Building Trustworthy Websites That People Want To Use

If you’re going to do something, do it the right way. That old adage applies to just about any task in life, especially with building a website.

Small businesses often overlook the importance of having a good website. Many entrepreneurs have been led astray by lazy-bait statements like “Anyone can do it. Get a website in an hour.” Others are victims of big-box brand limitations or carelessness by haphazard freelance developers.

But what does it mean to have a website that matters? How do you build something that consumers trust and want to use?

We believe you should start with what Google suggests you do; after all, they’re going to dictate much of your website’s fate.

Google broadly suggests that you build something informative, useful, and likable. They’ve been repeating that generalized statement for years now.

So, what does a site that meets these requirements look like?

You should start by thinking about what your customers or visitors actually want to see. What do you have that they want? What matters to them? This short list broadly covers what it takes to build a website that matters.

Speed

Speed matters. People are lazy; we demand urgency—the reasons go on and on. Make sure your code is clean, free of bloated plugins, scripts, and unpractical nonsense.

Clear Call to Actions

Write down the five main things you want to accomplish with the site and order them. Build your website from top to bottom and big to small in a way that helps you accomplish these goals.

Eye Candy

Captivation in the first few seconds matters. Visitors will dump your site like a bad date if it doesn’t look good.

P.S.—Overused stock photos are typically a terrible idea.

Trust

Nobody wants to view something or do business with someone they can’t trust. If your site looks like hot garbage, has typos, bugs, or boilerplate content, people will hesitate to believe that you’re legit. Trust is often developed by the website looking great, functioning well, and being attractive, as many of the above-stated points state. Having great content alongside demonstrations that others trust your business (whether BBB, online review links, testimonials, or other aspects showing how past visitors have trusted you) can help with gaining ever-important sales or conversions.

Of course, there are other aspects involved with designing and developing a great website. SEO, consistent branding, working code, security, stability, a unique aesthetic, and attention to detail that show the owner has pride in the site they’ve put forth all matter as well. In 2021, every website should be “fully responsive,” meaning it works on phones, tablets, and computers by adjusting to the different screen sizes. That should be a given, as most industries see 50%+ of their traffic come from mobile devices.

So, if you’re going to do something, why not do it the right way? Build a website that matters by working with a reputable company or individual with a track record of doing great work and then prepare to market it once it’s done.

Think you can’t afford to hire a professional? Think again! Pricing in the industry falls in line with many skill-trade positions that aren’t digital. Think about it this way—can you afford to not have a great website? Trying to cut corners and save a few bucks could cost you far more.

Let’s face it—the internet is overwhelmed with noise, bad websites, and pixels vying for your attention. Give your visitors something they want to see and use. Build a website that matters.