Increase Conversion Through Trust

Guest post by Ran, online marketing manger of Wood and Beyond 

Whether you are selling a product online or promoting a service, the days of evaluating your success based on traffic to the site are probably over. Today the name of the game is how well you are able to convert your traffic to undertake the desired action which profits your business. If you are selling online the desired action is a purchase, and if you are promotion a service the desired action might be a phone call lead. To achieve your goals you must first create high level of trust with the potential customers.

How to increase conversion rates by creating trust with potential customers:

Add a privacy statement - Similar to the way in which customers are trained to search for the lock symbol (also know as site secure) when buying online, some look for 'privacy statement'. This statement describes what you as the business owner intend to do with their information and in some cases included in the site's terms and conditions. By adding a privacy statement you will increase your credibility and boost customer trust making it more likely to convert well.

Add your contact information - Perhaps the biggest impact on conversion rates is listing full transparent contact information including phone number, email address, physical address and even an picture of your office building. Whether buying a product or ordering a service customers are looking for reassurance that the business is solid and should the need arises they will be able to contact the business.
 

Add testimonials and reviews - When it comes to using testimonials and reviews to increase conversion rates you might ask 10 people different and get 10 different answers. Clearly there's no definitive answer, however even if it works to convert a small percentage of customers it is worth adding. By posting real testimonials and reviews, some glowing and some less, you will increase your credibility and likelihood of conversion. Make sure to add new testimonial often to give returning customers the impressions the business is very much active.
 

Show 3rd party accreditation - Are you a member of any professional organization? Has your business won any awards lately? If the answer is yes, make sure to write about it. If the answer is no, consider listing even basic associations such as a Yellow Pages icon if your business is listed, a PayPal icon if you are selling online and accepting PayPal etc. Associations and 3rd party accreditation will help your business get that authoritative brand image and help increase conversions.
 

CHeck your grammar and spelling - These mistakes and typos could be extremely damaging to your brand and also quite tricky to find in time. Consider getting a second pair of eyes to proof read any new content as customers sometimes associate your level of content with your ability to deliver high quality products or service.

How do you increase conversion rates?