Website Copywriters Create Trust with Their Words

Follow these 10 guidelines professional copywriters use to foster credibility on your website.

Do you trust people you’ve never met? Probably not. Trust has to be earned. If you’re using a website to sell your product or service, your words and pictures must do the job of conveying credibility. Visitors are unlikely to simply cross their fingers and hope for the best.

Visitors must feel a certain level of trust before they’ll contact you or make a purchase from your website.

Instead, you’ll need to give them confidence that your organization is legitimate and worthy of their business.  Follow these guidelines that professional website copywriters use to create trust with their words:

1. Be reader-centered, not writer-centered.

From the second a visitor lands on your website, he’s thinking, “What’s in it for me?” Make sure your copy answers that question. Don’t ramble on about how great you are. Tell the customer what you can do for them. Use the word “you” instead of “we” or “I” as much as possible.

Ideally, your website should tell visitors what you’ve got, what it will do for them, and what they need to do next.

2. Be conversational.

Your copy should be friendly. It should connect with visitors and make them feel like you understand their situation and want to help. They should be able to hear your voice. Get rid of stiff, formal copy; it’s pretentious and boring.  This isn’t freshman English class.  A good copywriter chooses words that will help your client like you.

3. Use testimonials, favorable reviews or case studies.

Show the prospect that others in similar situations have liked your product and services. Social proof like written testimonials and reviews are third-party endorsements that are instant trust builders. They’re a great way to tout your best selling points without sounding like you’re bragging because you’re not the one speaking; your customers are doing all the talking.

Case studies allow you to tell the story of people who found a solution through your company. Define their problem. Explain the options they considered before choosing your product or service. Finally, describe the end results, giving specific details to make the story interesting and persuasive.

4. Mention how long you’ve been in business.

Staying power counts. If you’ve been around longer than your competition or even for just a couple years, be sure to include that fact in your copywriting.

People want to know that a business they found on the internet isn’t fly-by-night. Your longevity, “in business since 2001,” is proof of your quality and a subtle indication of popularity.

5. Use photographs to back up your claims.

Pictures are every bit as important as copywriting on a website. Make sure your visuals complement your text. They should both convey the same message and highlight the same product advantages.

If possible, show your product in use.  Document results to prove your claims.

6. Focus on the benefits, not the features.

The fact that your product or service has lots of cool features is important, but how do these features translate into direct benefits for your customer? And what problem do they solve? Can your product save her time, enhance her home’s décor or help her lose weight?

7. Talk to the reader.

Write your message the way you would write to an individual, not a mass audience. While many people will eventually read your copy, each person will read it individually. Effective sales copy makes the reader feel like you are talking directly to him.

8. Replace general words and phrases with specific descriptions.

Instead of writing a statement like “Our product will save you a lot of money,” say “Our product will save you over $120 a month.” Instead of writing that the dress you’re selling will make you look thinner, say, “This dress will instantly make you look 15 pounds thinner.”

Details make concepts tangible. They help the reader visualize the benefits. Of course, make sure your statements are accurate or you risk losing credibility.

9. Include bulleted or numbered lists.

Breaking up big blocks of copy with short lists will make your copy easier to read and understand. The white space they create helps catch the eye.

Those bullets should serve to drive home some of your most important, trust-inducing points, especially because people who scan copy, rather than read every word, are likely to pay them attention.

10. Avoid hype.

Don’t sensationalize or exaggerate your claims. Use upbeat, positive statements, but make sure they’re believable. More tell; less sell.

Follow these 10 guidelines to improve your website’s content. But if you need someone who can take an objective view of your business and compose creative copy that speaks directly to your target audience and produces the results you want, contact a professional website copywriter.