Have you ever done a credibility check on your website? If not, then how can you be sure that your website isn’t turning customers away? While there will always be users who pay little attention to Internet safety, the majority are schooled in recognizing the signs of a trustworthy website. How do you know if your website is trustworthy? Check this list of must-have items to increase trustworthiness and make sure you have them all in place!

 

Choose a Professional Web Designer to Design Your Website

You are wasting time by taking up offers for free websites or using cheap template services. Nothing in life is free. These sites look so unprofessional that you risk damaging your business’s reputation. The design of these cheap or free deals leaves a lot to be desired, and the technology behind them is often unstable and prone to malfunctioning. These are all factors that have a negative impact on customer experience. A professional web designer, on the other hand, will create a well-functioning and well-designed website that can help you to achieve your specific business aims. The investment will pay for itself in the long term, because the site has been tailor made for your business, and you can easily add extra safety features to give yourself and your customers peace of mind.

 

Declare Your Business Details on Your Website

Include the following details in a visible place on your website: the company name, the registered office address of the company, the registration number and country of registration, an email address where the company can be contacted, membership of any trade or professional association including the registration number, and the VAT number if VAT registered. These details prove to vigilant customers that you are a legitimate business with a physical address that can be reached in case of disputes. You can also include a phone number if you wish. In certain countries, like the UK and Ireland, these details are not optional, and failure to include them on your website can lead to fines.

 

Show the Human Side of Your Business with Employee Photos

Corporations often use this technique to humanize their big operations. But small businesses can benefit from this approach too. Customers like to know who is behind a business. Images of people within your organization have the effect of creating a instant human connection. When you offer professional services it is also important to include a short bio. This gives potential customers the feeling that they can get to know you a little before they do business with you. In short, photos and bios establish a feeling of familiarity.

 

Use Genuine References on Your Website

In case you are tempted to make up some references, think again. Online customers aren’t fooled that easily. Too many rosy references can make some customers suspicious. Use genuine references from actual customers, because they are the best people to explain to others why your service or product has been so beneficial to them. Make sure you include a few balanced references. Perhaps there was a case where a customers wasn’t completely happy, but you responded promptly and took full responsibility. These types of references make your business seem more real and–by extension–more credible and trustworthy.

 

Mention any Organizations that Support You

If you are a member of a professional association or foundation that can vouch for the quality and reliability of your business, ask them if you can use their logo on your website. For e-commerce websites there are special logos to indicate safety and security, such as safe-site logos and secure-checkout logos. These trust symbols let visitors know you are more than just a website. They signal that you are in fact a reliable business and you will protect consumer information and store data in the correct way.

 

Include a Privacy Statement on Your Website

Reserve a separate page on your website for your privacy statement. This statement lets your visitors know that you will deal with their information in a confidential manner and will not resell their private data.

Remember that most online customers make up their mind in less than a second. If they see anything shady, they aren’t going to stick around and wait for you to fix it. Get these indicators of a trustworthy website in place, and you might just see an increase in your conversion rate.