Have you heard of the know, like, trust factor when it comes to marketing? Building trust with your audience is the final step someone takes before they decide to work with you. They already KNOW you, they’ve been following what you do and they LIKE what they see however in order to decide to work with you, they need to TRUST you.

There are so many ways for you to build trust with your audience however today we are going to cover 5 ways you can build trust via your website.

1. Professional Design

When you meet someone in person for the first time, first impressions count. The same goes for online. Your website is your online storefront. It’s what potential clients will check out before getting in touch with you, therefore it needs to look good.

Think of it like this, you’re in a new town and you are looking for somewhere to stop for lunch. Do you go into the restaurant with a broken sign, dark windows and a funny smell coming from the door? Or do you go into the restaurant that has beautiful signage, a fantastic looking shop front and clear windows which are packed with people enjoying their food? I’m going to guess the latter.

Exactly the same thing applies when it comes to your website. Yes, users won’t be able to see the design from Google but once they do click onto your website, if they like what they see then they will stick around. Bad design will put them off.

A strong brand identity is extremely important when growing a successful business. Your brand identity is not only a logo, it’s everything you put out there from your social media graphics to your business stationery to images. Your brand identity needs to transfer across to your website to create a brand that appeals to your ideal client.

There’s no excuse for having a badly designed website in this day and age. Depending on your budget and the stage you are at in business, there are amazing looking websites available for everyone.

2. Clear User Experience

Your website not only needs to look good but it needs to be easy to navigate. Imagine you walked into a shop and you knew what you were looking for but you couldn’t find it. You would either ask a member of staff or you would walk straight back out again. It’s exactly the same when visitors land on your website.

More often than not, they are there for a specific reason. They either know exactly what they are looking for or they at least have an idea. If someone can’t find what they need easily then they will bounce straight back off and will be unlikely to ever return.

So how can you ensure that this doesn’t happen? First of all you need to think about the actions that you want visitors to take on your website. When I work with my branding and web design clients, I ask them to tell me the top three actions they want a user to take. The most common actions include view my services, sign up to my newsletter, contact me and read the blog.

Once you have an idea of the actions you want your website users to take, think about how you can guide them on this journey. My top tips are to ensure your navigation is clear, include strong call to actions to lead them through to other pages and to include a search facility on your blog.

3. Strong Messaging

An amazing website doesn’t simply consist of great design. Your messaging is another important factor to consider on your website. If you haven’t already, check out my article on Why Website Content is Just as Important as Looks.

You need to make it clear on your website what it is you do and who you do it for. If a website visitor can easily see these points then they will be more likely to stick around to find out more. If they are unsure when landing on your website what it is that you do, then they will more than likely go elsewhere.

4. Content Marketing

So, you have a great looking website that’s user-friendly and your website clearly states what it is you do and who you do it for. What’s next in building trust via your website? Yep, that’ll be your blog.

Having a blog on your website is important for many reasons. It’s fantastic for SEO when utilised properly and it’s an amazing way to build trust online. What better than for potential clients to see that you know your stuff than by giving away extremely valuable content for free.

When writing blog posts, firstly think realistically about how often you will be able to write a new post. If that’s once a week, great. Once a month, still great. Just ensure you stick to it. Secondly, think about the questions that your ideal clients may ask when needing your services. What are they struggling with and how can you help them? If your ideal clients can see via your blog that you know what you are talking about when it comes to your specialism then they are more likely to make contact with you and share your article elsewhere.

5. Client Testimonials

You have a great service offering. You’ve developed a fantastic brand identity and website. Your messaging is clear. You’re constantly putting out great content. There’s just one thing missing before clients commit to spending money on you – what other people are saying about working with you.

It’s no secret that buyers are influenced by the decisions and actions of others around them. Think about when you go shopping on Amazon for example, I’ll bet that you will take a look at the reviews first before making a purchase. The same goes for your business.

Client testimonials are oh so important when it comes to building trust online. If you can add a picture and a name to your testimonials then even better. I’d recommend adding testimonials to the important pages of your website such as your homepage, your services page and even your contact page. People are much more likely to see it than if you had a page dedicated to testimonials on your website.

So there you have it, 5 ways to build trust via your website.

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