Let’s be real—people aren’t loyal to brands; they’re loyal to their own values and needs. If a brand aligns with those values, great! But the moment it stops or a better option comes along, they’ll switch without a second thought.
Google’s organic search drives 23.6% of eCommerce orders and at least 43% of all eCommerce traffic. Every day customers find the biggest online stores through organic search, proving that SEO is crucial for long-term success.
As search engines get smarter, brand loyalty is starting to fade. This means building trust with an SEO strategy is more important than ever.
Why Brand Loyalty Is Bullsh*t
Think about what really drives purchasing choices: availability, price, and convenience. People want simplicity and trust. Studies show that while people value brands, they’re not likely to stick to just one. In fact, 90% of searchers haven’t made up their minds about a brand before they start searching. They use Google to find answers or information about products and services. When it comes to shopping, they’ll go for an option they trust that offers the best price, availability, and convenience.
A whopping 65.7% of Americans trust the results Google presents to them. So, if you’re not showing up in those search results, you’re missing out on sales. This is where building trust with SEO comes into play.
How to Build Brand Trust With SEO
So, how do you take advantage of this lack of initial loyalty from customers? Be trustworthy. Sure, your product or service needs to be well-priced and convenient, but SEO plays a crucial role in making sure it’s (a) visible to customers on their buyer’s journey, and (b) seen as a trustworthy website.
Trust takes time, and in the digital space, people don’t have much to spare. Here’s how you can build trust with SEO:
Secure Your Website With HTTPS and the TLS Certificate
HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) uses TLS (Transport Layer Security) to encrypt data between a user’s browser and the server, keeping things like passwords and credit card info safe from hackers. TLS certificates also prove that your website is legit, preventing attackers from messing with user data. Plus, HTTPS ensures that the information sent and received is accurate and secure.
Browsers show a padlock icon and “https://” for sites with TLS, letting users know their connection is safe. Google also ranks HTTPS sites higher, which means more visibility and trust. A secure website is a quick technical SEO fix, that encourages shoppers to share personal info and make purchases.
Focus on User Experience
A good user experience (UX) builds on-page trust. Here are factors to consider:
Clean Navigation: When users can easily navigate your site to find what they’re looking for, they’re more likely to trust your site. Clear menus, intuitive layouts, and a well-organized structure make it simple for visitors to explore your content.
Thoughtful Content: Providing straightforward, relevant information helps users make informed decisions. A content strategy driven by clear calls-to-action, well-written product descriptions, and easy-to-find contact details enhances credibility.
Fast Loading Times: A site that loads quickly keeps users happy and reduces bounce rates. Slow-loading pages can frustrate visitors and lead them to question your site’s reliability. If a page takes longer than 3 seconds to load, you’re more than likely to lose the user.
Responsive Design: With more people browsing on mobile devices, having a responsive design ensures your site looks and works well on all screen sizes. Mobile devices generate more than 60% of global website traffic. If a buyer can’t navigate your site on their cellphone, they’ll spend their money elsewhere.
Modern Design: A clean, professional design reflects well on your brand. High-quality images, a cohesive colour scheme, and a modern layout make your website look and feel trustworthy.
Use Clear and Concise Meta Tags
Meta tags help build trust in a few key ways. Title tags and meta descriptions give a quick peek into what your webpage is about for both users and search engines. When clear and accurate, users are more likely to trust they’re getting what they expect and search engines receive a clear description of what your webpage is about.
Good meta tags can also increase click-through rates in search results. Clear meta tags signal to both users and search engines that your site is reliable.
Use Schema and Structured Data
Schema and structured data help build trust by adding another layer of clarity, making your site’s information more explicit and useful. When you use schema markup, you’re giving search engines extra details about your content, like reviews, events, or product info. This additional context can make your search results stand out with rich snippets—like star ratings or pricing details—which can catch users’ eyes and make your site look more credible.
These enhanced search results not only attract more clicks but also show that your website is detailed and trustworthy. Plus, having structured data can improve your site’s visibility in search engines, which helps users find accurate and relevant information more easily.
Build Website Credibility With SEO
Today’s customers are quick to jump to better offers, driven by high expectations for quality and service. To keep up, your website needs to stand out with solid SEO– structured data, metadata, HTTPS, and a great UX. These elements build trust and ensure you’re brand is visible and safe.
Method and Metric can help you stay ahead in this competitive landscape. We’re experts at boosting your site’s performance and trustworthiness, from implementing effective schema markup to optimizing security and user experience. Let us help you attract the savvy customers you’re targeting. Book an SEO audit today!
