to be as trustworthy as a personal recommendation. This means that displaying customer testimonials on your website is one of the best ways to drive business. One caveat: they have to be real reviews, so don’t just write up something yourself or pay somebody to give you a positive review.
Luckily, this is easier than you might think. Current satisfied customers are usually happy to provide a testimonial if you ask, and it’s easy to set up an online survey to which you can direct happy clients. Keep the survey short so you don’t take up too much of their time — they are doing you a favour. It’s usually enough to ask them to rate your customer service, their overall experience, and the quality of your product or service. Then, provide them with a comment box where they can write up their review.
Tips on how to get customer testimonials
- Reach out to existing customers directly and ask them for their feedback.
- Post your request for testimonials on social media and other online networks, like forums or discussion boards.
- Include a link to an online survey with each purchase of your product or service, asking customers to rate their experience and write up.
3. Be Professional
You must act accordingly to position yourself as a trusted professional in your industry. This is a time that you must remember that many people judge a book by its cover, and in this instance, your site is the cover. If you have an outdated or poorly designed website, visitors will be unimpressed by your company and assume that you are not professional enough to earn their business. So, ensure that your website has a clean, attractive design that is easy to navigate and looks professionally done.
Content matters as well. Typos, spelling mistakes, and poor grammar are unprofessional and do not encourage visitors to trust your business. After all, if you cannot publish a proper sentence, how can they trust you to take care of their needs? If web design and copywriting are not your specialities, enlist help. Find a professional web designer or proofreader to help.
Tips on how to review your website to make sure it is error-free
- Check for typos and spelling errors.
- Review grammar usage to ensure it is correct.
- Make sure that all your links lead to the correct pages.
- Ensure that all images are correctly formatted.
- Verify that forms, buttons, and other interactive elements are working properly.
4. Provide Great Content
Unsurprisingly, content marketing needs great content. Customers will not engage with an open website, so provide them with the information they can use. Be helpful and authoritative, and they will begin to trust your business as a source of reliable information in the industry. That is the ultimate goal of content marketing: providing helpful information that positions you as a thought leader and the resource for whatever you are selling. Ensure the information you provide is accurate and complete, and don’t settle for the bare minimum. It’s a good idea to start a blog and update it at least twice a month.
Your website is the first place many prospects will interact with your business, so making an excellent first impression and positioning yourself as a trusted thought leader is essential.
Tips for creating quality business website content
- Keep it concise and to the point.
- Include visual elements such as images, videos, or infographics to break up text and make it more engaging.
- Optimize your page for SEO using keywords, meta descriptions, and other tactics.
- Use analytics to track how visitors interact with content on your website.
Establishing Trust for Long-Term Success
Establishing trust with your customers can really benefit your business in the long term by providing evidence of your expertise in the field and building relationships with prospects. Be sure to link back to relevant content on your site or other trusted sites, as this will help improve your search engine ranking. Provide helpful resources to visitors interested in learning more about a particular topic or solution related to your business.
If you’re looking to get started, please contact us.
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