10 Important Trust Signals for an Ecommerce Business
Today, the ecommerce industry is growing at a rapid pace which is evident by the sales worldwide that increased from $1.3 trillion in 2014 to $3.5 trillion in 2019 (Shopify). However, this means that competition in the space has also increased considerably.
If you run an online store and fear that you will lose business to the competition over time, then you should establish several trust signals on your website.
Today, the ecommerce industry is growing at a rapid pace which is evident by the sales worldwide that increased from $1.3 trillion in 2014 to $3.5 trillion in 2019 (Shopify). However, this means that competition in the space has also increased considerably.
If you run an online store and fear that you will lose business to the competition over time, then you should establish several trust signals on your website.
What are Trust Signals?
Generally speaking, trust signals are visuals and graphics assets that make the customers feel safe when they shop from an online store. For instance, these can be logos, premium fonts, etc. but can also be testimonials of satisfied customers.
The following are 10 important trust signals that your ecommerce store should have if you want to expand it further:
1. Website Quality
Your ecommerce store needs to look professional and reliable, and you can’t make that happen unless you perfect every small detail first. For instance, the quality of images, navigation features, user interface, etc. are some of the things that affect the overall experience of the users. If they get a “premium feel” from your website, then they will trust it easily.
2. About us Page
Transparency plays a huge role in trust-building which is why need to let the users know all about yourself. It is best done through an “About Us” page that carries important details about your company including its establishment date, names and history of the founders, mission and vision of the brand, etc.
3. Branding
Branding is important for every small and big business, and your ecommerce store is no different. Only by building a unique brand that has a personality, you can stand out from the other ecommerce stores on the Internet and tap into the biggest markets.
There are many things that contribute to a brand- the color palette of your online store, fonts of headings, paragraphs, etc. However, one of the most important parts has to be the logo.
Contrary to what most entrepreneurs think, branding doesn’t cost a fortune. There are all kinds of online tools that allow you to create attractive and top-notch design assets that are used in branding. For instance, you can design a decent logo yourself by using a free tool like PicMonkey. Otherwise, if you want the real deal, then you can make one for less than $40 by using an advanced logo maker. Just remember that logos are important and you should not compromise with the quality and originality of the designs.
4. Social Proof
Social proof trust signals comprise a variety of things viz. customer testimonials, reviews, etc. These can do more than you can imagine in spreading a good word about your brand. This is because people may not trust the words of a brand, but they may believe what the existing customers have to say about the same based on their experiences.
5. Social Media Accounts
Brands create professional accounts on Facebook, Twitter, etc. not just to get started with social media marketing, but also to connect to their customers in an environment where they are more relaxed and more open to sharing updates and news about their favorite brands. So, when you put the links to your social media handles on your ecommerce store, then you show that you are an approachable and social brand.
6. Shipping and Return Policies
One of the biggest fears that online shoppers have about online stores is receiving a damaged/wrong product and failing to return the same. They can’t be blamed either as there are many ecommerce stores that have unclear rules and procedures. Even when they do have clear protocols, they are unfavourable towards the customers. This is why when you do share clear shipping and return policies and they are helpful to the users, then they are able to trust you easily.
7. Professional Photos
If you want to sell more of your products online, then you need to show them in the best light possible. What it means is that you should try to get professional photos of them which is possible when you use DSLR cameras, take the photos from the right angles, and choose a location that has ample light. You can also read a guide on product photography done right if you don’t have basic photography skills.
8. SSL Certification
A trusted ecommerce store usually has a Domain Validation Secure Sockets Layer seal or Extended Validation Secure Sockets Layer seal. This is because these let the customers know that online communication between them and your website is safe and secure as their data is encrypted and hence protected from online threats.
9. Contact Information
It’s hard to trust someone when you know little about them. This is why it’s really important that you share as many details about your company as possible on your website. Some of the things that you may want to add to your “Contact Us” page include contact numbers, email addresses, and the office address(s).
10. High-Quality Content
The copy on your website needs to be both engaging/interesting and also free of grammatical mistakes and typos. This is because a large number of web users are turned off by poor quality content that’s written by inexperienced copywriters and content writers. So, you can’t take any chances and must pick those copywriters that can promise at least decent content if not the best.
In today’s tech-powered world, it’s become easier than ever to build and launch an ecommerce store. However, attracting and retaining customers is a different ball game. So, be sure to put the trust signals discussed above on your ecommerce store and make it easier for new users to place orders with you for the first time. Good luck!