6 Credibility Boosters Every Website Should Have
By Dale Davis    www.WordsAreKing.com

If you've ever wondered what happened to the 90% of your web visitors who didn't buy you'd be in a big crowd. Some estimates show 60% of U.S. consumers don't buy online, they may do research and shop but fail to press the Buy Now button.

It makes sense that the easiest way to a sales increase would be to tap into that 90% and convert more of them to a selling relationship. You've already spent the money to get them to your site and it's the cheapest money you've ever spent to add 6 credibility boosters to your site.

Here's a checklist of must-have credibility elements to help you tap that 90%...

1. A professional-looking site. A study by Stanford University revealed consumers judge a sites credibility by it's overall look and eye appeal. The study showed 46.1% of consumers make trust decisions based on layout, font style, and other design aspects. If your site is lacking in this area it could be time to freshen up your site. Job posting sites such as e-Lance can help you here.

2. Legal documents. These could include a privacy policy, terms of service, guarantee and return policy and more. Some research suggests most consumers don't read these (very dry reading) but they feel safer knowing they're there. Having custom documents drafted by a lawyer can be expensive but there are legal doc packages you can buy...look for them on a search engine.

3. Privacy Seal. Knowing that your site has been certified by an independent 3rd party builds trust in consumers. Are they worth the fee? Split testing of websites with and without a seal showed a 7-30% improvement in sales conversion. Privacy seal organizations such as http://www.eSafeGuard.org will check for a stated privacy policy, customer service e-mail, and an encrypted ordering system and at $7 a month it's worth the increased sales conversion you'll enjoy.

4. Correct information. inaccurate, misleading information is not good for building consumer confidence. This is really true if the consumer knows it's wrong before they buy. Proofing your site on a regular basis is always a good practice. Correct anything you find wrong immediately.

5. Customer support contact e-mail. Not being able to drive down to your place of business to complain or return something puts online merchants at a disadvantage. Having a customer service e-mail (or contact form) for pre- sale and post-sale questions diminishes this disadvantage. Make sure you have one and respond in a timely manner.

6. Testimonials. Social proof, or validation from people just like your prospect, increases sales conversion. Knowing that other people with the same type of problems received satisfaction from your product or service puts the prospect's mind at ease. These can include testimonials from satisfied customers and endorsements by recognized experts and celebrities. Start a program to gather as many as you can and publish the best ones on your site.

You could implement these 6 credibility boosters in less than 30 days. It's time and effort well spent for the increased sales conversion you'll realize.
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Written by Dale Davis. Copywriter/Strategic Marketing REVEALED! Why Websites Fail. FREE Briefing==> www.WordsAreKing.com Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved.