Posted 25.03.2020
By Luke Pickering
It is key that as soon as the user lands on your site they can trust you. With the average user leaving a web page within 10 to 20 seconds, you don’t have very long to capture their attention. Most users will only scan your content to get a basic understanding of its meaning, so there are a number of things you can do in order to grab their attention from the start. Making your site visually attractive will only get them to stay on your page a little bit longer, after that there are further changes you’ll have to make in order to build a better relationship with your potential customers to persuade them to make a purchase, sign up or complete the action you desire.
The way your website looks and is laid out is the first part of gaining the user’s trust. Without a good looking website, it’s likely that they are going to leave within that 10 to 20 second period. There are a few key design features that are going to greatly help retain the users’ attention:
Your layout is so important in allowing the user to navigate through your page easily to find the information they require. People want to have the right information in front of them within 2 or 3 clicks (or 20 seconds), so it’s important that navigating your site is as easy as possible.
Visually your site has to be both aesthetically appealing and professional in appearance. You need to make sure that your webpage is clean with a modern design and uses images that are relevant to your company. As for colours on your website we highly recommend that you only use 3 or 4 colours that aren’t wildly inappropriate, and maybe ones that already have proof of working in your industry. Creating trust between yourselves and the user is all about making your website look professional and performing well.
There are two important factors to think about when it comes to writing content for your website. The first, making it unique, this allows you to provide content for your user that they aren’t going to be able to find anywhere else (it will also help with your rankings). Secondly, providing value, you’ve got to make sure that the information you put out is valuable to the user and that you are giving them what they desire. You’re going to build trust if your content is providing them with what they want and they’re more likely to stay on your page for longer than that important 20 second period.
It’s so important that when you are putting out content you follow three certain rules. The first rule is to make sure that it is accurate, if there are obvious mistakes in your work or mismatching facts your reputation may be tarnished. Next is having content that is up-to-date. People aren’t going to want to read something that is outdated or no longer relevant. Finally, make sure that whatever content you’re putting out is going to have the most value in whatever form that may be. You should choose your content based on your target audience, and what will communicate your message most effectively whether that is video, infographics, written content or a mixture.
There are numerous things that you can do that are technical but will help you to build a trustworthy relationship with the user of your website, these are especially relevant if you are an eCommerce store.
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a technology that allows you to build an encrypted link between the user and the webserver. This makes sure that the personal details being sent over are not going to be intercepted by a third party, this reduces the risk of things like stolen customer details. So adding this extra layer of security is going to add credibility to your website.
There are many companies out there who will give you a seal of approval and provide you with a badge that shows that your website is secure. If you’re looking for these badges check out websites such as Go Daddy, Comodo and Norton. Using these logos on your site is going to build a stronger relationship with your user.
In the EU having a policy on cookies is a necessity now you have to make sure that you have to obtain consent from the user to store or retrieve any information on a computer, smartphone or tablet. Even if you’re not based in the EU having the user’s permission is only going to increase the trustworthiness of your website.
People are going to struggle to trust you while you remain hidden behind your computer, as they don’t really know who is running the website and how they’re able to contact you. A very simple easy way of making your website more reliable is by adding some photos of you and your team, this removes that level of uncertainty. If you then add personal contact information along with these images it allows your user to personally get in touch with your staff and this is going to help your trustworthiness skyrocket.
If you can include proof of the relationships you’ve had with previous clients then people take this as a vote of confidence and that you are a legitimate trustworthy site. Proof of some of these bonds can include:
It’s a great idea to include testimonials and reviews from customers on your website as they are so valuable in increasing your site’s trustworthiness.
There are numerous companies out there which allow you to embed a widget on your page that will show what other users think of your website, for example, Yelp, TripAdvisor and Trustpilot. If you’ve been fortunate enough to be in some kind of publication make sure that you’re using the logos of the company that mentioned you.
If your business has been accredited with a bureau or trade organisation, make sure you’re highlighting it on your site. It’s also so important that you display any trade licenses as it makes it easy for users to look up your business’ credentials. Show off if you have any industry awards that your business may have won.
There are so many things you can do to build trust with your users on your website. However, you need to make sure you’re capturing their attention first within that first 20 seconds. If you’re looking for any help with content writing check out our SEO services or if you want a brand new website look no further. If you’re looking for some support and hosting for your website don’t hesitate to get in touch…
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