Why don’t visitors trust me? Counteract 7 obstacles to trust

1. Inaccurate information
   People are worried that information could be erroneous or out-dated. In some instances, it could have serious consequences: academics could lose their reputation by quoting unreliable data; business owners could take regrettable commercial decisions based on groundless advice; people could endanger their life by trying unproven or dated remedies. Make sure your web content is fresh and well-researched. When necessary, quote the source of your information, insert the date when your content was last updated and add a disclaimer.



2. Misrepresentation
   People don’t like to be duped or mislead by biased information. Any affiliation or sponsorship should be disclosed. Differentiate objective content from advertisements by grouping adverts under headings such as ‘paid advertisements’ or ‘sponsored links’.



3. Unscrupulous website owners
   People are worried of fly-by-nights, business owners that offer false promises and disappear into cyberspace once they have obtained people’s information or money. People fear being left without customer support or after-sales service. Dissipate their fears by giving your physical address and phone number. An email address is not sufficient. Respond promptly to emails and phone calls.



4. Spam
   People are hesitant to disclose their personal details. They worry that the confidential information could be sold and they would receive loads of spam messages. Display a concise privacy policy statement beside each web form requesting information from your visitors. This policy should state that the information solicited will not be disclosed to third parties and that it will be used for the sole purpose for which it was requested. Be fair. A permission to download a freebie is not a permission to subscribe to your newsletter unless clearly stated otherwise.



5. Fraudulent use of credit card details
   People are uneasy to disclose their credit card details for fear the information could be misused. Reassure customers by explaining your security measures, such as the transfer of data through a secure server and the safe storage of their trusted information.



6. Virus
   People are frightened to download files that could damage their computer. Choose file formats that are relatively safe to download, such as PDF files, and avoid Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and .exe files because they are notorious for nasties.



7. Failure of website functionality
   People dread having an error message or losing the information while completing a survey, contact form or order form. A well designed and maintained site will reassure people who are disclosing their confidential information. Professionalism goes hand-in-hand with trustworthiness.

Once people are on your website, build their trust by allaying their fears and win their business.