Neil Lim
A few weeks ago, we published a blog on how to determine if a website is a fake, fraud or a scam. The blog was informative, with great content and advice; and we felt that it deserved a follow up post. This follow up post comes from the perspective of a business, rather than the the online shopper.
9 Tips to Build a Trustworthy Website
1. SSL Certificate – Probably one of the most important and clear ways to show the legitimacy of your business, SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificates aren’t cheap but acquiring one for your website and business is definitely a good investment.
A common misconception about SSL Certificates is that you only need one if you accept and take payment information. The truth is, you need a SSL certificate if you collect ANY information from your customers/visitors (eg. email addresses, phone number or names) and want to ensure that data remains safe.
A simple explanation of how an SSL certificates works is that it encrypts any data transmitted between your website and your visitor’s web browser. When a visitor connects with your website, a “handshake” occurs between your website and your visitor’s browser.
The handshake generates a secret code and acts as a security key to encrypt and de-crypt any communication and data exchanged between each other for the duration of the session or connection.
As a business owner, a clear sign that your website is protected with a SSL certificate is through the green bar and lock icon on the URL search bar. Most online shoppers recognize this icon and look for the green bar or lock in the search bar before making a purchases or inputting credit card information.
The green bar and lock icon = SSL encrypted
A good article on what SSL is and how it works is “Sorting out the technology behind secure websites“
2. Domain extension – Some domain extensions are more trusted than others. For example, in a report by McAfee, .COM and .NET ranked as the riskiest domain extensions worldwide.
As a business, that could be something that affects your business and how customers perceive conducting transactions with you. Coincidentally, a .CA domain (exclusive to Canadians) ranks as one of the safest domains in the world, with a risk factor of only 1.6%.
3. Contact information – Make sure that your contact information is up-to-date and looks professional. Using a generic email (@hotmail, @yahoo or @gmail) can be seen as unsafe and unprofessional. I personally avoid buying things online if the email address isn’t personalized to the company’s domain name. Shoppers expect online shops to have a personalized email when conducting business.
What some businesses don’t know or take advantage of is that personalizing your email is easy, and is also relatively cheap. Webnames.ca has multiple email options you can choose from at www.webnames.ca/email
4. Engage with your customers – It’s easier to build up your business’ credibility when you have people who can vouch for you and who better to do that than your customers? Potential customers want to hear about the experience of other customers before making a purchasing decision. Customers (occasionally) suffer from herd mentality, in the sense that their purchasing behaviour is affected by the opinions of previous customers. If you satisfy your initial customers and ask for a positive review about your product or service, it helps in creating credibility and referrals for your business.
5. Social media – Directly related to engaging with your customers, social media can become your best or worst friend. Social media can quickly sway consumer sentiment about your brand. Company social media profiles should always be open to the public to encourage engagement but be careful on what you post and how you respond to customers. One mistake or inappropriate comment can quickly send you into damage control and damage any relationships you have with your customers.
On the other hand, a satisfied customer can be extremely rewarding and satisfying for your business, especially when you get a shout out on social media.
6. Company Terms and Policies – If your company ships products nationally or internationally, make sure that you have a solid shipping and return policy. Potential customers need to know how they will receive the products they bought or how they might be able to return it. If your business focuses on services or non-physical products, having a solid Terms of Use policy helps build trust.
7. Google Yourself – This may sound a bit vain but it’s actually practical. Everyone uses Google and is the first thing EVERYONE uses to find information. Listing your company on Google Places is a practical first step to building your credibility online. Google Places will list down your contact information and physical address (you can hide this information if you use your home address). It takes a few days before Google validates your information but once validation is complete, you should be good to go.
Important: Remember to verify your address when you sign up! You’ll need this to make any changes and without it, it becomes impossible to update your page (based on first-hand experience).
8. About Us Page – An “about us” page is a simple, yet critical step in building trust. Before people buy your products or services, they would want to know who you are, your history and your company values. An “About Us” page is your chance at telling your story to your customers, and creating that relationship with them. Of course, you would have to sustain that relationship through your customer support efforts and the quality of your products or services, but a page detailing your company identity and history is a good first step.
9. Customer Support – Whenever a customer or a visitor shoots you a question or comment, always respond to it in a timely manner. This lets them know that you are actively listening to your customers/visitors and are open to their feedback. Another thing to note about customer support is handling social media comments. A positive review/comment/feedback is great but occasionally, you will receive a negative comment. Never delete these comments from your feed or page. Instead, respond to it in a courteous manner and show everyone how you handle issues that any customers may experience.
Other ways to build a trustworthy website:
- Always update how your website looks and feels
- Post awards and certifications that your business has received; Business association memberships are also a good way to build trust.
There are other ways to build your website’s trustworthiness and credibility such as privacy seals, your brand’s reputation, case studies, and reviews.
What are some tools or methods that you think are essential in building a trustworthy website?
Related Article: How to Determine if a Website is a Fake, Fraud or Scam