I’ve written lots of posts dealing with online persuasion. But if your website doesn’t appear trustworthy, you’ll never get a chance to persuade anyone; visitors won’t stick around long enough to enter into a conversation. So this week I’m going to backpedal a bit and cover trustworthiness.
It’s not necessary (or desirable) to do everything presented here. And well-known organizations already carry an air of authority; they don’t have to work so hard. (In fact, some of the items listed here would appear downright silly on a site like Apple.com.)
This “Trustworthiness Checklist” is intended more for small, new or otherwise unknown websites.
The best domain names are:
The level of polish required depends on your industry. A jeweler’s website should look more finished than a plumber’s. Things to look for are:
Maintain a straightforward tone, avoid pushiness and overblown claims.
Make sure you have a useful Contact page, not just a form. Show your full address (not a P.O. box) and phone number. Consider adding a photo of your premises.
In other words, prove you’re a real entity with nothing to hide.
The mere existence of FAQs can help, but don’t use this as an excuse to list poor FAQs. They should be realistic and customer-oriented. Avoid “what we wish customers asked”.
Back up your claims. Give sources (especially if your claims are surprising). This is particularly important in academic and health-oriented websites.
Don’t let your website go stale. Look like an active, ongoing concern. Show that “somebody’s home”.
Show that a lot of effort has gone into the site. Add archives if appropriate. Blogs and discussion forums are great for building content.
Link to sources of information. Demonstrate you’re looking out for your customers and not trying to “trap” them on your site.
Also remember “guilt by association”. Linking to reputable websites makes you appear more reputable.
As I indicated in my post on How to Steal a Camera, we tend to trust those who show trust in us.
Ask yourself, for example, if your return policy might be overly restrictive and a turn-off to honest customers.
Don’t be overly modest: If you’ve got it, flaunt it… tastefully. But please don’t list outdated or otherwise unimpressive awards.
Prove that you’re a safe and popular choice. Include peer advice such as:
Just remember that these items must be genuine, and they’re more powerful if they come from your target audience. (Remember The Power of People We Like.)
Web users are very sensitive about being manipulated or deceived. So avoid “too good to be true” offers. And make sure you don’t appear to be hiding anything.
Where appropriate, be frank about your product’s disadvantages. “Clouds with silver linings” are best. (For example, “We’re more expensive, but we last twice as long as our competitor.”)
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