Communicating Key Messages Online to Build Brand Trust

Across almost every customer journey now, a website will feature as a key step. It’s how customers find you, interact with your products or services, make purchases, or connect with resources and customer services. It’s no longer optional to have a web presence that meets customer goals. It’s necessary.

A clear website is a defining step in creating a brand that offers a competitive customer experience. But how do you make sure your content is building brand trust across each page?

Understand your customer’s goals

Why is your customer on your website today? What are they looking for? What do they need to know? This is the first step in creating content that builds trust. Before you put pen to paper or screen, you need to know what your customer is looking to achieve by visiting your site. If you don’t know, ask. Research at this stage is a very good idea.

Answer the questions your customer has

The next step is almost intuitive but often forgotten. Now that you know what your customers are looking for, what they are asking, answer these questions. Create content that helps them solve their problem.

Use your brand tone and purpose

Ensure your content sounds like your brand. Be informed by your purpose, values, and tone of voice. If your brand is professional, sound professional. If it is funny, weave in some wit. Your content, just like your logo and visual identity, needs to be recognisable.

Keep it simple and focused

No one has enough time. We are multitasking every minute of every day. Acknowledge this when creating your content. Your visitors will likely skim your pages. If your message is buried in jargon or long paragraphs, they will move on. Use short, clear statements that answer their questions and make next steps easy to see and interact with.

Use content hierarchy

Building on the previous point, your most important messages belong in high-visibility areas, and your content should be quick and easy to understand. To help this, make sure you use clear headlines and subheadings, visual call-to-action buttons, and key stats that help your customers quickly understand what you are saying.

Speak to benefits, not features

“Sell the sizzle, not the sausage.” Your customers care about outcomes, so let them know what they will achieve by using your product or service. Explain how your product or service improves their life or solves their problem.

Build confidence and trust

Key content to include to build trust could look like past testimonials, examples of what you have done before, and social proof or people you have worked with or are working with. Building trust is nuanced and emotional, but the first step is being visible and credible.

End with a clear next step

Every page on your website should be designed to meet the customer’s goal, and this should drive them closer to conversion. Be it a sale, a contact form submission, or a booking. Make it clear what your customer should do next. Their next move should be obvious and easy.