Methods for Creating an Authentic and Legitimate Website

• Written by Michael Bass

Would you buy something from a website that you’ve never heard of? Probably not. So, you should not expect people to buy stuff from your site without proving the authenticity of your business.

You need to include some basic information on your site. Not only is this important for gaining the trust of your visitors, it could also have an impact on your SEO.

Google and other search engines hire quality assurance testers. These individuals visit the websites that appear in search results for specific queries. They then rate the relevance of the web page to the search query. Along with the relevance, they rate the authority of the site.

By paying attention to the criteria that these testers use, you can ensure that your website appears authentic and legitimate.

Include Contact Information

The main detail that people are looking for, in order to judge the authenticity of your site, is your contact information. If they struggle to find your contact details, they’ll assume you have something to hide.

Make sure that your email address and phone number are easily found from any page on your site. The easiest way to do this is to add your contact information in the footer of your site.

If this isn’t an option, you could add your contact details in a contact page—as long as your contact page appears on your main menu.

Providing an Address on Your Website

It’s up to you whether or not you want to add an address on your website. In this modern world, there is less of a need to include your address, unless your business has a physical address. But, if you’re operating out of your home, then you can avoid listing your home address.

Though, you should keep in mind that this can limit the authenticity of your site. An alternative is to purchase a PO box at your local post office.

Don’t Overwhelm Your Visitors with Advertisements

The next tip is to avoid using too many advertisements. This is another area that testers examine when they review a website. They’re looking at the placement of advertisements in the top-third of the web page.

The top-third of the web page refers to the viewable area on a standard desktop or laptop before scrolling down. You should only have one advertisement visible in this area. So, either include a banner ad above your header or an advertisement in your sidebar—but not both.

You can include your additional advertisements further down the page. The main takeaway is to avoid placing more than one advertisement near the top of your web page.

Take Care of Broken Links

You should regularly check for broken links. This is especially important if your site has a lot of pages. If you often delete pages, move pages, or make other major changes to your site, then check for broken links. If a user constantly receives a 404 error while browsing your site, they’ll likely leave.

Proofread Your Content

As a final tip, you should proofread your content. Obvious spelling and grammar mistakes should not be found on a legitimate landing page. A reader can overlook an occasional error, but if they notice mistakes in every paragraph, it’ll be hard to make it through your content.

If your website does not meet specific criteria, you may not be getting as much traffic or income as you could. Use these tips to increase the legitimacy of your site. Show visitors that you have an authentic business and that they can trust your site.

Along with these tips, if you want access to even more powerful marketing tips and a way to generate conversion-ready internet marketing prospects every month, then click here to learn about my done-for-you system.

 

Image Sources:
Adelaide Hills Business Centre. (2013). Image of Mail: AHBC registered address. Retrieved from http://www.adelaidehillsbc.com.au/shop/business-legal-registered-address
Clipart Kid. (2016). Image of Broken Link: 301 Moved permanently. Retrieved from http://www.clipartkid.com/301-moved-permanently-T8pEyl-clipart
McWatters, G. (2015). Featured image: Are you the real deal? Retrieved from http://www.inpoweredtolead.com/are-you-the-real-deal/

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