In the early days of the internet, back when everyone thought Flash websites were cool, users were extremely hesitant to hand over their credit card information and personal details to a website – any website.
People were saying things like "Will the mass market ever want to buy things over the internet?" and "Is the internet just a fad?" It's true; I was there and I heard it with my own ears!
This lack of trust in ecommerce was a hurdle that online retailers had to overcome if they wanted their businesses to survive, so the concept of "trust signals" was born.
At first, trust signals were little more than simple trust seals and badges designed to communicate credibility to online audiences. But over the years, simple icons and graphics have given way to much more complex and nuanced methods of building relationships and establishing trust.
Today, thanks to the emergence of inbound marketing, almost all business is conducted online. Trust signals are now vitally important to attracting website visitors, establishing trust and converting visitors into customers.
Trust signals are important to Google as well. Many trust signals are now ranking factors that help to determine your website's position in the search engine results pages (SERPs). The more trustworthy your site, the higher it's likely to rank.
So how do you build trust with people and search engines? Simple: you follow my ultimate trust signal checklist!
Not everything in my trust signal checklist will be apply to every website, but the majority will. And if you go through each point and apply the recommendations to your own site, I'm confident you'll see traffic and conversions increase as visitors and search engines come to trust you and your business.
I've also added a handy feature that tracks your progress as you check off each recommendation, which you can find at the bottom of the page.
Some of the trust signal checklist recommendations will take minutes to implement, while others will take much longer. Some will also require a certain level of web design and development expertise.
If you don't have the time or resources to optimise your website yourself, our conversion rate optimisation services could be just what you need.
See also: The Ultimate Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) Checklist
Website reputation
While Google trusts a website that's two years old the same as one that's five years old, newly-registered domains usually have to establish themselves for a few months before they're viewed the same as older domains.
If your website has been penalised for violating Google's webmaster guidelines, you'll be on probation for a while and you'll notice a drop in visibility. Unsurprisingly, it will take a while to win Google's trust back.
Visitors usually trust websites with a dot-com domain more than ones with an obscure one. And if you want to know which domains have the worst reputations for spam, check out this list of the world's most abused TLDs.
As with domain age, some SEO's believe the length of domain registration makes your website more trustworthy to Google, while others don't. But if you can register a domain for three years or more, you probably should.
Google views links from others websites to yours as a vote of confidence in the quality of your site and content. If authoritative sources link to your site, you'll get a lot more love from Google.
Nothing gets Google's alarm bells ringing quite like 5,000 backlinks from blog comments. It looks unnatural, and if there's one thing Google won't tolerate it's unnatural backlinks designed to manipulate the system.
Website architecture
An SSL certificate authenticates a website's identity and enables an encrypted connection. It's essential for all websites, and if you don't have one, some visitors may not even be able to access your site at all.
Descriptive URLs like "yoursite.com/sofas/3-seater-leather-sofa/" are easier for people to read and understand than dynamic ones, such as "yoursite.com/category=Sofas&code=SKU450114".
As a user navigates your site, they don't want to encounter broken pages. It erodes confidence in the website. Make sure your site has a 404 error page that helps users get back on track after clicking on a broken link.
Server errors are even worse than broken links, because they tell visitors that the website doesn't work properly. Server errors could also give users the impression that their personal information is at risk of exposure.
People are used to browsing websites that work well on their phones and tablets. If yours doesn't, they'll wonder why. So will Google, and they'll rank websites that do work well on mobile devices above yours.
User experience
Visitors are likely to associate an unresponsive website with unresponsive customer support, so your pages need to load quickly. Page speed is also a ranking signal for Google, meaning lower rankings for slower websites.
A simple, intuitive user experience with easy conversion paths suggests transparency to your visitors and makes them more comfortable filling out a form or completing a purchase.
Everyone is different, so why show everyone the same content? Demonstrate that you understand the unique needs and expectations of your customers by creating personalised experiences and offers for your website visitors.
Make it easy for visitors to reach you by offering multiple contact methods. People want to know they can contact you if they have a problem with their order, and they're less likely to trust you if they can't.
Design and content
If your website looks like it was built in 1995, visitors will hit the back button faster than a speeding ticket. First impressions count, so it's worth hiring a reputable web design company to create a custom design for your brand.
Take the time to create valuable content that answers your visitors' questions and solves their problems, and they'll recognise you as a trusted source of information for whatever it is they're buying.
It's a good idea to regularly review and update your content – especially if it's about technical subjects or current topics – because visitors who notice it's out-of-date will quickly leave your site and look for more recent information.
You'll invariably need to use stock images on your website, but try to include your own photographs as well. Photos of your offices, employees, products and customers can really help to build customer confidence in your brand.
People trust products and services when they understand how they will help them, and that's exactly what a UVP does: it describes the benefits of your offer and explains how it will solve your customers' problems.
Non-existent social media profiles are a red flag to many website visitors, so make sure you have a presence on the social networks that are important to your customers. And don't forget to link to your profiles from your website.
Including an author bio on your blog posts helps to build a relationship with your audience, and the author's name itself can serve as a validation that something is actually worth reading.
Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are a trust killer, because it gives people the impression that your work is sloppy. If your website is too large to check manually, Seobility can crawl your site and find spelling mistakes.
Adding your physical location to your website, along with photos of your shop or office, makes people feel confident that you are who you say you are, and not just a fly-by-night operation with no accountability.
Little things are easy to overlook, and your website copyright notice is one of them. If you can, use a snippet of code to update the year automatically, otherwise your site will look out-of-date if you forget to update it manually.
If you run a limited business and/or you're VAT registered, don't forget to add your company registration and VAT numbers to your website. It's a small addition, but it adds a lot of credibility to your website and business.
Website pages
An informative 'About Us' page shares your company's story, mission, and values, helping to humanise your brand and forge a powerful connection with your target audience.
A 'Team' page showcases the people behind your business, building trust through transparency and personality. Featuring roles, bios, and photos helps to humanise your brand and build a connection with your audience.
A 'Pricing' page that clearly outlines the cost of your products or services can help users make more informed purchasing decisions. Clear pricing removes ambiguity, builds trust, and can reduce friction in the buying process.
Creating a page on your site that contains accessible contact details, such as an email address, phone number, or contact form, builds credibility and enables users to reach out with questions or concerns.
A portfolio showcases examples of your previous work, demonstrating the quality and range of your expertise. Highlighting successful projects helps establish credibility and shows prospective clients what they can expect.
Detailed case studies highlight how your product or service has successfully solved real-world problems for clients, providing evidence of effectiveness, measurable results, and the practical value you deliver.
An active blog provides valuable content, insights, and updates related to your industry. Regularly publishing helpful articles not only boosts your authority but also improves search visibility and keeps visitors engaged.
A 'Delivery Information' page sets customer expectations by outlining shipping options, delivery times, and costs. Providing these details up front reduces uncertainty and enhances trust in your fulfilment process.
A straightforward refund policy reassures customers that they can return products or cancel services if dissatisfied, reducing purchase anxiety and demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction.
A clear privacy policy outlines how user data is collected, used, and protected, demonstrating transparency and compliance with data protection regulations.
Terms and conditions set the rules for using your website or services, protecting both your business and users by clarifying rights and responsibilities.
Trust seals and badges
Displaying payment provider logos like Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Stripe or Klarna reassures users that familiar, secure, and reputable payment options are available at checkout.
Security badges from reputable providers signal that your website is protected against malware, unauthorised access, and data breaches. They help reassure visitors that their personal information is safe.
Displaying the TRUSTe badge shows that your website meets recognised data protection standards, reassuring visitors that their personal information is handled responsibly and in line with privacy best practices.
Featuring logos of well-known or respected customers on your website acts as social proof, signalling that trusted organisations choose to work with you, reinforcing your business’s credibility by association.
Showcasing membership logos from recognised trade bodies or professional associations reinforces your credibility and shows that you adhere to industry standards and ethics.
Displaying logos of reputable media outlets that have featured your business serves as powerful third-party validation. It signals credibility, increases brand authority, and helps build trust with new visitors.
Featuring the logos of trusted partners highlights your business relationships and strengthens your reputation by association. It shows that credible organisations value working with you, which can boost customer confidence.
Displaying compliance logos — such as GDPR, PCI DSS, or other industry-specific certifications — demonstrates that your business adheres to legal and regulatory standards and takes data protection seriously.
Showcasing employee certifications — such as professional qualifications, training badges, or accreditations — demonstrates the expertise and credibility of your team.
Offering guarantees or warranties shows that you stand behind the quality of your products or services. This reduces buyer hesitation, builds trust, and signals a commitment to customer satisfaction and support.
Reviews and social proof
Featuring testimonials from satisfied customers provides powerful social proof. It helps potential buyers feel more confident by showcasing real experiences others have had with your products or services.
Displaying embedded star ratings on product pages or service listings offers quick, visual feedback on customer satisfaction. These familiar indicators build trust at a glance and can positively influence purchase decisions.
Displaying product reviews allows customers to share their experiences, offering insights into quality and satisfaction. Authentic reviews enhance transparency, build trust, and help new buyers make informed decisions.
Featuring endorsements from well-known personalities or influencers lends credibility to your brand through association. This can boost visibility, attract attention, and influence purchasing decisions by leveraging social proof.
Showing product sales figures or usage statistics — such as "Trusted by 500+ businesses" — builds trust by demonstrating popularity and demand. These indicators serve as social proof and can encourage users to take action.
Highlighting your social media follower counts can serve as social proof, showing that an engaged audience trusts and follows your brand. It adds credibility and encourages visitors to connect with you on those platforms.
Sharing the number of subscribers or downloads — such as for newsletters, apps, or resources — demonstrates trust and popularity. These figures act as social proof, helping to reassure visitors of your brand’s value and reach.
Real-time notifications — such as "John from London just purchased" — create a sense of trust by showing others are engaging with your site. These prompts can increase conversions by highlighting your brand's popularity.
Including social media sharing buttons on posts and pages makes it easy for visitors to share your content with their networks. This increases visibility, drives referral traffic, and signals that your content is worth sharing.
Business activities
Highlighting charitable donations shows your company's values and social responsibility. Demonstrating a commitment beyond profit helps build trust and can strengthen emotional connections with your audience.
Showcasing your involvement in local communities — through events, sponsorships, or volunteering — demonstrates authenticity and goodwill. It shows that your brand is invested in making a positive impact.
Sharing how you help to protect the environment — such as using sustainable materials — shows that your business is committed to ethical practices. This builds trust with eco-conscious customers.
Highlighting your involvement in conferences, trade shows, or webinars demonstrates that your business is active, informed, and recognised within your field. It reinforces your authority and helps build trust in your brand.
Offering webinars and online workshops positions your brand as a helpful, knowledgeable authority in your niche. It builds trust by providing value upfront and showing your willingness to support your audience.
Business performance
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External trust signals
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Total recommendations implemented = 0 / 84
If you really want to make the most of your website traffic, don't forget to check out our conversion rate optimisation checklist.
Eventually, both checklists will be combined into one huge website optimisation checklist spreadsheet.
Not only will the spreadsheet be much easier to use and refer to when you're optimising your site, but it will also cover more pages and tons of additional criteria such as copywriting, design, retargeting, the value proposition and even buyer and pricing psychology.
And best of all, it will be 100% FREE.
Oh, and it will contain 300+ ecommerce-specific conversion optimisation recommendations too!
And I almost forgot, you'll also get a FREE 7-day email mini-course to help you make the most of the website optimisation checklist.
I promise: it will be worth the wait.
looking forward to the cro checklist. How can I be the first to know when available.