Understanding Trust Signals: What They Are and Why They Matter
In an age where the internet is flooded with brands clamouring for attention, trust signals matter more than you’d think. Consumers today are bombarded with all sorts of information and an endless array of online stores or service providers. Standing out from the crowd means your brand needs to seem credible, legitimate and trustworthy. So, how do you know what trust signals are.
These are cues or indicators on a website that help consumers feel safer about trusting you enough to buy what you're selling. They can come in the form of visible indicators like badges, reviews, testimonials, return policies and secure payment information. They can also come in subtle forms like language, packaging and the presence of social proof from other customers.
Building a presence online as a new business takes time but starting with visible trust signals makes it much easier for customers to realise you are worth buying from. Without them, your website may look sketchy at first glance and make it much less likely that they’ll want to hand over their money to you. They could go off to find another site that gives them peace of mind - so using trust signals is vital if you want conversions. While some people don’t need trust signals and might even go out on a limb by purchasing from new companies without researching them (after all, there’s something endearing about being one of the firsts), it’s crucial to establish trust with your audience so they know you’re going to deliver on your promise.
Essential Elements of a Trustworthy Website
Trust is a funny thing - it takes an age to earn but less than a heartbeat to destroy. Especially online where people have the attention span of a goldfish. And in a digital world crammed with scam sites and clickbait, there’s almost too much going on for us to know what’s good for us anymore. The way I see it, this is precisely why trust-building should be central to any business that wants to get ahead.
But what does it take for people to trust your site. Sort of. Contrary to popular belief, it’s really not so much about fancy features or state-of-the-art tech, as it is probably about being human in your approach. Sort of.
It’s like meeting someone new at a party, and instinctively knowing they’re genuine, no matter how introverted or outgoing they might seem. So while top-notch security, easy navigation, intuitive experience design, and transparency are all critical elements, the one thing that trumps all else is your ability to connect with users. Whether you’re sharing founder stories, customer reviews or the faces behind your team - people want to know they’re dealing with humans. Not just any humans either.
Ones who show up authentically and regularly deliver on their promises. Because here’s the thing - you could tick every box in the book but if your users don’t know you care about them for real; none of it matters. This includes anyone who browses your website and reaches out for more information as well as those who come back time and again because you’ve gained their loyalty.
Leveraging Customer Testimonials and Reviews
Trust doesn’t come easy. People can seemingly smell even the faintest whiff of inauthenticity these days. I Imagine maybe it’s because they’re constantly bombarded by digital marketing that over-promises and under-delivers.
But, on the other hand, customer testimonials and reviews are a great way to demonstrate transparency. They add an extra layer of credibility to your brand, which is vital for the bottom line. Letting your customers talk about their experience instead of you seems to be the best way to show how much you value them. It’s also a way to show that your brand is not one-dimensional; it makes space for the varied opinions and experiences of its customers.
More or less. It comes down to this - if you treat people well, they’re more likely to leave a good review. And more positive feedback from previous customers leads potential clients to trust your business even more.
A strong brand identity comes from building trust, which in turn influences sales. But don’t lose sleep over every little negative review because being authentic is not about pleasing everyone; it’s about showing your values and personality consistently through everything you do as a business.
The Role of Security Badges and Certifications
It’s hard to remember life before all this nonsense online. I feel old even thinking about it, let alone bringing it up. More or less.
Back in the day, we didn’t really have to be so defensive about the products we were selling because people didn’t question if they were legitimate or not. No one thought to. The way I see it, plus, and this is a crucial point here, no one could scam someone so easily with stolen credit card info in a few seconds. But things are different now.
With all this cybercrime happening left, right and centre, security badges and certifications are important now more than ever. They’re trust signals if anything - loud ones too. Putting a badge on your website that shows your site is secure is almost a must now, and you can even say it’s become non-negotiable for companies that process payment online.
Why. More or less. Because security badges like SSL certificates on checkout pages help build customer trust and ensure that transactions can take place safely - so there’s no need to worry about your payment information being intercepted by malicious third parties or hackers.
So let’s talk about certifications for a minute - they have their own little space within the trust-building conversation because people actually care about them, especially in today’s world where most industries are loosely regulated (but are still regulated). Certifications build a safety net for customers because they show that the company they’re shopping from complies with security policies and standards like GDPR or ISO 27001. And while there are many ways to build trust when running an online business, making customers feel safe is sometimes the fastest way to get them to go through with their purchase.
Some might argue that these trust signals aren’t necessary - but at least having one visible helps convert someone who otherwise would’ve bailed out before hitting ‘pay’. The way I see it, adding these signals around your website where payments take place increases your likelihood of making sales because people know they’re protected, and ultimately what everyone wants when paying for something online is reassurance that their credit card information won’t be leaked or stolen (which wouldn’t always be possible if these badges weren’t being used). So that’s a good enough reason for me as any - but don’t forget to add more than just this one trust signal.
Building a Strong Brand Presence
I’ve noticed that the importance of building a recognisable brand presence is probably something that can’t be overstated. And there’s not really a ‘hack’ for it either. I Expect it requires consistent and conscious effort from the get-go.
There’s a lot to say about maintaining consistent colours, imagery, language and messaging but perhaps the most important factor for building trust with customers is your brand voice. The easiest way to do this is by picking one messaging approach, style and tone - and sticking to it. If you’re an irreverent brand that’s making a statement against the status quo, make sure all your content reflects this spirit and style.
If you’re traditional and only want to use formal language (for some reason), make sure every single message mirrors this approach too. Being consistent with your branding, especially in terms of content, can apparently be tricky because it means everyone at the organisation needs to be onboard with it too. The way people respond to queries on emails or social media should not look or sound drastically different than how the founder/CEO interacts with others as the face of the company. I think having a document or manual on what your brand stands for, what its tone of voice should be and what visual guidelines need to be followed should help everyone stay aligned while representing the business externally.
Enhancing User Experience for Increased Credibility
A beautiful website is one thing, but a frustratingly slow one. That’s another. There’s only so much patience in the world. And if a shopper decides they’d rather wait for paint to dry than for your website to load, that’s not on them.
User experience covers a fair bit of ground when it comes to e-commerce. It seems like it can be as simple as how easy it is to navigate your website. But it could also be about how clear and concise your product listings are or how easy it is to make a purchase. Quite often, if it takes too long or requires too many steps, online shoppers would rather abandon the checkout process altogether.
Part of creating a good user experience is making your website accessible to all. This means making sure images have alt text that can be picked up by screen readers and selecting fonts and colours that are potentially friendly to people with visual impairments. Accessibility might seem like an extra step but not only does it mean you’re able to reach a wider audience, but it means you’re fostering goodwill among shoppers who may otherwise feel unwelcome elsewhere. Why stop at sales when building trust with potential buyers can take you further.
Good user experience paired with an overall positive impression of your business can encourage customers to share their experiences and give you much-needed word-of-mouth advertising.