6 Ways Your Website Design Can Inspire Trust

Studies have shown that when a client visits a website, a business has about 3 seconds to impress the user and convince them to move forward in the buyer’s journey. Those 3 seconds are vital in creating leads, and the best way to do so is to incite trust between the business and the client. Trust is not always a conscious action. When designing a website, the designer needs to subconsciously convince the buyer that the business is trustworthy. We do this by building a relationship with the buyer through consistency, authenticity, expertise, and personalization. 

Use Consistent Branding

Before you try to convince a user to trust your company, you need to trust your brand. Whether for convenience or simply out of ignorance, consistent branding is a step that a lot of companies skip. If a client can recognize the colors, fonts, and voice of your brand without glancing at the logo, you’re on the right path to consistency. This shows that your business is confident in what it does. A good example of this is Target, a company whose brand recognition goes beyond their logo to the point where a simple solid red background and big, bold white lettering is instantly recognizable. 

Showcase Your Client Brands

If you have largely recognizable clients, why not show them off? One way to show you mean business is by showcasing your relationships with other trusted brands. Get their permission to add their logos to your page to build trust with other potential clients. Monday.com has this on their homepage, and it works really well.

Notice how subtle the logos are even though they’re left in full color. Although they’re small, you can instantly recognize the brands. This method can easily make your web page look gaudy, so subtlety is key. 

Use Authentic Images

Images are the secret weapon to connecting with your audience. Nothing says “cheap” more than a generic stock photo. Opt instead for images that connect with your audience on a personal level. When companies choose the quick and easy route to design, this vital detail is often overlooked. Take a look at the images below.

Notice how the top image stands out without trying very hard. It connects with the target audience and couples well with the emotional message, “You Belong Here.” The second image is a stark contrast to the first, with its outdated gradient, cheesy visuals, and strong disconnect between the copy and the image behind it. The second image would make visitors hit the back button within two seconds because it simply does not convey trust.

Show User Testimonials

When shopping for a product online, customers are more likely to trust reviews of a product than the actual description. They trust the people who have bought and tested the product, not the faceless company trying to make a sale. The same applies to every business on the web, whatever product or service it sells. Testimonials are essential to helping potential customers understand the real value of the service or product you’re selling. Take a look at the way 99designs displays its testimonials.

99designs not only includes an eye-catching testimonial video at the top of the page, but it also uses a five star rating system to provide a visual element to otherwise text-based information. In addition, they allow users to sort through categories to narrow the list to testimonials that are the most relevant to them. 

Demonstrate Your Expertise

Building trust and establishing expertise in your industry go hand in hand. Through blog/vlog posts, case studies, eBooks, and infographics, you can show potential clients that you have the expertise to assist them. Keep in mind that doing these requires constant upkeep, but in the end, showing that you know what you’re doing is worth the effort.

Personalize It

People prefer to do business with people rather than faceless companies. Personalize your website by showing pictures of the people who work there. Showing your face builds trust with your visitors, and visual representations of your company will help them remember you better. Make sure to use the word “you” when writing your content, as it works as a placeholder for the reader’s name and helps people be more receptive to the message you’re telling.

At the end of the day, the best way to build trust with your customers is to empathize with them. Put yourself in their shoes, and keep them first and foremost in your mind. If you design your website with these tips in mind, you’ll be on your way to building trust with your audience and guiding them through the buyer’s journey. 

Blue Frog Marketing can help you turn your website into a trustworthy, lead-generating machine. Contact us today to successfully build trust with your website visitors and convert them into long-term customers!