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10 Ways To Improve Your Online Credibility
Your online credibility is one of the most important factors to consider when building an online business. Without credibility, your business is doomed to failure.
Even if you have a great product or service, are a good writer, have tons of traffic and sales, if your credibility is lacking people will not buy from you.
The good news is that there are a few simple things you can do to improve your credibility. If you take the time to do these things and make them a part of your online business routine, you will be able to become a credible expert in your field and attract more customers as a result.
Here are 10 ways to improve your online credibility:
One of the biggest challenges online businesses face is building credibility. After all, most customers prefer to buy from someone they know, like and trust. With that in mind, here are ten ways to improve your online credibility.
1. Create a professional website. Take the time to design a site that looks professional and conveys a sense of quality. Don’t do it yourself unless you’re a pro; it’ll probably look cheap and unprofessional if you do. Your best bet is to hire a pro or invest in high-quality templates that look professional right out of the box.
2. Use testimonials (in moderation). You can include testimonials on your site to support your credibility. Just be sure to use them in moderation; too many testimonials can overwhelm visitors and dilute their effectiveness as credibility boosters.
3. Use photos or videos of yourself and/or your team (also in moderation). Using photos or videos is a great way to put a face behind your business and help build rapport with visitors because they can see what you look like (or at least they can see your team). Again, be sure to use these tools in moderation; too many photos or videos can have the same effect as too many testimonials–overwhelming
Online credibility is the most important tool you need to make your online business successful. Before people will spend money with you, they first need to know that you are credible enough. The following 10 tips will help you achieve this goal:
1. Only use your own words on your web site.
2. Use testimonials from real people who have used your product or service. Get permission from them if you can to quote their names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses on your web site.
3. Use the logo of any third party that has given you an award or certification. If you can’t use the logo, provide a link back to their web site so they can validate your accomplishment themselves.
4. If you have received media coverage or been mentioned in a magazine article, post a link so visitors can read it for themselves.
5. Provide full contact details on each page of your website including postal address (even if it’s a PO Box), phone number and e-mail address.
6. Don’t make promises on your web site that you cannot keep such as “free delivery within 24 hours”. If you do not meet these expectations, customers will be disappointed and may never return to do business with you again.
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1. You need a website that looks professional and up to date. This is not to say people will not do business with you if you have an unprofessional looking site, but it does mean that your credibility and professionalism is going to be questioned right off the bat. If you can’t afford a professionally designed site, there are many low cost options available to help get you started. A good web designer is worth its weight in gold!
2. You must have a privacy policy posted on your website. Not only is this a legal requirement, but it shows your visitors (and potential customers) that they are safe doing business with you.
3. Have a clear purpose for your site – make sure it is easy for your visitors to find their way around your site and understand what you are offering them and why they should buy from you over anyone else.
4. Focus on one product or service at a time rather than trying to sell everything at once.
5. Make sure you have a contact page that includes an email address, phone number and physical address (if appropriate). It’s very important that people know how to contact you! You need to show them that they can trust that they can reach you when they need to, whether it’s before or after
1. Buy your domain name: If you don’t have one, you are working off of someone else’s brand. Get your own domain name, it is cheap and easy.
2. Host it: Do not use a free host for your business site. You need to have full control of your website, and that means having a professional hosting account.
3. Web design: Use a professional web designer. If you are not a graphic artist, you need one to create the look and feel of your website. You can find them very inexpensively on many freelance websites like Guru or Elance.
4. Write content: The best way to build credibility is to write articles that educate people on topics relevant to your business and products or services you offer. This will build trust and establish you as an expert in your field, which is what people want when they are looking to buy something online.
5. Create “How To” Videos: The best way to get found on the internet is using video marketing, so create some “how to” videos that teach people how to do something related to your business or industry and post them on YouTube, Vimeo and other popular video sites with links back to your site.
6. Submit articles: Submit articles about
1. Make sure your contact information is complete and valid.
2. Add a company profile that gives a brief history of your company, where you are located and what your specialties and strengths are.
3. Include real customer testimonials.
4. Create a “frequently asked questions” page or section to answer the most common customer questions.
5. Provide a site map that lists all pages on your website in an easy to follow, hierarchical format.
6. Show off your expertise and knowledge by including articles that you have written or participated in, recent awards you have received, and any other items that show that you know what you are doing.
7. If you sell products online, make sure your product descriptions include product specifications and images of your products in use, if possible.
8. If you offer services online, include service descriptions that give a detailed explanation of each service offered and how it can benefit the consumer or solve their problem.
9. Be sure to list any certifications or licenses that are important to your business or industry so consumers know they can trust you to deliver quality products or services at a fair price as stated in your advertising campaign or sales pitch.
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