Top 6 Ideas for Building Trustworthy Websites

Masha Komnenic CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT, FIP -

This is a guest post written by Masha Komnenic CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT, FIP from Termly.

Internet users want to stay safe online and won’t spend their time on websites that appear insecure. This can lead to a loss of traffic and engagement, especially if you don’t implement certain best practices, like obtaining privacy certifications and auditing your site for functionality and accuracy.

To help boost your brand reputation and build customer loyalty, I’ve created a list of easy steps you can implement to build a trustworthy website and prove to users that your site is worth clicking into.

1. Prioritize Data Privacy and Security

Internet users are aware that their data is tracked by the websites they visit. Earning their trust means your site must prove it respects and protects consumer personal information by having the right data privacy tools, legal policies, and security measures in place, including the following:

  • Privacy policy: This document informs users how your website intends to collect, process, and use their personal information, keeping them properly informed. It must be legally compliant, accurate, up-to-date, and easy to read and find. You can make one of these policies by using a privacy policy generator.
  • Cookie policy: This document informs users about all cookies your website wants to leave on their browsers and explains their purpose. Cookies are considered a form of personal data. You can run your website through a cookie scanner to detect, organize, and label all cookies your site uses.
  • Cookie consent banner: This is a pop-up that asks for consent from your users before your website places cookies on their browsers, giving them a choice and control over whether their data is collected and used. You can manage user consent in a legally compliant manner using a Consent Management Platform (CMP).
  • HTTPS Website: Your website should use HTTPS (not HTTP) to ensure the safe transfer of data from your website. To transfer a website from HTTP to HTTPS, you need to back up your website, obtain an SSL certificate and set up 301 redirects.

Data suggests you risk losing website visitors if you don’t have these policies.

According to research conducted by the PEW Research Center, 52% of American consumers chose not to use a product or service due to worries about how much personal information would be collected about them. 

But, you might also be legally required to implement some of these best practices if you fall under data privacy laws like the General Data Protection Regulation or the California Consumer Privacy Act.

These laws impact websites based on your location, where your users come from, and how much personal data you collect. They require you to present users with an accurate privacy policy and to adequately manage user consent.

For example, under the CCPA, you must allow consumers to opt out of targeted advertising and the selling or sharing of their information.  

2. Introduce Your Business and Team

Internet users are more likely to trust your website if they can see and learn about the people who are part of your team. Add a professional ‘About’ page on your website and include details like job titles, photos, and small professional biographies.

Humanizing your team helps website visitors connect with your business on a personal level, and seeing the faces behind the brand will help build trust.

You should also include details about your business’s values, purpose, and history. This allows you to tell your own story and highlight the purpose of your business.

3. Post Accurate, Relevant Content

The content on your website should be relevant to your industry and written professionally, creating cohesion for your brand and voice.

While you can still be creative and unique, posting content on your website that applies to your product or service is important because it showcases your professionalism and sets you up as an authority in your space.

For example, a clothing website might write blog posts about sustainable, slow fashion. A photography website might post tips for picking out an ideal camera bag. Whatever your topic, write high-value content that educates and informs your audience.

The information should be factual and include links to high-quality references and sources. This helps build and prove your expertise in your industry and can set your brand apart as a thought leader.

To continue building authority, keep your website's content fresh and relevant by fact-checking and updating it regularly. Include a ‘last updated’ or ‘published on’ date on your blog posts so your readers know how new or old a piece of content might be.

4. Ensure Your Website is Responsive and Accessible

Trustworthy websites can be used by any visitor on any device, so plan to perform regular website audits to check your site for responsiveness and accessibility issues.

This includes ensuring your website behaves as expected on different types of devices with varying screen sizes. Your website should look professional on mobile devices, tablets, laptops, and desktop browsers. It should function well on iOS, Android, and other software systems.

You should also publish a link to a customer support center featuring a working email, phone number, chat box, or any combination of the three so your website visitors know where to direct their questions or comments.

Responding to these inquiries promptly will help your users feel respected and validated, building even more trust.

5. Get Certified

Users typically perceive websites that have certifications, accolades, awards, or other badges as being more trustworthy and secure overall, so it’s worth taking the time to invest in ones that apply to your website.

For example, according to research into the state of ecommerce trust, 84% of consumers told us they’re more likely to trust websites that prominently display a third-party trust badge than those that don’t.

For example, a U.S.-based ecommerce business might consider registering with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) as a sign of good faith with consumers. Of course, we recommend adding the TrustedSite badge.

However, you should also consider finding certifications and badges relevant to your specific industry.

6. Engage With Your Website Users

Engaging with visitors across various channels, including on your website and any social media platforms you use, is essential. This helps turn your audience of consumers into a community, which builds brand awareness and strengthens customer loyalty.

Try to respond to comments, address reviews, and encourage your followers to share your posts and materials online.

Listening to what your users say is equally important so they feel heard and understood when you address their comments.

Wrapping Up

Millions of websites exist, meaning Internet users always have the choice to look elsewhere if they feel your website is insecure or untrustworthy. To earn their trust and prove that your site is worth clicking into, ensure it is professional, relevant to your industry, and features data privacy and security basics.

Link to essential legal policies in the footer of your site, including your privacy and cookie policies, so your users can make informed decisions. Ensure the content on your website is accurate, informative, and relevant to what visitors to your site would expect to find. Add security badges, accolades, and awards so your website stands out as extra credible.