A Few Hints Regarding the Credibility of a Website
Many hints can help you determine if a website is credible or not; credible sites tend to look modern and professional, especially when they are created with one of the best website builders available. When your instinct is not enough, verify if the sites have the following elements:
SSL Certificate
One of the important elements to check is if there is an SSL certificate or not. It is quite easy to verify. A website with an SSL certificate will have a domain name starting with HTTPS instead of HTTP. Indeed, the added S means that it is a website considered as safe by a third party. A lock or a shield can also appear left to the navigation bar. It is essential, especially if it is a transactional website. Search engines also started to penalize sites that were not considered trustworthy either. Fortunately, the websites made with WebSelf come automatically with an SSL certificate.
Domain Name
The domain name can also help you see if a website is trustworthy or not. What does the website’s domain name look like? Is it short, representative, and simple or long and non-relevant? Sometimes scammers will add known business names in their domain name to trap you. For example, everyone knows Google. Ill-intentioned people could use similar domain names like Goggle or Gogle to get your trust. Do not fall for this and pay attention to the domain names of the websites you visit If you want to read more on this topic, read our article on how to choose the best domain name for your website.
About Us Page
The about us page can help to create a trust connection between your potential customers and your website. When you take the time to tell your story, your experiences, and who you are, this gives the impression that it is an authentic website (and not a robot or a hacker). It is why we believe that it is vital to verify if the sites have an about us page that states clearly where they are located and who they are. It is one of the most important pages of your website after your homepage.
Testimonials
Whether it is on Facebook, Google, a rating website like Trip Advisor, or your website, a way to check if a website is credible is to see if there are testimonials. This is even more important if you have an online shop. Before you buy anything, verify if you can find evaluations from their customers. And if there are some, do they look trustworthy and authentic? Do not hesitate to use genuine testimonials on your website to increase your credibility. On another note, be cautious of a website that would have only incredible or too general comments.
Social Media
In the same line of thinking, a website social media can tell you if it is a real website. First, does the site have social media accounts on Facebook or Twitter? Did they add social media badges directly on their website, or can you find them easily on these platforms? Second, are these social media pages regularly updated with relevant content? If you find that their account is inactive or nonexistent, this can indicate that it is not a trustworthy site. It is why we suggest you add links to your social media pages if you have a website and to publish relevant content regularly.
Search Engine Results
If you still have doubts about the credibility of a website, why not look it up on Google? This is something that cannot lie. If the site is a fraud, you might see other people saying it on other websites or forums. Also, if the website does not show up when you look for it on search engines, this could mean that it was not well indexed because it was considered as non-relevant or untrustworthy. A good site will have mentions or links to other websites.
Spelling and Grammar Mistakes
The last element we want to talk about is the presence of spelling and grammatical errors. In some cases, many mistakes or the use of a strange syntax can tell you that you are not on a trustworthy website, or at least on a professional one. It can harm a website’s credibility a lot, especially if it is the website of your business. Nobody is immune to an error of inattention, but many mistakes cannot be overlooked. If you have a website, proofread all texts, use a corrector software, or ask a relative or a professional to help you with that.
In conclusion, it is as crucial to protect yourself from fraudulent sites than to create a website that will be trustworthy. You will increase your chances of being considered as credible if you follow the rules we mentioned earlier. Before buying or accepting anything, check the credibility of the website!