In the world of the goldfish attention span, you have a short amount of time to make a good impression. In fact, 46.1% of people say a website’s design is the number one way they judge the  credibility of a company. (Source: HubSpot) So, what makes your website a place that users trust?

1. User Experience

• Clear Design That’s Easy to Use and Understand: Navigation and layout are the fundamental key to your site’s usability. Don’t frustrate visitors with cute words or graphics that get in the way of real content. They won’t care how cute it is if it’s blocking their ability to use the site.
• Allow a User to Forge Their Own Path: Don’t force a user to look at what you think they should. Auto-play videos, obnoxious calls to action, and hard-to-get-to content are infuriating. Let users browse the way they like and they’ll come away with a better impression and be more likely to purchase.
• Follow Accessibility Standards: Make sure that your site has proper accessibility. Not only does it allow people with impairments access to your site, but it also creates a better experience for all users.
• Quality Testing: If you want to know if your site is user friendly, test it! Testing will provide insight you couldn’t have thought of on your own. Even if your site is already good, you can always improve.

2.  Grammar

Typos are a no-go when it comes to trustworthiness. If a user finds a typo in the website copy, the general message is “hey, they’re lazy” or “I don’t think I’d trust them with our work.” Double, triple and quadruple check for spelling errors before posting copy to a website.

3. Content

Have your office hours changed? Are you sold out of that product? Make sure that the content on a website stays relevant. Nothing is more frustrating to a user than receiving incorrect information from the website. Know your audience and use content that is relevant to their interests.

4. “About Us” Page

People want to get to know the faces behind the operation. The “About us” page on your website should introduce the team in a personable way using head-shots and bios. The more people know about the team and the mission behind it, the more trust the website and brand will gain.

5. Testimonials & Reviews

88% of people trust online reviews and testimonials as much as personal recommendations. Try adding a testimonials section to your site to increase user’s trust. Sometimes, you can find these sections on Yelp, Facebook, Google and other review sites.

Trends will come and go, but quality will stay forever. A website is the first interaction that many users will have with your brand. If the website is misleading or poorly constructed, it could result in the loss of a customer.

Questions?