01 May How to Build Trust with your Site Visitors

Regardless of the kind of website you run, whether it is a blog, a company website or a store, connecting with your visitors should always be your priority if you ever hope to drive readers into action. Even with the best SEO skills and resources in the world, you still need to be able to create content that not only resonates with your readers but also offers them a reason to trust you with their information and comments. 

Unfortunately, this is a problem that too many businesses have as most people simply rush in headfirst and try to make the sale as soon as they get any kind of attention. If you are looking to build a solid connection with your readers, here are a few steps that will help you;

Build Credibility first: Simply put, you need to establish yourself as an authority on the subject you are discussing. Regardless of your niche, visitors are more likely to trust you if they know that you are able to provide them with the help and information they need. Of course, this is easier said than done but here are a few steps you can take to achieve this.

• Focus more on providing value before pitching
• Start by nurturing your leads
• Offer some upfront value at absolutely no cost

I had a client reach out to me a few days ago about not getting the results he wanted because visitors weren’t giving out their information when they visited his website. While this is an absolutely valid concern, it is important to understand that readers are humans with emotions and regular human characteristics. This means that they need to be nurtured slowly without being asked for anything in return at first. Start by offering something of value like lead magnets (e.g. white paper, ebook, tip sheet/guide) and then follow up with a series of emails to be sure they reviewed the lead magnet and if they have any questions.

Incorporate a good design: Nothing sets off mental alarms like a tacky website. This does not mean that you have to break the bank for website design fees. In fact, a simple but well-designed website acts as both a business card and a call-to-action as readers can immediately tell you mean business. A good rule of thumb is to stick to imagery and content styles that your audience can relate to. For example, if you run a law firm, you may want to stick to professional looking pictures which show just how you operate while a catering service can get away with lighthearted looking pictures of people enjoying their meals.

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes: The ability to see things from the readers/visitors perspective is a skill that all website owners must have. Do you want to encounter a barrage of popups and ads on a website before you even get a chance to read what you came for? Will you enter your credit card information on a website that has a skimpy looking about us page and shady privacy policy? And would you be open to entering your information on a site that immediately bombards you with field forms before you get the value you need? You probably answered no to all of these, as will your readers. So take some time to understand your audience so you can feed them with the kind of information they need.

Add a personal touch: While this is not always necessary, it definitely gives you an edge over your competitors. People are more likely to purchase from you and trust what you say if they can put a face to the content. This helps to achieve two goals; building your own personal brand while making your visitors trust you more.

Include testimonials and social proof: From emails you received, from past readers thanking you for the information you provided, to reviews from clients who might have bought something from you in the past, testimonials and social proof are a great way to build trust organically as readers can see what you do and see how others have benefitted from your products/services.

Conclusion

Understand that with the average attention span on a constant decline, you only have a few seconds to grab your audience and engage them with your website content. These five steps can help you build trust and develop a powerful relationship with visitors to ensure a much more qualified lead and potential loyal client in the long run.