The Importance of Website Credibility
Why does Web credibility matter?
- Web presence is important for most businesses
- Web information has mixed credibility – some parts of it are the least credible and other parts are the most credible
- For many potential customers, the website is the first point of contact with a business
- The Web is here to stay, and becoming increasingly influential
- Credibility is a very valuable asset for a company
- Web users can be naïve or lazy
- Those businesses with a more credible web presence gain a strategic advantage.
Credibility Gives You the Power To –
- Change user’s attitudes eg
- To think more positively about the site owner
- To feel comfortable interacting with the site
- To embrace the site’s point of view
- Change user’s behaviours eg
- To register personal information
- To complete e-commerce purchases
- To return to the site more often
What creates Credibility?
- Credibility is a perception based on two main factors
- Trustworthiness (eg unbiased, truthful, good, honest)
- Expertise (eg experience, intelligent, knowledgeable, powerful)
Trustworthiness + Expertise = Credibility
Both factors are essential for credibility – the absence of either factor will reduce credibility.