Concerns about cyber security, data security and data privacy have grown. The number of cyber-attacks continues to increase, demanding better secured websites and online security.
It is important for businesses and websites to build trust with their customers. This will not only help improve your sales figures but also build a positive reputation around your brand. Brand value and trust are very important when it comes to transactions. People feel more comfortable buying from a brand they trust.
This article explains how to build brand trust using your website. We will also understand the practical steps you can take to achieve this.
Master Your Techniques
It is true that customer trust is subjective and a direct result of your success as a business. However, it is important to understand the following technical basics:
Getting an SSL Certificate
Start by making sure your website is secure. Getting an SSL certificate is very important. An SSL certificate does two things, firstly it increases the security of your website by encrypting the data your customers provide you and secondly and more importantly, it tells the world that your website is secure.
When you get an SSL certificate for your website, your website URL will start with "HTTPS" instead of just "HTTP". The "S" stands for "Secure" and tells visitors that the website is secure and trustworthy. For example. https://www.webhostingseva.in/ instead of http://www.webhostingseva.in/.
Ensuring Uptime and Speed
Ensure that your website does not experience too much downtime. If a website is constantly down, it indicates that there is something wrong with the business and frequent down times will abrade the trust of the customers. The best way to deal with this is to partner with a reputable web hosting provider that has an excellent uptime and reliable hosting track record.
Introducing People Behind The Scenes
Websites, even those run by small businesses, want to look professional. Over the years, however, one rule of marketing and trust-building has remained unchanged: the human element is crucial. People want to know the people behind the business. They want the name, picture and description. Help them with this.
Introduce your employees on your website. You can have a separate “Who Are We” section or include information on the “About Us” page. If you are a small business with a small team, even better. Tell your customers about your employees and their quirks. Matching faces with names builds social trust and lets your customers know who you really are.
Displaying Customer Testimonials
Social trust is essential if you want to increase your sales. People are more likely to buy from you when they know that other people have purchased your product or service and are satisfied with it. The best way to achieve this is to add customer testimonials to your website.
Instead of generic reviews, ask existing customers to give you personal testimonials about how they've used your products or service and what's good about them. The benefit of letting customers write down their experiences is that they would not appear fake or fabricated.
People in the web industry have a set of buzzwords that they use all the time. Customers will not accept this jargon and that makes those testimonials more untrusted. Try to get as many reviews and testimonials from customers as possible and post them on your website.
Participating Social Media Actively
Participating on social media and most importantly, being active on social media will increase your brand's exposure. It tells your customers that you are in business. In addition, you can also notify your customers about new products or services, discounts, offers and more. Everyone is on social media and your business should be there too. In fact, you can even turn it into a medium through which you can provide customer support.
Providing Good Customer Service
One of the most common issues people have with any brand, no matter what business they run, is poor customer service. Good customer service gives you an advantage over many companies. Fast, timely and efficient customer support also builds trust in your brand.
One of the ways to provide good customer service is to allow your customers to contact you through multiple channels. Social media is a great tool here. Customers can easily get in touch and on top of that there is a chance that your promptness will be recognized and potentially go viral. Whether your customer service goes viral or not, good customer service is sure to inspire trust in your brand.
You can also rely on traditional support channels such as phone and email. These are best practices that make it easier for customers to reach you.You can also try chatbots, a new revolution in customer service that is not only convenient but also extremely effective.
Keeping Customers Informed
If there are changes to your business and its processes, let people know. If you cannot meet a deadline, be honest and open about it. Explain the reasons for the delay and all relevant reasons. Here you can use different types of communication. Email your customers with details of any issues you encounter and a tentative timeline for resolution. You can also share it on your social media for more experienced and younger audiences. People want to do more business with honest companies, even if it is a little uncomfortable in terms of being expensive. Honesty in business increases trust.
Conclusion
Trust and branding are subtle but crucial ways to get customers to do business with you. More trust leads to better business. As mentioned above, before doing anything it is important to make sure that you have covered the technical basics such as security, uptime and speed that are vital to your website.
Partner with a reputable hosting company that can offer reliable, secure and fast hosting services. Web Hosting Seva offers secure hosting services with state of the art hardware and free SSL for stable hosting experience. The Comodo SSL plans we offer can be seamlessly integrated with all of our hosting plans. WebhostingSeva hosting plans enable you to focus on customer service, social media and other ways to build trust around your brand.
