Credibility: A crucial component of Web success
The vast majority of Web site owners on the Net focus all their
time and attention on two things: building their revenue and
increasing their traffic. However, as important as traffic and
money are, many site owners don't pay sufficient attention to
another fundamental, but crucial, challenge: building
credibility for their sites.
Why is credibility important? Because it ties in directly to the
other "big two" goals: money and traffic. If your site builds
credibility, you're already well on your way to success on the
Web.
Credibility, of course, is important for any type of business.
But, more so than in the "brick and mortar" world, credibility
is even more crucial on the Web.
Consider the nature of the Web. Literally anyone can set up a
basic Web site, with a minimum amount of effort. Truly
worthwhile and compelling sites are far and few between.
Therefore, if you have a site that has credibility, it tends to
stand out from the crowd.
So-called expert Web marketing gurus are always rattling on
about the importance of "stickiness" for sites. Every month, it
seems someone has a new theory on how to increase stickiness (or
the amount of time that your visitors hang around your site).
The fact is, if you want a "sticky" site, (as well as a devoted
and loyal audience), you've got to build credibility.
Increasingly, Web users are becoming more and more wary and
skeptical about the information they get on the Net. This
wariness is entirely understandable. For all the information
that the Net offers, very little of it is actually quality,
accurate information.
In this atmosphere, the relatively few sites that are deemed
trustworthy and credible have an automatic major advantage over
the vast majority of sites. If your site is credible, then
you're not really competing with tens of millions of sites...in
effect, you're only competing with the mere thousands of sites
out there that have a credible reputation.
Credibility is not easy to achieve on the Web. But it's still a
goal that any Webmaster can accomplish, particularly if you
follow a few basic steps:
1. Be honest and straightforward. It doesn't matter if your site
is about fishing or if you're an online merchant. Honesty
pays---especially on the Web. It is vital that the information
that you present on your site is accurate. Doublecheck your
sources. The fact is, if you have inaccurate information, even
on a minor issue, your credibility will suffer. If visitors find
even one inaccuracy on your site, they'll wonder if any other
information you're presenting is false, as well. Honesty and
accuracy are particularly important for online merchants. The
fact is, the Web has been a bonanza for dishonest merchants and
scam artists who love to operate in the anonymity of cyberspace.
In this atmosphere, people are (understandably) likely to trust
only Web merchants who've earned a measure of credibility.
2. Learn to write (or pay for the services of someone who does
know how to write). The fact that anyone can set up a Web site
by definition means that the overall state of writing on the Web
is pretty atrocious these days. Even if you have a well-designed
site and your information is accurate and honest, your
credibility will suffer unless your writing is well-done. Sites
that are full of misspellings and typos are much less likely to
be taken seriously. You don't have to be a Hemingway to run a
successful site. Indeed, you don't even necessarily need to know
all the proper rules of English grammer. But you do need to know
how to write clearly and be able to communicate your information
in any easy-to-understand manner. The very fact that so few
sites out there accomplish this means that the few sites that do
are going to be rewarded over the long run. Remember, the vast
majority of people on the Web want one thing: information. The
fact is: a well-written site can succeed without a flashy
design, Flash animations, cutting-edge technology and multimedia
content. But on the other hand, even the most cutting-edge,
high-tech sites can't succeed without well-written content.
3. Strive for media attention. Accomplish the two goals above
and you'll be on your way to succeeding in achieving media
attention for your site. If your site presents accurate
information (and it's well-written), your odds of gaining media
attention are greatly enhanced. A media feature, whether it's in
a newspaper or a magazine, or a broadcast, can do wonders for
cementing your reputation as a credible site (as well as drive
loads of traffic your way). Media attention also has a way of
snowballing. Once you get a couple of major media mentions under
your belt, you'll often find that others are forthcoming. As far
as getting the attention of the media, there's really no
shortcut. Most Webmasters I'm aware of that have gotten a media
feature have pointed out that they never submitted their sites
for the feature or article in question. Of course, it can't hurt
to contact journalists, computer and Web columnists and other
writers and ask them for a feature. But, by and large, you'll
find that journalists come to you; not the other way around.
If you're worked hard, paid your dues and built a credible site,
it's really only a matter of time before you'll find your site
featured in the media. Despite the vastness of the Web (and the
millions of sites competing for attention), the sites that've
worked hard to achieve credibility are invariably rewarded in
the course of time.
Gaining credibility is the toughest challenge you'll face as a
Webmaster. But it's a goal that any Webmaster can achieve, with
enough dedication and hard work.