Trust in a digital world is now vital to the success of any business that uses digital marketing. Consumers are increasingly suspicious of unfamiliar brands that they find when browsing the internet looking for products or services. Online fraud and scams are as prevalent as ever and consumers do not want to get stung.
Trust takes a long time to build. It goes hand-in-hand with word-of-mouth which is an organic process that can not be rushed. But there are a few tricks that you can use to help build that trust and increase your website conversion.
Be Professional
Ensure that your website looks professional and functions well. If you look like you take your brand seriously then consumers will trust you. Consumers now make a lot of snap judgements just from a quick glance of a website, so make an impact with your first impressions.
Reviews and Referrals
Chase your existing customers for reviews on 3rd party sites. Often consumers will look at review sites before making a purchase, so a good review will give them the confidence that they need to trust your brand. You can send customers links to review sites that are suitable for your brand with a polite request that they write a brief review. Some customers may be happy to write a brief review or referral on their own company websites.
Testimonials
Include testimonials on your own website. Although these can be notoriously easy to fake keep them genuine with the names of the customer and a link to their website if they have one. Have a variety of testimonials and add new ones as they come in. If you can, include examples of your product or service to demonstrate how you have helped customers.
Partnerships
If you are a relatively new brand then you can hijack the authority of older brands by forming partnerships. Include the logos of any well-known brands that you partner with or work closely with on your website. When consumers see that you work a brand they know then they will trust you more.
Work in the Real World
When a consumer is browsing the internet to look for a product or service they may have questions about what you offer before they buy. Make sure that you are easy to get hold of, with a real phone number and respond quickly to customer requests. If a customer can speak to a real human being from your company then you instantly seem more trustworthy. If you do all communication electronically then respond quickly and avoid automated replies.
Trust may take a long time to build, but if you work hard to build your online presence and chase reviews and referrals then consumers will soon start to recognise your brand and trust you.