Building trust on your website is more essential today than ever before. Consumers have an unprecedented selection of options when shopping online. Credibility is an important factor in their decision of whether or not to purchase from your website. There are several things you can do to enhance the trust factor on your website, resulting in confident purchasing by consumers and increased customers for your business.
How many consumers are reaching your website only to leave and never return? If consumers don't feel confident that your website is trustworthy, they will shop elsewhere. According to a Forrester Consulting Group study of online transactions, a staggering 63% of consumers still won't buy online. Even seasoned online consumers are growing ever more wary. Only 46% of these buyers perceived credit cards as secure in 2004, and that figure fell to 37% in 2005. In addition, new online shoppers remain the most cautious.
Here are several ways to boost the credibility of your website in the eyes of consumers:
1. Get your website certified. Several organizations offer security certification of your site and security logos for display on your website, including ScanSafe's HackerSafe, TrustE, VeriSign, Better Business Bureau, etc. These certifications and accompanying logos have been shown to increase conversions. Consumers are familiar with some of these certifications and feel confident purchasing from sites that display them. It could make the difference in getting the sale and acquiring a new customer.
Research your options and determine which ones might be the best fit for your business. Test the different security certification logos and combinations of them (ie: HackerSafe with VeriSign) with a focus group (not live on the Internet your website must be certified in order to display the logos). Also, test placement of the logos on your webpages. You'll definitely want to place one in the shopping cart checkout process near the payment information fields. Other placement factors to consider include which pages to display it on, where to put the logo(s) on those pages, how large the logo(s) should be, etc.
2. Offer alternative payment methods. Consumers desire both security and convenience at the time of payment. Allow customers to use their preferred payment method. There are many options available today, including Bill Me Later, PayPal, e-checks, etc. Many of these prevent the consumer from having to enter credit or debit card information at your site, eliminating one of the barriers to purchase for security-wary consumers. Research each option, and use a focus group to test which ones your target audience is most comfortable using.
3. Add a privacy policy and keep it up-to-date. The goal of a privacy policy is to help visitors to your site understand what types of information is collected about them on your site and how your business will use that information. Having a privacy policy on your site can build trust by showing that your business is committed to protecting your customers' privacy. Consumers are reassured that your site belongs to a real business, not a scammer.
4. Get endorsed. Many studies have shown that including customer testimonials on websites increases consumer trust and conversion in the online world. Ask your current satisfied customers if they'll provide a testimonial for their product or your service and test it on your website. Test the placement of the testimonial (ie: homepage or product page) and see the impact it has on your sales.
5. List your partnerships and/or client companies. If you're a small business and consumers aren't familiar with your brand, you have an additional hurdle to overcome when acquiring new customers online. One way to increase their trust in your site and improve your conversions is to list your strategic partnerships with larger, more established companies. Always ask permission before listing a partner or client on your website. (You may consider writing it as a provision in your standard contract language.) Once you have approval, you can use the company name to help build your credibility.
6. Be honest with your customers. This seems elementary, but a lot of businesses lose sight of this when conducting business online. Customers will trust you and continue to purchase from your website if you always keep your promises to them. (ie: If you advertise "free shipping" on any purchase, make sure that your website has consistent messaging and that the customer isn't charged for shipping.) Your website is a tool for building relationships with prospective and existing customers. If your website supports you in keeping your commitments to customers, your credibility with them will be very high.
Similar to business in the off-line world, online customers prefer to do business with companies they already know and like. Use these techniques to turn more of your site visitors into customers. By implementing these strategies, you're not only increasing your revenue, but also improving your customers' experiences with your business. Both will help you build lasting relationships with your customers and reap long-term rewards.