Imagine a situation where your customers love your brand and what you stand for so much, they wouldn’t even consider doing business with anyone else. Such brand loyalty starts with building trust between your brand and the consumer. In a survey of consumers, 35 percent said one of the top reasons they buy from a particular company ties into their trust of that brand.

Trust is something you have to gain over time, but when someone first lands on your website, they have no idea if you’re trustworthy or not. Specific cues help the average site visitor decide if your brand seems like one they can trust, or if they should move on. Here are eight things you can do to show you’re reliable, authentic and trustworthy.

1. Display Memberships

There are some organizations and groups consumers trust, such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and trade organizations. Showing you’re affiliated with one ofthese organizations ups your credibility instantly. Do you have an A+ ratingwith the BBB? Display that in your footer so site visitors can immediately seeyou’re a member and you have an excellent reputation with the group.

Ancestry.com displays the BBB icon in the footer of their page to indicate they’re a member of the organization, and users can check their ratings if they visit the BBB website. Note how they also list some reputable media publications that have featured their service. All these things lend an air of credibility to their website.

2. Enhance Your Site’s Design

A well-designed site appears professional and instills a sense of trust. On the other hand, a shoddy website looks amateurish, and signals your site may not be trustworthy.

A well-designed site contains the information the user needs and uses customized, professional images and an uncluttered layout. If you aren’t sure what a professional website should look like, study some of your competitors’ websites and the sites of big corporations in your area.

Note what elements the sites contain, such as contact information, videos and detailed product descriptions.

3. Share Contact Information

Would you do business with a company that didn’t show their contact information in easy-to-find places? If a consumer fears they can’t contact you if there is a problem, they may abandon your site. Make it easy to get in touch with your company in multiple ways. Include an address, email, contact form and phone number.

SpectrumPest Control offers a couple of different ways for users to reach out. People can fill in a form to get a free estimate or call the number displayed prominently at the top of the website. There is also a call-to-action button midway down the page that lists the phone number again with a clickable link for mobile users.

4. Offer Helpful Information

Constantspammy messages won’t attract new leads — instead, share helpful information and create content that attracts your target audience. If you sell kitchen appliances, answer the most common questions people have about your products with blog posts and other content. If a user lands on your page and it’s just one long sales pitch, they’re less likely to trust you than if you offer them something of value.

5. Add a Privacy Policy

Users value the privacy of their personal information now more than ever before. If you ask for any data from your site visitors, even an email address, a privacy policy is essential. Seeing what you do with the information you collect shows site visitors they can trust you with their data. Share how you’ll protect that information, whom you share it with — if anyone — and how long you keep the data.

Not only does a privacy policy instill trust, but it also protects you from legal ramifications and allows you to become GDPR-compliant.

The U.S.Department of State features their privacy policy on a separate page. The policy lays out what information the department collects, how they use it and how they keep it secure. They also include whom to contact if you have questions. Note the link to their privacy policy in the footer of every page.

6. Get Connected

About 40 percent of people follow brands they like on social media. Take advantage of these platforms to expand your reach and engage with customers. People trust brands communicating with them in a variety of ways and keeping the lines of discussion open. Respond quickly to any complaints on social media, resolving issues in the customers’ best interest. Add feeds from your social media on your website and link to the platforms where you have established a presence.

7. Highlight Reviews and Testimonials

The more reviews you have, the higher your conversion rates will be. One report shows adding 50 reviews or more increases conversions by almost 5 percent. Encourage site visitors to leave reviews —both positive and negative. Combat poor reviews with a response that helps the customer resolve their issue have, whether through a refund or some other creative solution.

DiBruno Bros. includes reviews on each of their product description pages. They use a five-star rating system and list clearly how many stars the item received on average, as well as an invitation for customers to “rate this item.”Under the description and details is another invitation via a call-to-action button to review. The company makes it clear they want feedback from users.

8. Consider Pain Points

Think about your customers’ pain points. What problem does your target audience face, and how can you solve it for them? Once you fully understand your target audience and what drives them, easing their pain becomes second nature. Offer content and products that solve their problems, and they’ll see you as a reliable source they trust.

Trust Takes Time

Trust builds over time, so provide consistent and reliable customer service. Once your core customers trust you to do what’s right and watch out for them, they’ll tell others about your business, spreading your reach in one of the most effective marketing endeavors possible — word-of-mouth marketing.