Trust is a big issue with web sites. The only way a viewer will purchase from you is if they have some trust in what you do. Here are 10 fairly easy ways to create trust with your site visitors.

1. Match your market. Your site should reflect the likes and dislikes of your target customers. This may mean looking a little campy. Or it may mean being very tight on the language used (as in a corporate site). Whatever the case, show that you are “one of them”.

2. Provide Contact information. Display a phone number prominently. Even if the viewer doesn’t use it having a number to call *just in case* is reassuring. Of course if they do use it they are very close to a sale and that is just good business. A toll-free number is better than an area code number.

Provide an address. This can be on your contact page but having a real brick and mortar (even if it is your home) behind the site is a good sign to visitors. Try to make sure the address is on a professional sounding street — Enterprise Blvd. is much better than Mockingbird Ln.. And don’t use a PO Box. PO Boxes often promote the ideas of small business, fly-by-night or “doesn’t want to be bothered”. If needed, rent a PO Box that uses suite numbers.

3. Reduce the risk. Make a guarantee or warranty.

4. Prove it. Whatever your claim is show that you can back it up. Make sure your claim is believable. Sometimes a 100% money-back guarantee or “free offer” is not believable or hints at another agenda. Watch out for “too good to be true” offers that turn prospects off.

5. Post testimonials, case studies or a portfolio. Testimonials are the second-best form of advertising after word-of-mouth referrals. Make sure they are real and believable. Case studies don’t necessarily need to be for your own products but if well-done they can display your product benefits realistically. A portfolio of clients or projects will show how qualified you are.

6. Give some personal insight. Let the viewer know about your family. What are your hobbies? Say “I” sometimes. You are looking for a personal connection that will run deeper than just the facts and a real person is more fun and trustworthy than an anonymous source.

7. Include pictures. Pictures add a face to the company and give viewers someone to identify with. Pictures of staff are good, especially when staff is having fun! One of the most picture-driven sites I can think of is shoemoney.com where he adds new pictures all the time even though they don’t necessarily have anything to do with his business. Pictures are personal and create a personal connection.

8. Cop to errors. It is hard to believe a company is 100% perfect but it is easy to believe a company screws up. By admitting your errors you show that you are honest and continuing to learn. Then you can turn the admission into something positive.

9. Keep your site fresh. Add new content and make sure the design hasn’t fallen out of date. Blogs are very useful for this. So is a “new features” page. You don’t want to turn return visitors away because if they are coming back they are really interested but if the site hasn’t changed they may think it is abandoned.

10. Get news coverage. Or if you can’t at least make some press releases and add them to your site. If you are willing to take the speculation of the press you must be reputable!

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