You’re walking down the street when a stranger stops you and tries to sell you a “real” Rolex for $200. Are you interested? No, because it’s probably fake or stolen. What if you’re in an official Rolex store and a sales person offers you that same deal. Are you interested now? I hope so!
Alright, what changed your mind? Credibility did. 
So, let’s tie this back to you and your prospects. It’s important to build credibility for the buyers who visit your website so they trust you enough to give you their contact details. Only 58% of online web users believe online information to be credible. You can’t expect them to fill out a form on a website they don’t trust, the same way you wouldn’t hand over $200 to a random guy on the street.
Let’s start with the obvious credibility factors like having a phone number and address that are easily accessible. Most sites have this covered, but I’m surprised at the number of websites that don’t make more of an effort to build credibility and trust beyond this! Here are a few trust-building elements that should be on your website:
Testimonials
Having testimonials throughout your site is huge. Real names and real companies talking about how your product helped them is like a friend coming up to you and telling you about this amazing deal for a Rolex going on right now at the store. Put testimonials next to your call to action (Free Demo or Start Free Trial button) and on your form page. Seeing testimonials within the conversion path is similar to you bumping into a friend on their way out of the store…you’re right there, so why not just walk in and take a look (get a demo, do a trial, etc).
Customer Logos
Customer logos provide powerful social proof. Other companies have chosen your product, so it must be as good as those testimonials say. The more well-known customer logos you have, the better. Have these logos on your form page as well. They haven’t filled out the form yet, so let’s convince them that this is best thing for them. Think of it like seeing a poster of George Clooney wearing his Rolex watch when you walk in the store. If he loves his, you can too.
Awards
Promote any awards or certifications you’ve received for the industry. You’re a successful company and know what you’re doing when it comes to software—emphasize that. You want buyers to come to your website and feel confident that you can help them. Think about a doctor’s office. They don’t hang their medical degree in their office so they can look at it all day long; they do it to help reassure patients that they know what they’re doing. It lets the patient know they can trust them. Make your website your wall, and get those awards and certifications out in front of as many buyers as you can.
Educational Content
Blogging, case studies, and whitepapers are all examples of educational content that help teach your prospects things they didn’t know about your product or industry. The more you show them you’re an expert in the industry, the more they’ll see you as one. Writing and collecting content takes dedication, but the benefit can be enormous. Having these content pieces not only builds credibility, but educates potential buyers, putting them in a better position to have a successful and trusting relationship with your company.
Anyone can put together a website and claim to be the best, so backing that up with people, companies and industry groups that are enthusiastic about your company is essential. Be the trustworthy Rolex store and not the sketchy street vendor. So, take a look at your website… if you were a buyer, would you trust it?