Forget trendy branding and catchy slogans. The best way to make a website that converts like a dream is to build a website that generates customer trust.

Why customer trust matters

People do business with people they like, know, and trust. That’s true for brands, too. If customers don’t trust your brand, they won’t spend their money with you. And if they think your website looks like it might actually be a front for someone trying to steal their personal information, they’re definitely not going to trust you with their credit card information or use your website to access their PayPal account.

Even if your website doesn’t look like it was designed by a hacker trying to get your hands on your customers’ credit card info, that doesn’t automatically mean your website looks trustworthy. There are other subtle ways to lose customer trust, and you don’t want to fall into these traps when you make a website for your business.

Why customers are scared to buy from you

Your website looks sketchy
They’re scared that your product won’t match the description
Your website is hard to read and navigate
You don’t sound like a real person
Your website looks like it hasn’t been updated in years
You’re using a payment processor they’ve never heard of
They don’t know what you’ll do with their information
They’re scared they’ll spend lots of money and end up not liking your product

And now that you know what’s scaring your customers, here’s how you get them to trust your website:

12 ways to increase customer trust

Choose a simple, professional design
Own a custom domain
Use social proof
Write the way you speak
Make it personal
Install an SSL certificate
Use payment processors that people know
Write a well-curated blog
Add an “About Us” page
Include contact information
Include a privacy policy
Avoid displaying ad content

1. Choose a simple, professional design

Lots of website builders promise that they’ll help you build a website fast. And we’re not saying it’s a bad thing to build a website fast. (For the record, our site builder also helps you build a website fast.) But even more important than the speed with which you build a website, is the design of that website.

It’s well documented that customers are more likely to buy from your website if it has a clean, simple design that’s easy to scroll through.

So, don’t just build a website fast. Build a website fast and choose a site builder that offers simple designs, so you can turn your visitors into paying customers.

2. Own a custom domain

Your domain is the address of your website. When you use a domain extension from a free blogging platform, your business looks tacky, unprofessional, and untrustworthy.

So, when you make a website, buying a custom domain (which isn’t even expensive, by the way) is a great way to get your customers to trust you.

3. Use social proof

This means adding testimonials, reviews, and anything else that proves that actual human beings have bought and used your product, and that they liked it. This is a great way to reassure customers who are on the fence about your product. If they see that people just like them are already using your product, they’ll want to use it, too.

4. Write the way you speak

Something weird happens to people when they start to write anything business related. Even the warmest, friendliest people suddenly go blank in the eyes and start writing like robots. They use bigger, more complicated words, and there isn’t a contraction in sight.

Try not to do that. It’s deeply unsettling, and it makes people feel like you might be trying to hide something. So, keep your tone professional, but do try to loosen up a little. It’ll go a long way towards getting your customers to like (and trust) you.

5. Make it personal

Your customers don’t care that you struggled through medical school for three years, only to realize that what you really wanted to do was sell mustaches for cats. They just want to buy your weird cat mustache so they can send a funny picture to their friends.

When you’re writing anything on your business website, you generate customer trust when you show your customers that their happiness – not your own ego – is the most important thing to you.

6. Install an SSL certificate

An SSL certificate encrypts your customers’ data so it can’t be intercepted and read by hackers. When you have an SSL certificate, your customers’ browsers will let them know it’s safe to visit your website. When you don’t have an SSL certificate, your customers’ browsers will let them know it’s unsafe to visit your website, and that if they do, their information might be compromised.

7. Use payment processors that people know

A payment processor isn’t the part of your website to get creative with. When you make a website that people will buy from, stick to the payment processors that people already know and trust. (We believe so strongly in this, that we make sure all websites created with our site builder are compatible with PayPal and Stripe.)

8. Write a well-curated blog

A blog is a great way to build customer trust, for several reasons:

It’s a good way to give your customers tips that they can apply in their own lives, which means they’ll start to think of you as an authority on whatever product you’re selling.
Regularly updating your blog shows that you care about your customers and that your website is well tended.
A blog increases your visibility.

For tips on how to create your own blog and host it for free, check out this article.

9. Add an “About Us” page

An “About Us” page is a great way to let your customers know who you are and what you stand for. Remember that people do business with people they like, know and trust. Use your “About Us” page to help your customers get to know the people behind your brand by including a short bio of each of your staff members. Alternatively, use this page to tell your brand’s story in a fun, creative way that shows your customers how much you care about them.

10. Include contact information

Make it easy for your customers to get in touch with you. Customers will feel more at ease if they know that if anything goes wrong, they can always talk to somebody at your company who will clear things up.

11. Include a privacy policy

Include a privacy policy that tells your customers exactly what you’ll do with their information and how you’ll keep their information safe. Make sure your privacy policy is clear, easy to read, and free from unnecessary jargon or lawyer-speak.

12. Avoid displaying ad content

Ads on a business website are tacky and off-putting. (Not to mention dangerous. You might end up accidentally advertising for one of your competitors!) Avoid displaying ads on your website if you can help it.

The End

And that’s it! We hope these twelve tips help you make a website your customers will trust.