| Let me start this article by asking a simple | | | | company. In Europe, it is a legal requirement for |
| question to you. If you give contract to build your | | | | sites taking funds, but even sites driven by |
| home, to whom you will give? Someone new or | | | | advertising will benefit from openness. 19. Provide |
| someone who is trusted by your close friend or | | | | a telephone number that people can call and talk |
| relative? Of course the answer is - someone | | | | to a person. 20. Provide Web addresses linked to |
| trustworthy person/company -by you directly or | | | | the website domain, not addresses from free |
| by someone in whom you trust (your friends | | | | webmail services such as Hotmail and Gmail. If |
| relatives). As you know that "Trust" is really | | | | you want to know how your site ranks (in terms |
| important in life and that's what exactly I want to | | | | of building trust online), then visit: and know by |
| mention here to bring success in your website. As | | | | yourself, where your site is ranking. 21. Think |
| a business person, remember this: If people trust | | | | carefully about reciprocal links. If your site is about |
| you, the revenue will follow automatically!!! It is | | | | organic food and you have links to Party Poker, |
| absolutely necessary that your website must | | | | people are going to question your integrity. 22. |
| create the environment of trust otherwise, most | | | | Think carefully about the adverts you display on |
| of your efforts will be wasted. Have you ever | | | | your site. Ensure that they are relevant to your |
| thought - how to create the environment of trust | | | | subject and audience. 23. Write and publish your |
| for a website? Don't be panic, its very easy to | | | | privacy policy. Be clear about what you will and will |
| build trust for your online visitors. If you want to | | | | not do with any personal data you collect. State |
| know how your site ranks (in terms of building | | | | that you adhere to all data protection laws. Make |
| trust online), then visit: and know by yourself, | | | | it easy to read and don't use legal gobbledygook. |
| where your site is ranking. As you already know | | | | 24. Write and publish a security policy. State what |
| that - you don't get a second chance to make a | | | | measures you take to ensure that all transactions |
| first impression. Building trust for your online | | | | are secure as well as how well you handle |
| visitors cannot be achieved by just a single action. | | | | customers data. 25. Ensure that you have a |
| Trust is achieved by many little actions you do | | | | security and privacy policy which is linked from |
| throughout your website and when its taken | | | | the footer on every page. Make the link more |
| together, give users a sense of stability, honesty | | | | prominent on all the order pages. 26. Clearly |
| and legitimacy for your business and services you | | | | publish your guarantee. I would recommend |
| provide. If you want to know how your site | | | | making it a 100% money-back guarantee if |
| ranks (in terms of building trust online), then visit: | | | | possible. 27. Clearly state your refund and returns |
| and know by yourself, where your site is ranking. | | | | policy. 28. If you use PayPal, put the PayPal logo |
| Another good or bad news is that only few | | | | on your site. If you have a merchant services |
| website owners focus on building trust in the | | | | account with a major bank like Citibank or HSBC, |
| minds of their visitors. So, if you do it well, it can | | | | put its logo on your site. 29. Use Google search |
| become a real and sustainable competitive | | | | on your site for two reasons. First, it is a great |
| advantage for your business and you can keep | | | | search solution which will help your visitors find |
| your competitors away. Here are 40 simple | | | | what they are looking for. Second, having the |
| actions you can take to get started. 1. Your | | | | Google name on your site instills trust. 30 If there |
| website design is the first impression. Make sure it | | | | are well-known industry associations for your |
| is professional and relevant to the subject matter. | | | | subject, join up and put their logos on your site. If |
| 2. Navigation must be intuitive. If visitors can't find | | | | you want to know how your site ranks (in terms |
| what they are looking for easily, they will question | | | | of building trust online), then visit: and know by |
| your competence in providing what they want. 3. | | | | yourself, where your site is ranking. 31. Have a |
| Make the website personal by giving it its own | | | | forum on your site and respond quickly to |
| tone and voice. People buy people. 4. Follow the | | | | questions. Have the attitude that you are happy |
| HEART rule of creating online content. (Reminder: | | | | to help others without receiving immediate |
| HEART stands for Honest, Exclusive, Accurate, | | | | reward. As the old saying goes, 'Givers always |
| Relevant and Timely.) 5. Use language that is | | | | gain.' 32. Allow people to comment on articles. |
| appropriate to the audience. It will build empathy. | | | | Interactivity and an exchange of views build |
| 6. Regularly add new content to your site. It | | | | community and a sense of involvement. 33. If |
| shows that the business is alive and kicking. 7. | | | | people provide constructive criticism or comments |
| Review all links. Doubts will quickly form in your | | | | in the forum, don't delete them, but respond with |
| visitors' minds if links don't work or, worse still, | | | | your point of view. 34. Use the words 'secure |
| take them to error pages. 8. Good grammar and | | | | website' whenever you try to get any information |
| spelling matter. Errors give the impression of | | | | from visitors, including newsletter sign-ups, forum |
| sloppiness and carelessness. 9. Don't make | | | | input and payment. 35. On every page, state, |
| outrageous and unbelievable claims, like "Read this | | | | "We take your privacy and security very |
| blog and you'll be a millionaire by the end of the | | | | seriously." Link the statement to the security and |
| week." People are used to scams, get-rich-quick | | | | privacy policy. 36. If you are selling a subscription, |
| schemes and rip-offs. 10. Publish REAL testimonials | | | | offer a low-cost, entry-level option. This could be |
| and third-party endorsements. Try to always use | | | | a one-day taster, 'a week before billing starts' or |
| real names and link to websites where possible. | | | | a monthly trial. 37. Only ask for information from |
| Some sites show images of letters sent by | | | | customers that you really need. For example, for |
| happy customers. If you want to know how your | | | | an email newsletter sign-up, the only information |
| site ranks (in terms of building trust online), then | | | | you REALLY need is an email address, so that is |
| visit: and know by yourself, where your site is | | | | all you should ask for. 38. If you have pricing on |
| ranking. 11. Publish case studies about customers | | | | your website, make it transparent. I recently |
| you have helped, who use your product, etc. 12. | | | | went to buy a book which was advertised for |
| Don't put down, curse or insult competitors. It's | | | | $10. When I checked out, they added tax, post |
| unprofessional. It is better to offer an objective | | | | and packaging, and the final bill was $19.50. I didn't |
| comparison of competitive services or products. | | | | buy it as I felt they had deliberately tried to |
| 13. Focus on building your long-term reputation, | | | | mislead me. 39. Start a small newsletter of your |
| not on making quick sales. 14. Write articles for | | | | company/services & circulate it among your |
| humans, not search engines. 15. Make your 'About | | | | clients/employees. Also, publish it on your website |
| Us' page personal and comprehensive. It plays an | | | | regularly. 40. Allow people to "unsubscribe" from |
| important part in making visitors feel comfortable | | | | your mailing list. This may sound very obvious, but |
| that real people are behind the site. 16. Publish | | | | I have found that many websites still don't follow |
| your photo or the photos of the key people | | | | it. To ensure that you are continually improving |
| involved with the site. Again, this reinforces the | | | | your trustworthiness, every time you go to a |
| fact that there are real people behind the | | | | website, ask yourself whether you trust it or not. |
| screenshots. 17. Clearly identify who is behind the | | | | Then ask yourself why you have formed the |
| site. Nothing creates more suspicion than a site | | | | opinion you have. If you want to know how your |
| that tries to hide the identity of its publishers. 18. | | | | site ranks (in terms of building trust online), then |
| On the 'Contact Us' page, provide an email form, | | | | visit: and know by yourself, where your site is |
| telephone number, fax and address of the | | | | ranking. |