People say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Unfortunately, most of us judge a book by its cover until we read it. The same thing applies to websites. It does not matter what your website has to offer. If it does not look secure to the users, they won’t spend more than 10 seconds on it.
TOP VISUAL CUES THAT SHOW YOUR WEBSITE IS SAFE TO USE
With the growing number of online scams and malware attacks, users have become more cautious than ever while using the internet. Most users look for some visual cues to determine whether they can trust a website or not. If you are witnessing a dip in the site traffic, you may need to hire a website design company Melbourne and work on these visual cues to build trust.
HTTPS and the Padlock Icon
While your website takes a few seconds to load, users may observe the address bar and form an initial opinion about the site. If your website does not use HTTPS, it will display a “Not Secure” warning in most browsers (especially on Google Chrome). That’s a red flag for the users. If your website is collecting user data such as emails, passwords, and payment details, you need HTTPS to encrypt the data. Look for the padlock icon (secure connection) in the address bar before your domain.
Recognisable Trust Badges
To present your website as a trusted platform, you must acquire trust badges from reputable providers. They signal to the users that your website is verified and secure. Some of the most recognisable trust badges include SSL certificate seals (such as Norton, Comodo, and DigiCert), payment provider badges (like PayPal, Visa, or Stripe), and antivirus badges (McAfee Secure or Kaspersky). Ask your web design team to place them strategically so the users can notice them immediately after landing on the site.
Clear Contact Details
Websites intending to scam users generally do not feature specific contact details. They often use vague information or no information at all. Make sure your website does not look the same. Ask your design team to clearly display a business phone number, the physical address of your office, and a contact form or direct email option. Moreover, you should consider adding an “About Us” page with a brief description of your business, your team, and your company history. This transparency can help build credibility, whether running a blog or a business.
Social Proof
Users often look for what the other users have to say about the website offerings before they make any decisions. Feature user-generated content such as reviews, ratings, and testimonials to build trust among potential users. Use written testimonials with names and photos so that they look authentic. You can also include star ratings from third-party platforms like Google, Yelp, or Facebook. If available, you should also include video testimonials. Adding these social proofs into your site’s design gives your website a more trustworthy feel.
Reliable Payment Icons
If you run an eCommerce website, your checkout page must promote the site as the safest platform for transactions. You can achieve this by using payment trust markers, like Visa/Mastercard logos, payment gateway badges (PayPal, Apple Pay, or Stripe), and secure checkout icons (such as 128-bit SSL secured). Also, remember to make the layout clean and clutter-free to reduce friction while making a purchase.
Secure Login and Sign-Up Forms
If your website requires users to log in, sign up, or fill out forms, the design of these elements should look professional and secure. For example, you can add a visible padlock icon near the login field. “Secure login” messaging also makes a significant difference. To encourage stronger passwords, you can also integrate CAPTCHA to block bots and password strength indicators. The forms you use must also feel professional.
Conclusion
As you may realise, your site’s design significantly makes the users feel safe. When they feel safe on your site, they spend more time on the platform, share their information, make a purchase, and come back again. So while working on the website design, focus on adding the aforementioned visual cues to the site.
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