Using Trust Badges to Boost Consumer Confidence
What is a trust badge?
Trust badges, also known as trust seals, are symbols that businesses put on their websites to make customers feel safer when buying things online. They’re like virtual stickers that tell people that your website is secure and trustworthy. There are different types of trust badges, some show your website is secure, others that show you accept safe payments, or even those that show endorsements from trusted sources.
Trust badges are a silent comfort signal for online shoppers. It’s a small symbol that helps build trust in your business. It can ease specific worries customers might have, without using words that could reinforce their fears. A Better Business Bureau badge can reassure someone scared of scams, while a security trust badge can ease concerns about data safety.
To get a trust badge, you need to find a trusted CA (certificate authority) that provides them. Sign up with this company, verify that your website is safe, and then you will receive a generated badge code to add the trust badge to your website’s HTML.
3 common types of trust badges
Security trust badges: Security trust badges tell customers that their personal information is safe. These badges are also called safe checkout or secure payment badges. They show that the website has strong security measures in place to protect customer data, like an SSL certificate.
If your website doesn’t use SSL, a crucial security protocol, most web browsers will warn users that the site is not secure which can deter customers. To get a secure checkout badge, choose a trusted certificate authority (CA) like DigiCert or GlobalSign to obtain an SSL certificate.
Payment badges: Payment trust badges tell customers what payment methods are accepted. They associate your business with trusted brand names from established companies like PayPal or Visa. These badges are usually free because payment providers want to confirm your website’s legitimacy.
You can use icons for Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal, depending on the payment methods you accept.
Endorsement badges: Endorsement badges are like virtual stamps of approval. Given by well-known third-party brands, they show approval of your business. Some examples include the Google Verified Customer Reviews badge and the Better Business Bureau Accredited Business badge.
Trust badges are an indispensable tool. They signal not just reliability, but security and trustworthiness. Implementing these badges is a strategic move to instill confidence in potential customers and increase sales.