How to Improve the Credibility of Your Online Business

Credibility is very important for all businesses, but it is, perhaps, most important for online businesses. Online businesses face a large amount of competition, which means that it is vital they find ways to stand out. Increasing the credibility of your online business can have a range of benefits, from enhancing customer relationships to increasing sales. The list below outlines a few ways by which an online business can improve its credibility.

 

Improve Your Website’s Security

A cyber-attack has can a very big impact on the credibility of your online business. Businesses that suffer a successful cyber-attack will feel the consequences in a range of different ways. For example, your website will be deemed as less trustworthy and less credible by online shoppers. The majority of online shoppers take website security very seriously. Studies have found that shoppers will actively avoid sites that have suffered a successful cyber-attack for a long time after the attack was conducted. You must consider all of the different cyber-attacks that you are vulnerable to. Rather than assuming that your security software protects your business, you should understand how hackers use phishing, reflected xss, and ransomware attacks to target online small businesses.

 

Include On-Site Customer Reviews

Studies show that 61% of online shoppers report reading a customer review before making a purchase. Including customer reviews is not only likely to increase your sales rates but increase your credibility too. Research has found that 84% of online shoppers trust customer reviews just as much as they trust a personal recommendation. Online businesses that include customer reviews are much more likely to be perceived as credible, as shoppers can validate product descriptions and sales patter with real customer reviews.

 

Offer High-Quality Customer Service

The quality of the customer service you offer represents the quality of your brand. Online businesses should aim to always uphold the highest standard of customer service. Not only will offering high-quality customer service increase the credibility of your business it is also likely to increase your sales. Customers that can gain a quick and useful response to a query are much more likely to make a purchase and recommend the brand to friends or family. However, a customer who has experienced poor customer service will almost always shop elsewhere afterward and might even tell their friends or family about the negative experience. The level of customer service you offer affects your credibility not just with the individual with who you communicated with directly but with any other party that the individual chooses to talk to about the experience.

 

Be Transparent

Another way in which online businesses can increase their credibility is by being more transparent. Being transparent means being open and honest with information regarding your performance, processes, sourcing, and business values. If something goes wrong in your operations, you should not try to hide it; rather, you should be open and upfront with customers. Transparency has been found to have a very positive impact on your customer relations. One study has found that 94% of those surveyed reported that they would be loyal to a transparent business. You need to find a delicate balance when you are increasing the transparency of your business. You should not be too transparent, as you need to keep some information regarding your operations and processes to yourself to ensure you are protected. However, offering the right level of transparency is likely to increase your credibility with customers.