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Getting customers to trust your online store is easier said than done.
Even if your store carries WordPress branding, many users need to be more convincing before they hand over their details and part with their cash. Online consumers have become all too aware of the dangers associated with digital shopping and how compelling a hoax store can appear.
If you want to ensure customers trust your WordPress store and recommend it to their loved ones, here are some great tips, whether just getting started or revamping an old website.
Great design
A professional website is a trustworthy website.
We may appreciate brands that aren’t afraid to experiment with new aesthetics, but when it comes to web stores, a more professional approach is often the best way to attract the widest audience.
The fact that you’re using WordPress is a good start. As a framework, it allows you to create a professional-looking store that fits the conventions of what we expect from online retail. It’s challenging to leave loose ends that can make a website feel unfinished and slapped together quickly in the hope of scamming people.
A web store should be treated like a traditional storefront. Customers will pass it by if it lacks the essentials and has apparent issues, just like a shop with smashed windows and empty shelves.
A professional design is often about getting the basics right. That means ensuring all your essential pages are present and meeting the expected standards. FAQ pages shouldn’t just answer questions but present them clearly and concisely, so to show that thought has been put into developing them.
Likewise, your About Us page should establish the brand and your ethos. Customers read these pages and use them as a barometer to test the effort the business behind the website puts into it.
Your homepage is often the most crucial element when building trust through design. It should have a nice balance of promotional material (links to products) and content, suggesting to the customer that there is more to this website than merely taking their money.
All facets of your web design should look to put the visitor at ease and convince them you have their best shopping intentions at heart.
Customer reviews
Customer reviews should always take a prominent position on your WordPress store.
The social proof phenomenon has become a massive part of dictating how we shop, who we shop with, and who we put our trust into online. Studies have shown that 88% of customers trust reviews from their fellow consumers as much as they do personal recommendations from a friend.
A review can reaffirm the quality of a product, showing that there are genuine people out there who have shopped with you before and enjoyed the experience. Don’t be afraid to brag a little; it’s essential to give these reviews pride of place on your website and be seen to encourage them to garner maximum trust.
Only some customers will personally call you up or email your customer service team to ask a question about a product; it’s not just their nature. Reviews help you retain those customers who aren’t quite sure about the product and are more likely to shop with a retailer that provides all the answers, whether they do that through product descriptions or reviews.
Ensure that reviews are prominently on your WordPress homepage and throughout product pages. They should feature a clear star rating format. Using a trusted review platform to host customer feedback allows you to work additional authority into your store’s design.
Brand building content
Content marketing is a fantastic way to capture new customers and provide further context for your products and services; it’s also a tremendous tool for building trust in your brand.
Every good WordPress website needs content that tells the story of your brand and the people who keep it running. It would be best to look to inform as much as you entertain, not in an educational sense, but a trust-building one.
Inform people about the background of your business, its humble beginnings, and the ethos that powers it. More importantly, it would be best if you looked to introduce audiences to the team behind your business as soon as possible. Product-centered content is brilliant and helps move people along in the purchasing process, but it’s just as essential to establish your brand’s aims and provide a human face to what you do.
Staff bios, a weekly blog spot from your product experts, and behind-the-scenes videos showing your daily operations all help to build the image of a business that isn’t just genuine but passionate about what it does. Giving the impression that your online business inhabits a physical space is vitally essential for garnering customer trust.
Humanizing your workforce is a significant part of your content marketing strategy.
Awards and certification
Consumers want to know they’re shopping with the best. If you can promise your WordPress website is an official seller or one praised for its service in the past, then it doesn’t matter what you’re charging; you’ll win customers.
Being a recognized, legitimate seller is essential when finding a footing in highly competitive e-commerce markets. One way to get consumers on your side is to include the official seller and retailer stickers across your website, especially if you’re selling well-known brands.
Something as simple as one of these stickers or sashes can help assure a customer that a big brand trusts you to uphold its reputation online. Think of it as a custom review from a brand that takes its profile very seriously.
These signs of additional quality can help set you apart from the competition and are easy to implement into your WordPress design.
Security essentials
Of course, when trying to convince someone you’re worth trusting, it helps to get the fundamentals right.
WordPress websites must meet all the security essentials like any online shop. You must have a secure checkout and allow customers to use their preferred payment method. Customers may get suspicious if they feel they’re being pushed to one particular type of payment.
Your WordPress store also needs an SSL certificate. Without one, you’ll turn off many customers accustomed to this easy security signal. It also makes it impossible for Google to rank you properly, which makes it almost impossible for you to find new customers.
If these were things you lacked from launch, don’t be afraid to own up to your mistakes and let people know you’ve added them retrospectively. A quick social media post can help restore people’s confidence, and your willingness to do that proves that you’re not a scammer.
It’s easy to make obvious mistakes that will make your WordPress website appear untrustworthy. When trying to do something innovative and focusing on your product range, you can let simple security essentials and brand-building content slip. Make sure your website doesn’t go without these features for much longer.