Product Credibility: 8 Ways Your Site Can Build Trust with Potential Customers

Investing in trust is essential for businesses looking to grow in 2023 and beyond. And while there may be dozens of ways to encourage consumers to perceive your brand as authentic, competent, and trustworthy, building toward product credibility may be one of the best ways to generate trust via your website.

But what do consumers think about brand and product credibility? Well, according to PWC’s 2023 Trust Survey, more than 50% of buyers are willing to put their confidence in organizations that:

• Protect their data.
• Quickly respond to and resolve concerns.
• Deliver consistent and reliable customer experience.
• Offer high-quality products and services.
• Communicate clearly.
• Offer affordable solutions.

These elements of brand trust can offer some basic guidelines on what it takes to build product credibility. But, if you’re looking for tips on how to best optimize your website to generate trust, here are the top eight strategies you need to adopt.

Go Beyond Basics with Social Proof

Employing social proof is one of the absolute best ways to position your business as credible and your solutions as effective at removing customer pain points. 

But while including reviews and ratings on your homepage (or product pages) offers tangible benefits, it’s a good idea to explore more advanced ways of using social proof to generate product credibility.

Illustrate a breadth of customer confidence.

When exploring methods of building product credibility, you must understand that numbers have tremendous persuasive power. But they’re only as effective at getting consumers to convert as the context you put them in.

So, if you want to use social proof to its maximum capacity, look for ways to construct a narrative, then support it with data (like statistics or ratings).

Some of the best examples of employing this tactic come from SaaS brands. If you check out the Headspace homepage, you’ll see that it proudly informs potential prospects of the fact that its app has a 4.9-star average rating, 611k reviews, and 70 million downloads — all pieces of info showing that this is genuinely a product that delivers value. But the point of these stats isn’t to boast. Instead, it’s to paint a picture of a huge group of people working to become more mindful with the help of Headspace’s product.

Source: headspace.com

But, of course, there are other ways to build product credibility by relying on numbers. 

Anytime Baseball Supply, an ecommerce brand, enhances its product collection pages with star ratings for all displayed products. On the Portable Pitching Mounds page, you can see that every single one of the items shown has a 4 or 5-star rating, persuasively communicating the fact that this business only stocks products that are highly regarded by existing customers, encouraging potential buyers to associate the company with high product quality and exceptional customer experience.

Source: anytimebaseballsupply.com

Show what customers are doing with your products.

The second method for elevating social proof on your website to maximize product credibility is to use as much UGC as possible.

According to Tint’s State of Social & User-Generated Content 2023 Annual Report, consumers see UGC as the most trustworthy content format marketers can use. And it’s not just that user-submitted reviews, images, and videos have the power to convince prospects to convert. Data shows that 80% of people prefer seeing imperfect UGC over stock imagery, especially if that UGC testifies to your customer’s experiences with your brand.

If you want to invest in product credibility, look for ways to incorporate user-generated content on your site. This can be relatively easy by allowing existing customers to include images and videos in their reviews. However, if you’re looking for that extra oomph when using social proof, do your best to actively re-post and highlight your satisfied customers’ visuals.

For example, check out the Nordic Nest Ripple long drink glass product page. You’ll see that, in addition to a breathtaking gallery, this business also utilizes a “Get inspired by others” section where it shows off user-generated images of the item sourced from Instagram. It’s an excellent way for the business to enrich its product pages with authentic images. But, from a customer point of view, it’s also a valuable piece of information that shows how the glasses look in real life and when used for various purposes (entertaining at cocktail parties, morning coffee routines, or when used as decoration).

Source: nordicnest.com

Leverage customer interactions as social proof.

Lastly, as you explore opportunities to upgrade the social proof on your website, consider leveraging client interactions as a format of positive customer feedback. 

For instance, questions and support queries are an excellent way to show that your products are reliable, effective, and high-quality.

If you look at the Creatine HMB product page on the Transparent Labs website, you’ll see that it features a Questions tab in the Reviews section, where buyers can submit queries and get valuable, personalized advice from the brand. 

This is an amazing approach to building product credibility, as it allows the brand to ensure every buyer receives the best possible customer experience. Plus, the advice on how to incorporate the supplement into a specific workout routine or how to best mix the creatine to get the best taste allows potential customers to better understand the product and develop realistic expectations, which is crucial when aiming to achieve high satisfaction levels that translate into a positive brand and product reputation.

Source: transparentlabs.com

Make Measurable and Realistic Claims

Emotional marketing is exceptionally effective at getting consumers to convert. However, your business goals shouldn’t only encompass maximizing sales. You should also do your best to ensure your customers are happy with every single purchase they make through your website. 

So, you need to explore ways to combine the power of emotional marketing with real-life data.

By making realistic and measurable claims — as done on the Going Cheap Flight page — you’ll balance emotive messages with proven data to hook your audience. 

Note how the brand uses copy that addresses people’s frustrations, like the “Tired of searching?” question. But, instead of leaving it at that, it also tells potential subscribers that it has, historically, presented customers with deals that are 40-90% off from regular prices, conveniently supported by the real-life examples of past deals customers were able to score thanks to their subscription to the service.

Source: going.com

Another notable benefit of this credibility-boosting tactic is its effectiveness in preventing customer disillusionment. After all, it allows for the use of emotional copy and impressive claims. But, by supporting it with evidence, the strategy provides a proof-based framework, which ensures that consumers don’t expect outcomes that businesses are incapable of delivering.

Highlight Trust Signals

When establishing product and brand trustworthiness, you should look for ways to support your claims with evidence. And while user-generated formats of social proof do wonders in this regard, you should also try to employ trust signals that show your commitment to customer satisfaction or that your solutions have been recognized as effective by entities that already enjoy your audience’s confidence.

The most basic way to do this is to design original trust signals to communicate satisfaction guarantees or no-questions-asked return policies, as done on The North Face Skagit Water Shoe product page below. 

Source: thenorthface.com

However, for better product credibility gains, use trust signals that specifically address the quality and effectiveness of your solutions. 

Paylocity does this wonderfully, with a dedicated Product & Technology section on its Awards page where it shows off all the acknowledgments and rewards its solutions have earned for their quality.

Source: paylocity.com

Lastly, as you work to incorporate a variety of trust signals onto your website, don’t forget that the best way to position these is to know where web visitors will look. 

According to research from the NN Group, web users spend 57% of their page-viewing time above the fold. So, if you want to employ trust signals in a way that will attract user attention and influence their buying decisions, consider positioning them in the hero section of your site (or just below it).

Use On-Site Content to Develop Topical Authority

According to scientific research, expertise is one of the three primary elements of trust (the other two are benevolence and integrity). So, if you can prove your brand’s competence, you can automatically build product credibility and get potential customers to invest in your solutions.

But how do you prove expertise?

Well, one excellent strategy is to invest in high-quality, value-rich content. But know that educating your potential customers isn’t just a way to nudge them toward purchasing. More importantly, producing and distributing multiple resources that delve deeply into a broad topic acts as an effective strategy for developing topical authority.

The significance of achieving topical authority is mainly reflected in SEO improvements, where search engines understand the subjects your website covers and improve its chances of ranking for relevant search terms. 

From a more practical point of view, achieving topical authority benefits your potential customers and maximizes your product’s chances of selling. After all, people who consume valuable, information-dense content from brands are not swayed to buy because of their gratitude for the presented info. More than that, their purchasing decision is made based on their perception of the brand as an organization that knows its stuff.

If you look at a business like MarketBeat, you’ll see that it encourages sales by establishing its authority. Yes, the primary product consists of a report. But the data itself is not what sells. Instead, it’s the dedication to presenting prospects with numerous in-depth resources on complex topics, like their Penny Stocks page below, which answers reader questions and points them towards more relevant information through the multiple internal links in the text.

Source: marketbeat.com

Develop Credibility-by-Association

Sometimes, the easiest way to develop product credibility and earn consumer trust is by association.

Essentially, you must understand that your audience already has specific brands they either trust or consider competent/successful. So, by associating your solution with these companies and pointing out that it played a part in helping them achieve or maintain their reputation, you can effectively get potential customers to trust your organization and perceive your products as credible and effective.

You can develop credibility by association in a few ways:

Show off earned media.

The easiest way to highlight the credibility of a product is to point out the times its efficacy has been recognized by trusted media outlets.

For instance, displaying that a respected brand like Healthline places trust in your product will have a tremendously positive impact on how potential customers view your brand. And if you can supplement this message with additional brands, all the better.

Take a look at how FOCL approached this tactic, not only displaying the brands that reviewed their product but also highlighting the message with a very specific heading: “Ranked as Best CBD Oil in 2023.”

This is considerably more effective than the typical “As seen on:” message that so many websites use.

Source: focl.com

Take pride in your clients and partners.

The alternative method of building product credibility by association is to draw your audience’s attention to your solution’s role in allowing well-known and respected brands to do what they do best.

If you can, consider presenting your product as one of the contributors to the success of a business your audience respects. For instance, SlickText uses the section just below the hero section of its homepage to say that its solution is used by brands like Samsung, HelloFresh, Ihop, GameStop, and Universal, all of whom are industry leaders and well-regarded for their accomplishments.

Source: slicktext.com

Feature testimonials.

Finally, if you want to build on the tactics above for building credibility by association, consider using something a bit more personalized (and impactful) than a customer logo or a quote from an internet article.

The Stacker homepage features an impressive quote from the Senior Program Manager at TED, stating that the project management software allows the brand’s teams to get 8 hours back every week. And if that statement wasn’t impressive enough, the testimonial section also includes a link to the specific case study, allowing Stacker’s prospects to verify the claim and see that the solution genuinely delivers the promised results.

Source: stackerhq.com

Help Customers Get the Most Out of Your Products

Prioritizing your customers’ best interests is crucial in getting your audience to see your business and products as trustworthy. And knowing that providing a next-level customer experience leads to happy users (who are likely to spend up to 80% more with your brand), it’s essential that you proactively try to help customers feel like they’ve made the right decision in buying your products.

But what goes into making customers happy?

Well, there are a few essential things you must do. First and foremost, you must listen to your clients. Secondly, you must ensure that all issues are solved quickly and effectively. And thirdly, you should guarantee that your customer service team is equipped with the required information to deliver valuable help.

However, there’s one more thing you can do to deliver a positive CX: develop a proactive approach to helping customers get more out of your products.

Tutorials and guides.

For example, if you know that you’re selling a complex product, the best way to showcase its reliability and effectiveness is to create dedicated learning spaces on your website.

By producing insightful, user-friendly tutorials and guides, you’ll improve the onboarding experience of first-time product users. More importantly, you’ll help your buyers see the full potential of your solution, maximizing its chances of becoming an irreplaceable part of your target audience’s workflow.

An excellent example of this strategy in action comes from Canva. The SaaS brand has an extensive Design School section on its website, with instructional articles and videos on how to do almost anything with the design software solution. It’s a great way to showcase everything that the product can do. But more importantly, the resource is a testament to the brand’s customer-first approach to doing business, which is one of the most impactful factors consumers will evaluate when choosing what product to invest in.

Source: canva.com

Communities

Alternatively, you can achieve a similar effect by building communities. In these online spaces, the credibility-boosting value is delivered by your marketing team as well as your happy customers, making for a unique way for your prospects to get more out of their purchases.

For example, the Aura homepage advertises the brand’s 13,000-member Facebook group. In this group, anyone can receive valuable advice on Amazon sales and repricing strategies. But what’s so amazing about this approach is that new members don’t have to be customers of the brand to access the insightful advice. 

Ultimately, Aura knows that it offers a superb product and that users will share tricks for using its software solution in the group, which will be more than enough to convince on-the-fence prospects to bite the bullet and invest in a subscription.

Source: goaura.com

Be Bold with Competitor Comparisons

When trying to convince your prospects to see your brand as a trustworthy entity and your solution as the perfect choice for their needs, you need to be prepared for the fact that they will, almost inevitably, compare your product with those offered by your competitors. That’s why one of the most effective ways to build product credibility is to be bold with competitor comparisons.

Instead of shying away from comparing your solutions to those offered by other businesses in your industry, use your website to point out everything they do better than their alternatives.

For example, if you check out the Pumpkin Dog Insurance product page, you’ll notice that it includes an in-depth table comparing the services provided by Pumpkin vs. its competitors. And while the very fact that this business offers unmatched coverage for pet owners is impressive on its own, what stands out is the way the page utilizes design to inspire consumer trust. 

Note how cleverly the business uses color to communicate that it delivers one of the best products in the market. The result isn’t just an impression that this is a business that genuinely cares about its clients. But more importantly, it’s that all the alternative products pale in comparison to Pumpkin’s pet health insurance offers.

Source: pumpkin.care 

Pay Attention to Page Performance

Lastly, as you explore methods to maximize product credibility and get more potential customers to see your business as the best fit for their needs, don’t forget that buyers will judge your brand’s competence based on website performance. 

In fact, Adobe found that 41% of internet users will stop interacting with websites that take too long to load. And 30% will stop viewing if the content doesn’t display well on their current device (if it’s not responsive).

With this in mind, you must pay attention to page performance. After all, why would a consumer trust you to deliver a great product if you can’t give them a satisfying experience on your website?

Fortunately, there are multiple things you can do to improve page performance:

1. Test page load times with a tool like PageSpeed Insights and follow the presented advice to deliver a faster (and more purchase-inspiring) browsing experience.
2. Employ responsive design strategies to ensure that visitors browsing on mobile devices have an enjoyable experience.
3. Implement SEO to ensure your website ranks for your target keywords. Moreover, optimize for user intent to guarantee that web visitors coming from Google find what they’re looking for, regardless of their position in the sales funnel.
4. Adhere to the rules of good UX design to improve the browsing experience. Intuitive navigation, a powerful search function, and an overall easy way to interact with the pages will position your products as far more attractive than a site that’s difficult or frustrating to navigate.
5. Make your content accessible. Adhere to design-oriented rules like choosing easy-to-read fonts and provide sufficient contrast between the content and the background. Moreover, optimize your written content for readability so that it’s easily understood by a big audience.
6. Pay attention to website security to protect user data and maintain your audience’s trust. In addition to implementing secure protocols, SSL certificates, and encryption, make sure you regularly update your software, don’t collect data you don’t need, and educate your team about cybersecurity.

In Closing

As you continue to work on and invest in your business, remember that building product credibility is essential for achieving the results you’re after. 

With that in mind, make sure to implement the strategies discussed in this guide, and not just because it will boost conversions. It will also maximize customer satisfaction, build a base of loyal clients, and ensure your business becomes synonymous with next-level customer experience. All these factors will positively influence your brand’s future — whether you decide to sell or not.