7 Tips on Building Website Credibility to Increase Online Sales

Trust is one of the most important aspects of eCommerce conversions. If your website is not deemed trustworthy by your customers, then it leads to low conversion rates, high bounce rates, and a high rate of shopping cart abandonment. According to a Salesforce Report, 95% of the customers are more likely to be loyal to brands they trust, while 92% of them are most likely to purchase additional products from trusted companies. Trust and credibility can be built across numerous different touchpoints throughout your website. 

In this blog, we are going to discuss key ways to make your website more trustworthy and credible

1. Add trust seals and certificates

According to a study by Statista (2017), about 50% of online buyers consider a website more reliable if a security badge or seal is displayed. Mentioning the security payment gateways in the footer of the site assures the customers about data safety. Add different types of security badges such as:

  • SSL Certificates –  a standard security framework that generates an encrypted link with your consumers so that their credit card information can be transferred securely. Your site starts from “HTTPS” along with a padlock in the URL box. 
  • Payment processor logos
  • Money-back guarantee seals and badges  
  • Security system badges – McAfee, Norton, or VeriSign
  • Third-party endorsement badges – They showcase that the website is legitimate 
 

2. Display social proof

Social proofs are immensely important for home pages, as they set expectations, provide a comparison measure, reinforce your messaging, and verify your claims. Examples of social proof are:

  • Testimonials – Displaying testimonials on the website gives the visitors an “outside view” about the brand and its products. 
  • Reviews and ratings – These assure them about the quality of your products as well as the image of your brand. 
  • Customer feedback – Showcase opinions from the customers on your website. 
  • User-generated content – Emphasize the community with user-generated content like user ratings, images, feedbacks, etc. 
  • Social media – Presenting real stats related to your social following or the number of customers you have will help establish trust. Display the number of followers you have on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook or the number of likes you get on these platforms. 
  • News coverage of the company – If your product or company has been endorsed or featured, display it on the home page. 

3. Build trust in the products separately

The biggest fear that consumers have while shopping online is that the actual product will not match the one displayed online. To break this fear and present the product clearly, you can use the following tips:

  • Use high-quality images – People usually trust professional looking sites, and to make your website seem professional, you should invest in high-quality images. 
  • Add videos – Showcasing videos related to the product helps build credibility and trust. These videos can include content such as usage instructions, occasions, etc. 
  • Include all the information – Inform your customers about every possible detail related to the products, for eg, product weight, size measurements, color variants, etc. Include ratings, written reviews, warranty, and guarantee on the product page. This will prevent the customers from leaving your website to search for information related to the products. 
  • Include 360-degree view – Display images and videos of the products from different angles, so that the users can examine the product thoroughly.

4. Provide detailed and transparent policies

Be transparent with your customers with regards to shipping details, delivery information, return and refund policies. All your company policies need to be visible and easily accessible so that interested users can find them quickly. 

  • Formulate a detailed checkout list – Display the details of the order, such as product purchased, quantity, cost, etc. 
  • Relevant shipping information – Provide details like- exact time, arrival date, and where it will ship from. 
  • Provide options – Offer various delivery alternatives as well as payment options to choose from. 
  • Be upfront about additional costs – If you surprise the consumers with hidden shipping or delivery charges, they might abandon their shopping cart and leave your website. Therefore, be upfront about all the necessary details related to shipping and delivery. 

5. Build emotional appeal across all touchpoints

Your website will become more trustworthy and relevant with the availability of emotional triggers. They must be incorporated across all the sections of the website, from the homepage to the product page.

  • Product page – Talk about the practices or processes followed for each product. A lot of thought goes when you develop a new product. Convey your objective and inspiration behind it to the users on your website. It will help in striking a chord with the audience. 
  • About us page – Give visitors a peek into what’s important to you and who you are. Include face-shots of your employees in this section to humanize your interaction with your customers. You can also generate content through blog posts in order to familiarize the consumers with your brand and educate them on your products. 

6. Provide details about customer service

According to a report by Microsoft, 96% of the customers say that customer service is a crucial aspect in their choice of loyalty to a company. You must clearly display your customer service number on the website, and specify the timings for the same as well. Generally, 24/7 availability of customer service is preferred. However, that is practically difficult. So stay true to whatever timings you have mentioned on your website. You can also employ a live chat option on the website as many customers prefer to use the live chat option. 

7. Add contact information

Physical addresses and contact details are the biggest proof of your existence, the availability of such information instills trust amongst the consumers. You can formulate a “Reach us” page on your website, wherein you display your contact details, email address, and office address. This will make the process of contacting you very seamless for the consumers. Many eCommerce companies shy away from showing their physical address on the About Us or Contact Us page. However, seeing a physical address gives a lot of comfort to the users.

All in all, building consumer trust through eCommerce websites can seem daunting, however,  brands must rigorously focus on it to be successful. You need to look at the finer aspects of fostering a lasting relationship with your customers and then formulate an overall strategy. By using the aforementioned tips, you can create a credible eCommerce website and thereby remove multiple barriers to conversion.

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