A couple of weeks ago web copywriter Nick Usborne queried readers of his (excellent) Excess Voice e-newsletter about what makes a website credible. The question was: “If testimonials are somewhat unreliable as a means for establishing credibility, what DOES make you trust a site and believe in its integrity?”
While the results may not be statistically reliable they raise some interesting issues for web copywriters. The respondents’ biggest credibility buster was lack of a physical address and contact telephone number. This is also Jakob Nielsen’s 8th biggest web design mistake of 2005.
Even if your business is conducted 100% online it’s crucial to include your full contact details. Prospects will feel more confident about doing business with you if they know you have a brick and mortar office and you can be contacted by phone if necessary.
Other factors that improve credibility according to the survey are a guarantee and return policy, testimonials, independent product reviews, and good writing that’s not too hard sell. To that I would add professional and attractive design, good usability, complete information about products and services, a prominent privacy policy and sensitive use of email.
Read the full results of the survey
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About the author: Charles Cuninghame is a website copywriter who helps business owners and marketing managers attract great clients from their websites.
If your website isn’t generating as many sales and leads as you’d like, be sure to grab a free copy of The Profitable Website Cheat Sheet.
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