10 tips to improve the credibility of a website

01. Offer simple means to verify the accuracy of the information on your site

The credibility of a site can be improved when the information you post are supported by other sources (citations, references, source material), especially if you provide links to such "evidence". Even if people do not follow the links provided, you have shown your confidence in your content.

02. Show that there is a real organization behind your site

Demonstrate that your site serves a legitimate organization will increase its credibility. The easiest way to do this is to list the physical addresses of places of business. Other factors may also contribute, for example, display a photo of your office or mention your membership in a chamber of commerce.

03. Put the expertise of your organization's value in the content and services

Do you have experts on your team? Your staff or your suppliers have a good reputation? Be sure to mention it. Are you affiliated with a respected organization? Say it clearly. Conversely, does not link to external sites that are not credible. Your site will lose credibility.

04. Show that behind your site, there are honest and reliable

The first objective of this rule is to show that there are real people behind your site and your organization. Then find ways to demonstrate their reliability through images and text. For example, some sites have a biography of their employees who talk about family and personal interests.
05. Make it easy to contact you

A simple way to increase the credibility of a site is to display clearly your contact telephone, physical address and email address.

06. Prefer a design with a professional look or appropriate to the objectives of the site

People quickly evaluate a site's graphic design only. When designing your site, pay attention to layout, typography, images, consistency issues, etc.. Of course, all sites do not earn credibility by taking a look similar to IBM.com. The graphic design must be consistent with the objectives of the site.

07. Make your site easy to use - and useful

Here, two rules are combined. Research results show that sites win credibility by being both easy to use and useful. Some site operators forget about users when they use their own corporate ego or trying to show what they can do for fun with web technologies.

08. Put your site updated regularly or at least show that it has been recently revised

People give more credibility to sites whose content has been revised or updated recently.

09. Made limited use of any promotional content

If possible, avoid the ads on your site. If you need to integrate ads, clearly distinguish advertising content of the site content. Avoid pop-up ads unless you are indifferent to the fact of annoying users and losing credibility. Adopt a style of writing clear, direct and sincere.

10. Avoid errors of all kinds no matter how small they

Typographical errors and broken links affect a site's credibility more than most people might think. It is also important to keep your site online and functional.