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Incorporate Trust Signals

Author: Eleanor Hecks

What Does It Mean to Incorporate Trust Signals Into Your Site Design?

Your website visitors have no inherent reason to trust what you say. You must show them you are an expert in your field and offer highly accurate information that answers their question or solves their problem. Once you establish your authority on the topic and show transparent information, they’ll begin to rely on you as a source. 

Google also looks to trust signals like these when ranking your site in search engine results pages.

On-Topic Information

Google prefers pages that match user intent. Its rankings correlate with the depth of the appropriate topic and how well the article matches the intention behind the keywords. 

For example, someone who searches for “best restaurants near me” probably expects to find reviews and menus. If you write an article about a history of local eateries or dining trends without providing specific recommendations, the topic likely doesn’t match what the user wanted. 

Google Security Badges and Memberships

People shopping on e-commerce sites want to know their information will remain secure. Trust seals are a way to demonstrate your commitment to keeping customer details private. Badges from companies such as SSL, payment logos and business practice seals can ramp up the trust factor on your page. 

Remember to include your Better Business Bureau badge with rating, ScanVerify and TrustLock if you have them. You should also add third-party badges from trusted industry organizations you belong to.

Sustainability Information

People care about taking care of the planet for future generations. Adding details about what your company does to be more environmentally friendly can attract users who are also eco-conscious. Around 62% of C-suite leaders believe having a sustainability strategy keeps them competitive. 

Look for badges from sustainability partners you use in business processes and logistics to show your commitment to being greener.

Testimonials 

Adding testimonials to your site designs shows that you have satisfied customers who enjoyed their experience with your company enough to recommend you to others. One way to incorporate testimonials into your design is to add a scrolling bar in the footer featuring client statements about your product. You can also create a separate testimonials page.

When users see others are happy with your work, they’re more likely to take a chance on you. Even if they take company leaders’ statements with a grain of salt, a stranger’s comments may convince them.

Guarantees 

If you offer guarantees, add a badge or details about the offers to your website. Users are more likely to try your product if they know there’s a return policy that gives them their money back. Be specific about the terms of the guarantee, such as 100% money back within 30 days. List limitations in small print, so you don’t catch people off-guard with unexpected fees or other surprises.

About Page 

An about page is a glimpse of who you are and what your company’s philosophy is. Use your about page to share details of your history, values, goals and mission statement.

Around 63% of people who trust a brand are more likely to purchase from them. Your about page should include photos of leadership and a description of what each person brings to the table for customers. 

Make contact information like your phone number, email address and physical address prominent on every page — the footer is a standard location. People want to know they can talk to a real person if they have a problem. 

Client Logos 

Another thing you can do is add logos of well-known brands you’ve worked with. People are more likely to believe you know what you’re doing if they see companies they recognize. You’ve likely noticed this technique on other websites.

Typically, the logos appear under the testimonials or reviews section of your site. Before adding a company’s logo, double-check their brand standards. When in doubt, reach out directly to ensure you have permission to use their logo in this way. Adding a small trust signal isn’t worth damaging an ongoing relationship with a valued client.

User-Generated Content

Many millennial shoppers turn to user-generated content to make decisions about what to purchase. Around 80% of millennials in the United States said they find user-generated videos to be valuable when shopping for products. 

Interestingly, the same statistics show Gen Xers feel similar and come in a close second when considering UGC before buying. Allowing users to add content to your website can add to the trust factor. 

Invite them to upload images of your product, post comments to your blog or add unbiased reviews for a content-rich experience. Those additions will also keep your site fresh and could help boost organic traffic. 

What Are Some Other Trust Signals to Include on a Website?

Though badges, testimonials and other components are crucial, people also tend to trust a site more when it looks professional and functions properly. Pay attention to your design. Does it match industry standards?

You should also ensure:

  • The layout is intuitive and easy to navigate through image and typographic hierarchies.
  • Page load speeds are fast.
  • Links work and you quickly fix broken ones.
  • Each heading accurately explains what the page is about.
  • Your copy is concise, accurate and typo-free.
  • You use crisp, beautiful images that are relevant to the topic.

When your site follows good design standards, the look can serve as a trust signal to users. Add the elements people expect to see in a secure company that stands behind its products. Then, home in on the small details that separate you from your competition and give customers the nudge they need to buy from your brand. 

How to Show off Great Testimonials On My Website

Author: Eleanor Hecks

Driving traffic to your website requires dedication, time and money. Once you get people there, you want to ensure you grab their attention and gain their trust. Adding factors such as testimonials can help show users your business is legitimate and others are happy with your product or service.

Figuring out where and when to share customer testimonials isn’t always easy. Should you utilize video? Perhaps a few words of praise are all that’s needed? Where should the testimonials go? How often and how many examples should you share? Figuring out the best way to showcase them can make you stand out from your competitors.

How Can I Make My Testimonials Interesting?

About 72% of people think positive online reviews are much more convincing than anything a business says about itself. With so many turning to reviews and testimonials to figure out if they want to do business with your brand, sharing the best ones on your website makes sense.

The last thing you want to do is make your website look exactly like your competitors’ sites, though. It’s crucial to find interesting ways to share the information and keep their interest. The best testimonials are easy to read and presented in a visually appealing way. Here are some of the best things to focus on for great testimonials on your website:

1. Put a Face to the Words

Add in some images of the people sharing the testimonials. Words alone aren’t nearly as convincing as words and an image the user can see. They’ll relate to some of the people you list and be able to see they are real individuals sharing their experience with your brand.

Source: https://dribbble.com/testimonials

Dribble uses a variety of styles on their page, with a few faces mixed in as photographs and videos. The combination of text and images presents a powerful picture of what the site can do for various types of creators.

2. Vary the Selections

One of the biggest advantages to adding testimonials to your website is that you can handpick which ones appear. Rather than choosing ones that say essentially the same thing, try to focus on different benefits of your business.

What are the most unique benefits to choosing you over a competitor? How can you showcase the pros to your site visitors?

3. Use Third-Party Reviews

Another idea is to mix in some third-party review site clips. People aren’t beholden to your brand when they go on a review site and share a few words. Those glowing reviews hold a lot of weight with potential customers.

Source: https://shutterandsound.com/reviews

Shutter & Sound does something interesting on their site to share snippets of people’s words with their visitors. They curate reviews from sites, such as The Knot and WeddingWire. The page is laid out grid-style, which creates a streamlined appearance for users.

4. Consider Placement

Think about where on your site is the best placement for your testimonials. You may want to share them after the person figures out what you offer. Where in the buyer’s journey is the best time to showcase what others said about your business.

Should you include a testimonial above the fold or below? For some sites, they might work best scattered here and there. Try different placement and conduct A/B tests to see where the testimonials perform best with your target audience.

5. Add Videos

Video testimonials bring a personal touch to your testimonials. Because each of your customers has a different personality, the variety of tones, attitude and words will show potential leads people from all walks of life are happy with your product or service.

Source: https://www.codecademy.com

Codecademy shares learner stories to explain how people are finding inspiration from their coding courses. Some of the people they showcase include a healthcare administrator, a stay-at-home mom who sought a new career and an electrical engineer. All sought something new from their time at Codecademy and changed their lives in some way. The stories are highly inspiring.

6. Keep Posts Short

Your testimonials are different from case studies. You don’t want to make them so lengthy that you lose focus on the key factor you want to share. Stick to a single point at a time, whether it’s excellent customer service or results.

If a testimonial is more than a paragraph or two, look for ways to shorten it. Remember people are short on time, so they want information they can absorb quickly.

7. Be Authentic

It’s crucial you only use real testimonials and reviews. Never make them up or have people you personally know write them. The internet has a way of uncovering such tricks and you’ll look like you aren’t honest to potential customers.

It’s fine to message your top clients and ask if they’d be willing to share a few words about your business. Just make sure it’s in their words and they offer the review of their own free will. It’s probably best to not offer any compensation either as they could be seen more as a paid endorsement than a testimonial.

Add a Few at a Time

You don’t have to start with dozens of testimonials to make an impact on site visitors. Add the ones you have and you can always import additional ones at a future date. A great review may also garner others as your customers see the words their counterparts shared. A few great testimonials can add a lot of interest and detail to your website.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.

Guide to All Different Types of Videos

Author: Torrey Tayenaka

Should all marketing videos need to be professional productions to convert consumers? Or does a sneak peek at a new product in a series of social media stories fit the bill? 

When it comes to video marketing, as long as your videos offer your target audience value, education, or entertainment, they’re all contributing to your marketing and conversion efforts. 

But what kind of videos are suitable for each section of the marketing funnel? 

The truth is some video types overlap different areas of the sales funnel. A branding video might lead directly to a sale if the customer is engaged enough. 

So what types of videos are suitable for different business goals? 

Brand Awareness And Promotion

At the top of the marketing funnel, the awareness stage is the first step towards guiding your prospect towards a sale. 

Any videos in this stage need to grab attention, hook potential customers in, and persuade them to find out more. 

Brand Videos 

Any new customer coming to your website wants to know if you align with their needs and values. Brand videos help highlight the culture and values of your business. 

Authenticity is high on the must-have list of consumers, so humanizing your brands has never been more important. 

You can show authenticity and humanize your brand with content like behind-the-scenes footage, employee highlights, or short spots about company culture. Short introductory videos on your home page, along with stories and short videos on social media, help customers get to know you and increase brand awareness. 

Pro tip: Don’t produce videos for the sake of it. Have an end goal in mind. Viewers will tell straight away if you aren’t being sincere. 

Explainer Videos

When a potential customer lands on your website, they have a specific problem and look to you to solve it. 

Explainer videos are great because website user attention spans are short. So by grabbing attention with a video that highlights the solution to their pain point, it keeps users on the page longer. 

Furthermore, research shows that brand videos convince 84% of people to buy after watching—excellent news for awareness, promotion, and conversion goals. 

Pro tip: Focus on one or two points to hold your audience’s attention and place the video on your home page for maximum visibility. 

Product Videos 

Educational and instructional videos improve the user experience of the consumer. Better still, they tell the viewer all the benefits of your product. 

Using product videos is a chance to show off and differentiate your product from others on the market. It’s a golden opportunity to catch buyers in the awareness stage and show them why your brand is the solution they’re seeking. 

Pro tip: Product videos shouldn’t be longer than 30 seconds to hold attention. 

Customer-Focused Videos To Increase Conversions 

Once you have your potential customers engaged, it’s time to shift them further along the sales funnel and aim to convert to a sale.

And the best way to do that? 

Use social proof. 

Customer Testimonials 

One of the best ways to get a conversion is through customer testimonials. 

Authentically sharing a customer’s opinions can increase trust in your brand. In fact, 88% of consumers say that video testimonials make them more likely to buy. 

However, a word of caution. 

Customer testimonials should never be fiction. Consumers can see through staged reviews (think the cheesy customer testimonials you see on TV adverts), which destroys credibility. So only use genuine customer views. 

Pro tip: When asking for a testimonial, provide the customer with a structure to guide them. By asking the right questions, you’ll get answers that highlight the benefits of your product. 

Case Studies 

Video is the perfect medium for case studies. It highlights the emotion of your customer and adds authenticity to the study. Sometimes the written copy isn’t enough to portray customer satisfaction in the effective way a video can. 

Pro tip: When creating video case studies, think about: 

  • What is the end goal for the case study? 
  • Who is your target audience, and does the case study target their wants and needs
  • Does the case study highlight the benefits of your product?
  • Have you structured the case study with carefully constructed questions? 

Faq Videos

Perfect for answering common customer concerns and questions, FAQ videos are quicker and easier than scrolling through written questions. It also shows your consumers that you care about their needs and want to help them.

Equally, having an FAQ page boosts your SEO and ranking as Google tends to prefer video content. 

Pro tip: Points to include in an FAQ video could consist of:

  • How to set up and how to use the product
  • Information about warranties
  • What to avoid when using the product
  • How to store the product 
  • Information about returns and exchanges

Use The Correct Type Of Video For Your Marketing Goals And Watch Your ROI Rise 

There are many other video types out there, including corporate expertise, recruitment, and webinar videos. Which video you choose to use depends on your customer research – match your video to where your target audience hangs out online, what content they want to see, and what video style best suits their needs.

Author Bio:

Torrey Tayenaka

Torrey Tayenaka is the co-founder and CEO at Sparkhouse, an Orange County based video marketing production agency. He is often asked to contribute expertise in publications like Entrepreneur, Single Grain and Forbes. Sparkhouse is known for transforming video marketing and advertising into real conversations.Rather than hitting the consumer over the head with blatant ads, Sparkhouse creates interesting, entertaining and useful videos that enrich the lives of his clients’ customers. In addition to Sparkhouse, Torrey has also founded the companies Eva Smart Shower, Litehouse & Forge54.

Startup Digital Marketing Strategies to Double Your Sales

Author: Arslan Haider

Assuming you are maintaining a business over the web, there should be amazing advertising systems. Here we will talk about a couple of tips for improved online deals.

Deals Cycle:

It is smarter to plan a business cycle for the item. The business cycle is the system to pitch your item to a client. It includes every one of the means to sell the item. Characterize the business pattern of your item, since it will decide the stage where you ought to do publicizing for your item. So, all showcasing systems depend on the business pattern of an item. Research does as well, and testing for deciding the ideal deals cycle.

Checkout Measure:

It is prescribed to improve the checkout cycle for your item. This is the most dismissed showcasing procedure in a business. You try sincerely and contribute a ton to arrive at expected clients, so don’t leave space for the client to forsake the truck relinquishment. Build up the checkout cycle simple, smooth, and intelligent with the goal that clients may not face trouble. It is the best methodology for keeping your clients unblemished. On the off chance that there are a few pages for shopping the item, build up an advancement bar, so clients realize the means to be taken further or have taken as of now.

Item Portrayals:

Clients consistently search for item portrayals, so it is strongly prescribed to add the item depiction. You can likewise give an item direct having each insight regarding the item. It adds believability to your item in the event that you incorporate client criticism or surveys. These surveys give a gauge to clients to buy your item. It is obligatory to add a different page for regularly posed inquiries. It is prescribed to compose portrayals alongside catchphrases. It will improve the SEO of your site. Not only that, but it is smarter to upgrade the representations that will in the end expand the positioning of the site, and your business will get obvious, prompting more deals. Along these lines, item portrayals assume a focal part in moving your business higher than previously.

Transportation Costs:

For better client experience, it is prescribed to show the transportation expenses of an item. It is seen that organizations frequently don’t show the delivery cost and lose the clients, since clients become more acquainted with the transportation subtleties toward the finish of the cycle. Show dispatching subtleties at the corner where the client begins entering his/her data. Clients don’t feel better in the event that they begin filling in the delivery data without having the expense shown over the screen. Make your clients of each minor insight concerning the item and the installment. It will carry more clients to your business.

Continue to Shop:

It is prescribed to put the alternative of ‘continue to shop’ close to the ‘proceed with checkout’ so clients can without much of a stretch discover it on the page. In the internet business, such alternatives are not difficult to fuse in the checkout cycle.

Types of Installment:

To carry believability to your item and site, it is prescribed to add the logos of various types of installments that your business is tolerating. You can add real and well-known security instruments to acquire the trust of the client. The security logo will make clients believe their charge card data will be handled correctly.

Retargeting:

Retargeting is the best advertising methodology. This system becomes effective when guests leave the site of your business without purchasing anything. Retargeting is a well-known strategy to catch the crowd for most extreme deals. You can put your items on the sites which are visited by the clients. Then, clients will see your items. Email showcasing is another helpful instrument to publicize your business. Send special messages to the guests of your site. This will expand traffic on your site, in the end prompting expanded deals.

Computerizations:

Email showcasing is more viable than web-based media crusades. Gather the messages of the guest through web-based media missions and make an email list. Mechanization is important for the email-promoting methodology. Set up the email computerization like invite email, request booking email, checkout email, truck surrender email, and so forth.

Update Your Site:

It is prescribed to refresh your site every now and again. More established sites are an obvious objective for spammers. So in the event that you have as of late built-up your business over the web, consider making a refreshed site. Clients additionally feel good when they visit the site with similar pith as other business sites; in any case, there comes a sensation of suspiciousness.

Web-Based Media:

Web-based media is one of the developing and famous discussions across the globe. Try to have a record on each web-based media stage, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and so on It is additionally important to consistently post the material about your business, yet a savvy technique is to construct productive showcasing efforts to develop your business. You can likewise remember recordings for your showcasing efforts and post the video on all web-based media stages.

Assume you are selling the lash tweezers over the web, at that point make a video using the lash tweezers. You can transfer recordings of the person utilizing your item. This will build the commitment of clients to your business.

Author Bio:

Arslan Haider is the author of the above blog. He is a Senior SEO Expert at MediaHicon (deals in SEO services). Apart from that, he loves to post blogs with valuable content.

How to Utilize Customer Reviews to Improve Your Site Design

Author: Eleanor Hecks

You have just a few short seconds to capture the interest of site visitors. Every element on your page must work together to engage and entice them to hang around. The look of your design as well as the content on your page has a significant impact.

Internet Live Stats estimates there are 1.85 billion websites. The number changes constantly and not all are active at the same time, but no matter how you look at the numbers, you have a lot of things competing for consumer attention.

One thing that is customized to your business is reviews from happy customers. You can implement feedback into your site design to grab attention and drive users to the next step in the buyer’s journey. Let’s look at some of the ways to best utilize reviews and a couple of examples of brands doing it right.

1. Add Testimonials

When you receive a really great review, you may want to get in touch with your customer and ask to add it to your website under testimonials. People who land on your page have no reason to trust you. They are much more likely to listen to what their peers think.

You could also contact those leaving great reviews and ask if they’ll write a testimonial for you. You could use a video testimonial or a written one.

Stio utilizes people who already love their products as brand ambassadors. They’ll share quotes from each person about why they love the products, images of them using various equipment and the ambassadors tell others about the company.

2. Answer Questions

You can also use reviews to answer common questions customers have. Analyze calls and live chat topics. What are the top questions your audience has before making a purchase? Can you answer any of those questions by highlighting certain reviews.

One example might be a clothing site where people often ask if things run true to size. You can answer this question through reviews where the customer states how the item fits.

3. Share Your Rating

If you have a number of reviews under your belt, you can show a pattern of great customer service and consistency with your overall rating. If you have 4.5 out of 5 stars, share that information with people who land on your page.

Use visuals, such as colored-in stars to highlight your achievement. You could also add a link so people can read some of the reviews.

Dataforma shares that they have an average 4.5 out of 5 stars via more than 100 reviews on two different websites. This shows a clear pattern of excellence. New leads can see they deliver on what they promise and have many happy clients. Just under the average rating, they share some awards they’ve won.

4. Engage with Customers

Feedback is your opportunity to engage with customers. If someone leaves you a great review on Facebook, thank them and let them know you appreciate their patronage. When you get a negative review, take the time to reach out and try to fix the problem. This also shows others that you take the customer experience seriously and want to make things right.

Think of reviews as a chance to have a conversation with your customer base. Some interactions might start negative, but the goal is to create a positive outcome.

5. Ask for Reviews

Don’t be afraid to ask your customers for reviews. Email them after a purchase and ask if they’ll leave an honest review. You can even offer a discount on their next order when they leave one.

Add a button on your site making it easy for clients to add their thoughts. Don’t create too many steps. Let them share their rating, a few words and their name. You do want to make sure they are actually customers as some unscrupulous competitors may leave negative reviews just to make you look bad.

If you want to learn how to seek reviews, take a course on Udemy and you’ll learn a lot. Throughout the course, the instructor asks for reviews. When you log into the platform, you’ll see an invitation to leave a rating on each course. Many instructors also send out a message halfway through and at the end of a class asking if you’ll review them.

6. Highlight in the Header

Use a hero shot of a product and then highlight a review in the header. You can swap out the feedback to match items you’d like to promote. If you get a new item in, wait for a few of the first reviews or ask your ambassadors to rate ahead of time.

7. Place on Product Pages

Another way to use reviews is by placing them directly on product pages. This gives potential customers an idea of what others think of the item. If they need more details, they can click to expand the ratings and read the actual reviews.

The Horse places a star rating on each product page along with the number of reviews. Click on the stars or scroll to the bottom of the page to expand the selection and read what others think of the item.

Use as a Trust Factor

The best reviews help build name recognition and trust in your brand. Take the time to read through feedback from your customers. Highlight the words that make you want to buy the item. Think through the questions users likely have and answer them by sharing detailed reviews. You can encourage buyers to take the next step by providing as much information as possible.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.