Websites are all about trust. Users are (sometimes unconsciously) looking for signals that will build their trust in a company when they visit their website. Websites can build or destroy trust through the presence or lack of trust signals.
We see many websites which lack these simple signals. They are easy to implement and yet so many websites lack them. It’s no wonder these sites fail to engage users and fail to convert users to buyers!
- Clear language and 100% correct spelling
Nothing puts users off more than bad spelling and grammar. - Links to active social media channels
Users are looking for evidence that they are not alone in trusting this new company they’ve just stumbled on. Links to active, responsive social media channels will be checked by users. - Privacy policy
Users may not check your privacy policy but the lack of one suggests you don’t care about your user’s privacy. - Terms and conditions
Nobody wants to be bound by a spurious set of terms and conditions, just for browsing a website. Or do they? Actually terms and conditions signal trust because they show the company is professional, cares about their relationship with the user and wants it to be clear and legal. - Copyright
It’s so simple to implement an automatically updating copyright year notice. Yet we so often see copyright notices that show a date or 5 or even 10 years old. This indicates the business behind the website is defunct – or seriously behind the times. - Quality logo
A well-designed, unique logo shows you have invested time and effort into your brand. - About Us
Usually one of the most-visited pages on any website, especially B2B and B2C service websites. Quite simply users want to know about the people they will be dealing with. If it’s a trade website, they want to know who will be turning up on their doorstep. - Team photos
We don’t mean fake photos of women wearing headsets. We mean real, professionally shot photos of the actual team members at their place of work. - Non-stock photography
Use your own, professionally shot photography. Because the presence of generic, stock photography makes a website look fake and destroys trust. - SSL certificate/encryption
Google is already identifying insecure websites. SSL certificates cost as little as £50 per year and are an absolute must in today’s online environment. - Testimonials
REAL testimonials are important, from real people!
