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Building Trust Is More Important Than Ever – Here’s How to Do It
Online purchasing has become increasingly popular, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to create an eCom that people will want to shop from. There are important factors to consider, like trustworthiness, reliability, and reputation, which all play a huge role in whether someone will buy from you.
To help you build this trust, we’ll dive into what it means to have a trustworthy eCom store and how you can translate that to your audience in order to improve your chances of snagging a sale.
How Trust Is Built
First Impressions Are EVERYTHING
A user’s first impression of your site forms the foundation of how they will perceive your brand going forward. You only get one shot at a first impression, so make it count.
Make sure your site is not only mobile-friendly and easy to navigate (UI/UX is key!), but also make sure you have a stunning, modern website design that represents your brand and tells users who you are.
Don’t Be Modest – Show Off Your Products to the World
There’s no place for modesty in the world of business. Consumers visiting your site want to see what you have to offer, so don’t be shy about showing off your products.
Seeing is believing, so stunning visuals – high-quality photography, video, and even charts explaining how to use your products – are key and will help new customers see the quality of your products when browsing online.
Don’t Skimp on User Experience
Think of usability and accessibility as the foundation of building trust through design. UX is a huge factor that contributes to a user’s overall experience and must be a priority for eComs looking to build users’ trust.
Here are some UX best practices to keep in mind:
Prioritize appearance AND usability
Ensure your design is consistent with your branding
Readable typography
Give users freedom to easily navigate your site
Be clear with your messaging (tell users why pages aren’t loading, ensure terms and privacy policies are clear)
Offer translation options
Being Mobile-Friendly Is Non-Optional
It’s no secret that users are using their phones more and more to browse the web. But how necessary is it to have a mobile-friendly site?
Here are a few statistics that help paint a clear picture:
61 percent of consumers say they are more likely to buy from companies with mobile-friendly sites
70% of web traffic comes from mobile phones.
61% of users will never return to a website that is not mobile-friendly.
80% of smartphone users will buy from companies with mobile-friendly sites and apps
It’s safe to say that when it comes to converting users and gaining their trust, having a mobile-friendly site isn’t up for debate. Now let’s say it again for the people in the back.
Tips to Establish Trust in Your eCom
Don’t Just Say You’re Trustworthy, Show It
You can shout from the rooftops until you’re blue in the face, but at the end of the day, it’s actions, not words, that builds trust.
Whether it’s through great customer service, offering a guarantee or killer return policy, or providing 100% transparency when it comes to products, your actions will speak far more loudly than words.
Don’t Be Pushy
There’s a fine line between interacting with users and shoving your products down their throat.
Whether it’s sending incessant notifications to users with items in their basket or having multiple pop-ups interrupting a user’s experience, nobody likes pushy salespeople. In fact, this is often why consumers turn to online sales in the first place – to avoid pushiness.
The key is to give users such a great experience that you build trust and don’t need to resort to pushy sales tactics.
Transparency
Honesty is crucial when it comes to building trust. Be upfront about your shortcomings while highlighting your strengths and what makes you unique.
Make Your Contact Info Visible and Be Easily Reachable
This couldn’t be more important. One surefire way to lose out on a sale is by hiding your contact info or making it difficult for customers with questions to contact you. If customers have a question or concern about your products or policies but can’t figure out how to contact you, chances are they’ll move on to someone else.
Get Active on Social
Social media is so much more than a place to post selfies and pictures of your food. It’s a two-way street for engaging and communicating with customers and prospects. It enables you to tell your story as a brand and show who you are as a company, along with your culture and core values.
With that being said, here are some tips for using social media to build trust:
Produce great, original content and share it
Follow a posting schedule
Respond to comments
Show the people behind your brand
Admit when you’re wrong and publish a statement addressing customers’ concerns
Present your testimonials
Testimonials are a great way to show prospects how great you are. People tend to read reviews about a business they are considering shopping from and will often make a decision based on others’ experiences. So, don’t be afraid to ask for reviews, and if you do already have them, make them more visible on your site so new customers can actually see them.
Reputation Management – Actually Respond to Reviews Whether They’re Good Or Bad
Another key component of using reviews to your advantage is actually responding to them, whether they are positive or negative. But don’t just post a blanket response for every review. Actually take the time to read them and respond to their individual concerns. It may seem tedious, but it has the power to change the mind of unsatisfied former customers and regain their trust and their business.
The Takeaway
The trust factor can make all the difference between gaining a long-time customer or losing their business forever. So, make efforts to build that trust by taking action when it comes to your web design, branding, content, and even social media. Because trust is the foundation of any solid relationship, and without it, the relationship will be doomed from the start.
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