Expert in Ecommerce and Digital Marketing. CEO and co-founder of Growisto, an eCommerce marketing and technology startup.
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Trust is one of the most important aspects of eCommerce conversions. According to a Salesforce report, 95% of customers are more likely to be loyal to brands they trust, and 92% are more likely to buy additional products from trusted companies. If your customers don’t find your website trustworthy, it leads to low conversion rates, high bounce rates, and a high shopping cart abandonment rate.
Here are my tips for doing make your website more trustworthy and credible. :
1. Add trust seals and certificates.
According to a Statista report (membership required), approximately 50% of online shoppers believe that a website is more trustworthy if it displays a security badge or seal. Secure payment gateways in the site footer assure customers of data security.
Add different types of security badges, such as SSL certificates. These are a standard security framework that generates an encrypted link with your consumers so that their credit card information can be transferred securely. Your site begins with “HTTPS” along with a lock in the URL box. I also suggest getting third-party endorsement badges, which show that your website is legitimate. Some other badges to consider are:
• Payment processor logos.
• Money-back guarantee seals and badges.
• System badges security.
2. Show social proof.
Social proof is immensely important for landing pages, as it sets expectations, provides a measure of comparison, reinforces your message, and verifies your claims. Examples of social proof are:
• Testimonials: Display testimonials on your website to give visitors an “outside view” on the brand and its products.
• Reviews, ratings & Customer Feedback: Showcase customer reviews, ratings, and comments to reinforce the quality of your products as well as your brand image.
• User-Generated Content: Emphasize the community with content generated by users, such as user ratings, images, comments, etc.
• Social networks: Presenting real statistics related to your followers on social networks or the number of clients you have will help you generate trust. Show how many followers you have on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or how many likes you get on these platforms.
• Company News Coverage – Whether your product or company has been endorsed or featured , show on the home page.
3. Build confidence in individual products.
A fear many consumers have when shopping online is that the actual product will not match what is shown online. To break this fear and present the product clearly, use the following tips:
• Use high-quality images. In my experience, consumers generally trust websites that look professional, so consider investing in high-quality images.
• Add videos. Showing videos related to the product helps build credibility and trust. These videos may include content such as instructions for use, occasions, etc.
• Includes all information. Inform your customers about all possible details related to the products (for example, product weight, size measurements, color variants, etc.). Include ratings, written reviews, warranty and guarantee on the product page. This will prevent customers from leaving your website to search for product-related information.
• Include a 360 degree view. Show images and videos of the products from different angles so that viewers can fully examine the product.
4. Provide detailed and transparent policies.
Be transparent with your customers about shipping details, delivery information, and return and refund policies. All your company policies should be visible and easily accessible so that interested users can find them quickly. To get started:
• Create a detailed checkout list: Show order details such as product purchased, quantity, cost, etc.
• Share relevant shipping information: Provide details including exact order time, estimated arrival date, and where it will ship from.
• Provide Choice: Offer several delivery alternatives and payment options to choose from.
• Be upfront about additional costs: If you surprise consumers with hidden shipping or delivery charges, they may abandon their shopping cart and leave your website. So please be upfront with all the necessary details related to shipping and delivery.
5. Develop emotional appeal across all touch points.
I’ve found that creating an emotional connection with your website visitors can also help build trust and relevance. Incorporate these links into all sections of your website.Some examples include:
• Your product page: Talk about the practices or processes you followed when developing each product. There is a lot of thought behind each product, so convey your goal and inspiration behind it. This can help you strike a chord with your audience.
• Your “about us” page: Give visitors a glimpse of what’s important to you and who you are. Include headshots of your employees in this section to humanize their interaction with your customers. You can also generate content through blog posts.
6. Provide details about customer service
According to a Microsoft report, 96% of customers say that customer service is a crucial aspect in their choice of company loyalty. Clearly display your customer service number and hours of operation on the website. In general, 24/7 customer service availability is preferred. However, that can be hard to deal with, so stick to whatever moment you’ve mentioned. You can also use a live chat option on the website.
7. Add contact information.
I consider physical addresses and contact details to be the best proof of your existence. You can formulate a “Contact Us” page on your website, displaying your contact details, email address and office address. Many e-commerce companies avoid displaying their physical address on their “About Us” or “Contact Us” pages. However, I found that seeing a physical address brings a lot of convenience to users.
In general, building consumer trust through e-commerce websites can seem daunting. However, brands need to rigorously focus on it to be successful. Look at the finer points of building a lasting relationship with your clients, and then formulate an overall strategy.
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