How a great website can build trust

As I’ve mentioned before, subtle choices that a web designer makes with the look and feel of a website are critical to the success of the whole endeavor.

There are so many specific things that directly affect success, and equally, so many intangibles.

I guess we need to start with the classic quote “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” right?

A website can either pull someone in immediately and turn them into a customer for life or turn them off in ways that push them away forever.

At the most basic level, designing a website that looks and feels like a professional, reputable and trustworthy business is key.

The little things really do matter with web design.

How many times have you driven past a business that just looks kinda fly by night in your town? You can send this same message with a bad or outdated design when someone arrives at your site.

One of the things I wonder when I see a badly designed website is if they don’t care about the quality of such an important, public-facing asset, what is the quality of their products or services?

If I could throw out another quote… Perception precedes reality. (I think it was Andy Warhol) Essentially, it doesn’t matter what the reality is. The customer’s perception is the only thing that matters and you just can’t get around that.

I think one of the most important things that we must do when designing a website, is to focus on building trust.

This involves everything from how the website visually “feels”, to the specific words we use to tell the story or to get someone to take action on a goal.

But there are many more factors that need to be considered and presented to create trust.

I mean, the list is long, from the quality of the images on the page, to whether you clearly provide a phone number and a physical address.

Clearly designing social proof into your website in the form of reviews and testimonials, as well as showing trust factors like
certifications, association memberships, security badges, and awards.

Even the quality of your logo and branding, the color choices that you make, the subtle use of typography make people feel comfortable and enjoy engaging with the site.

These are ALL design decisions, and doing it well ultimately allows you to directly influence how people feel about you and control perception.

All of these subtle decisions can impact whether you’re able to start building a relationship, and trust is the foundation of any prosperous relationship.