Most critical aspect on the web is to build visitor trust

Because transparency has become all but inevitable, building and keeping the trust of potential customers is vital. One of the best places to do that is from a website.

I know that trust is the building block of every relationship-including those that begin and grow online. So I asked myself: Does my website increase my credibility?

Using web video can build the trust

When I walk into a store or visit a business for a meeting I have the ability to sense what the business and the people are all about. On the web it is different. Visitors to my website have no clue as to who I am. They usually have to guess by the "look and feel" of the website. I could be a large corporate, but my website may not depict this look or I may be a single business owner working out of my garage but the website may look so great the visitor believes my company must be a large corporate.

I am aware that everyone is talking about web video as being the next "big thing" but how do I use it to my advantage? I know many owners of websites who want to stand out from the crowd and the old way of thinking was to get the graphics right and be able to write attention getting headlines.

But that was yesterday's thinking (which really treats the web as print media where you have the printed word and artwork to deal with), but today on the web I am able to do so much more by using video, even in South Africa, I can talk to and demonstrate my products and services to my visitors from the home page with video. How exciting is that?

An honest approach

A colleague said to me the other day, "If you want people to trust you they need to see who you are and what is behind the company. Sure they can read it from your web pages but how many people actually bother and if they do how much do they believe or even remember?

"You don't have to go to elaborate ends to develop a website that gives visitors a reason to trust using it and ultimately it is your business. You just need to start with an honest approach.

"Letting people see who you are by talking to them on video let's people get a much better sense of the subject matter and your trustworthiness. Don't be scared to show your presentation skills or weaknesses this just enhances to your visitors that you are human. If someone walks into your store or company they don't expect you to deliver the most professional presentation in the world, they expect you to deliver a compelling reason why they should buy from you. Tell your visitors about your products and services so that they understand you and your company better."

I now know that everyone in 2014 can become a broadcaster and display trust using video as I am doing it on my home page. When someone comes to my website, he or she can clearly see that I am exactly what I say I am both by what I talk about and the way in which I do it. In just a week the result has been three large enquiries from prospective customers.