Easiest Ways to Boost Your Business’s Credibility

It used to be that word-of-mouth advertising and a physical storefront gave businesses credibility, but times have changed. Nowadays, most potential customers check your business out online first, so having a professional web presence is vital. Even if you have a brick-and-mortar location, customers are more likely to Google you first.

While credibility is well worth building, doing so takes time and requires attention to details. Here are some ways you can boost your business’s credibility and gain more customers in the process.

Create a Professional, Well-Functioning Website

Just as an unattractive or disorganized physical store gives a bad impression, a poorly designed website will have visitors questioning your company’s professionalism. Thanks to user-friendly platforms like WordPress, it’s relatively easy to design a well-functioning, aesthetically appealing website. But if this isn’t your strong suit, it’s equally easy to hire someone to create your website for you.

If you already have a website, consider paying a professional web developer to check it out and ensure that it’s user-friendly, visually appealing, and earning you credibility points. If the consensus is that your website could use some work, it’s worth investing in some strategic improvements.

You want visitors to leave your website with everything they came for — and more. See that users can quickly and easily find a list of services and rates and locate your business’s contact information. An “About Us” section highlighting your expertise gives you further opportunity to build trust.

Offer a Secure, Robust Online Store

An online marketplace on your website is an excellent way to boost your company’s credibility. The same rules apply to an online shop as to a brick-and-mortar store. You want it attractively designed, well-functioning, and full of enticing products.

With digital sales continuing to outpace brick and mortar, the more you build up your online store, the better. According to Statista, U.S. e-commerce revenue was $431.6 billion in 2020 and is expected to increase to $563.4 billion by 2025. The more online shopping popularity rises, the more essential a solid online store becomes to a business.

Create a Well-Planned Content Strategy

Whether by email, site content, or social media, your messaging is how you tell the world about your brand and interact with your customers and followers. Rather than a spur-of-the-moment, piecemeal approach to content strategy, map out the image you wish to portray and ensure all messaging reflects your brand mission. 

One of the best ways to gain business credibility is to become a thought leader in your field. Thought leaders are authorities in their industries, and the public listens to and trusts their knowledge.

Every blog you write or video you post should contribute to your brand mission. The more frequently you add blog articles and update website content, the more you improve your brand legitimacy. When you publish well-thought-out content regularly, customers see you as a credible authority.

Creating and updating content regularly also gives your site an SEO boost. This helps you rank higher on search engines and gain more site visitors.

Focus on Email Marketing

Email marketing is highly effective at allowing you to communicate directly with your customers, building trust. Send a regular newsletter that addresses customer interests and concerns. Ensure that what you are sharing is relevant, engaging, and useful.

Further gain credibility by adding your company name to your email address through Google Workspace. Rather than having your email just say something like JaneBrooks1987@gmail, you can use your company name as the email address. For example, [email protected]. 

A professional email address will make your company look legitimate. Users can also use an alternate address for receiving emails, like [email protected] or info@BrooksFineFashion.

Provide Social Proof

An ideal way to gain credibility is to showcase the opinions of others. When you share glowing reviews and positive comments on your website, social sites, and your newsletter, your company looks good without you having to say a thing.

Spotlight customer testimonials

When potential customers read a positive review about your business from a customer just like themselves, they can’t help but be impressed — and that scores you a lot of credibility points. Ask satisfied customers for testimonials and gather them from online reviews, surveys, and social media. Display the testimonials on your website’s homepage or a dedicated review page.

Build your social media following

The more followers you have on the top social sites, the more credibility your company is bound to have. When social users see that you have a lot of likes and followers and that you answer comments, your company looks authoritative.

Showcase professional associations

Ensure that you visibly display the seals and badges of all industry associations you belong to. This will show customers that you are serious about running a legitimate and effective company intent on keeping up with the latest trends in your industry.

Highlight company achievements

If your company has won any awards or certifications, proudly display that fact in all your communications. If you’ve been in business for a substantial amount of time, a decade or more, be sure to advertise this fact. The longer you’ve been in business, the more legitimate your company will appear.

Publish a Book

Becoming an author specializing in your industry gives you a lot of credibility points in the public’s eyes. Whether they actually read the book or simply look at the cover, customers and competitors will know that you’re a published author who took the time to write a book. Self-publishing is easier than ever, but consider hiring a professional editor to help ensure that your book is well-written.

Register Your Business as an LLC

Registering as an LLC (Limited Liability Company) and putting these three powerful letters after your company name gains you instant credibility. It’s relatively easy and inexpensive to incorporate your business, considering the many benefits gained.

Ensure Excellent Customer Service

Credible companies go out of their way to provide superior service, and customers know this. Ensure questions are answered and needs met at all points along the customer’s journey. This includes answering emails and responding to questions and comments on social media. Try to respond to requests within 24 hours.

If you provide consultation services, consider using an app like Google Calendar. Using a calendar app helps ensure that appointments are remembered and kept, enabling you to provide excellent customer service.

Be Consistent and Transparent

Consistency and transparency are key factors in building customer trust. The adages “practice what you preach” and “always do what you say you are going to do” go a long way in proving that your company is worth following.

Lead by example and be consistent in what you say and do. Your business’s rising credibility is sure to gain you loyal customers.

If you decide to boost your credibility by registering your business as an LLC, save time and ensure the process runs smoothly by incorporating with Swyft Filings.