In the digital world, trust is everything. Every online business wants to earn customer loyalty, increase sales and build a profitable brand. To do so, most companies advertise their business, create social media contests and offer promotions. While all of these things are good, it is also important that you build a trustworthy site. If your website appears disreputable, customers will take their business elsewhere rather than receive a questionable service or run the risk of a possible security issue.

Here are some valuable tips on how to make your website more trustworthy:

Tip 1: Have a professionally designed website

Your website is what forms the first impression of your company. This is why professional web design is essential. It can make or break a sale, and even your business. Web design is all about the details. Everything matters and nothing should be ignored. Make sure your site has an appropriately sized font, a pleasing color scheme and does not have any awkward graphics. If you are not technically inclined, consider hiring a good web design firm to help you do the job.

Tip 2: Craft a welcoming “About Us” page

Potential customers want to know the company they are dealing with so your “About Us” page should be informative and well written. It should clearly outline all pertinent business details. To establish trust, include your identity, contact information, address, company history and anything else that could be helpful for the customers. This is also the place to highlight business awards, achievements, and affiliations with trusted organizations, such as the Better Business Bureau.

Tip 3: Use SLL encryption

Using HTTPS instills greater confidence and trust, as it indicates the website is protected with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. SSL encryption ensures that all data passed between visitors, and the web server is protected from prying eyes. More importantly, Google announced in 2014 that it would be using SSL as ranking signal. That means that encrypted sites will rank higher when compared to their non-encrypted counterparts.

Tip 4: Provide links to review sites

Customers are more receptive to the positive experiences of your past customers than what you are saying. A study conducted by the Search Engine Journal showed that 88 percent of online customers read customer reviews before making a purchasing decision. A separate study indicated that online consumers read between 2 and 10 reviews before making a purchase. Thus, if you are looking to boost your website’s trust, consider adding a product/service review feature.

Tip 5: Ensure the site is fast

Customers will not wait around for your product pages to load, and this can negatively affect your conversion rates. Site speed is also an important aspect of Google’s algorithm and can negatively impact ranking. Make sure your product pages load in less than 4 seconds on a decent broadband connection. A well-designed site that loads quickly will show that you are a professional company.

Making your website trustworthy will ensure that you are not scaring your potential customers away. Trust signals help your website users understand that they are dealing with a legitimate company.