How Impression and Confidence can Lead to Online Trust for Social Networks and Stores

Two measures that foster online purchases are impression and confidence. According to a study in ACM Transactions on Internet Technology consumers are more willing to engage in an online setting if they have intuitive trust (Yefeng, et. al. (2017). While the study is related to social networks it can have some meaning for those who want to foster greater trust with online buyers.

First lets say that impression and confidence relate to trust level and certainty. The higher consumers trust the site and are certain of positive outcomes, the more likely they are going to purchase from an online e-tailer. People connect, buy and interact based on this trust factor and online stores should be concerned about how they foster these feelings within customers.

What can build trust and certainty?

The first impression of your site is important. You want to make sure that people see your site from the very first few seconds as trustworthy. It should look professional, well put together, and have strong color coordination that leads to a professional look.

It is also important to create well formulated and easy to read language. The language should be based in your core customer demographic. If it has a higher education then the language used should be appropriate to that demographic. At all times keep it simple to understand and to the point.

You may also want to include contact information. People trust phone numbers, addresses, and emails. They believe that if they can contact the company it will be more trustworthy. Hiding this information can damage your overall impression and sales potential.

Yefeng, R. et. al. (2017). Measurement theory-based trust management framework for online social communities. ACM Transactions on Internet Technology, 17 (2).