Few things are more important to a brand's reputation than its website. And yet too many companies, particularly as they get caught up in the day to day of running a business, forget just how central their site is to perceptions of their organization.
Fairly or unfairly, visitors to your home on the web—and in particular, potential customers—make conscious and unconscious judgments about your company based on their online experience.
For example:
Yes, this all amounts to a simple analogy, but it's more than that. It's how people think. And it's how website visitors learn to trust—or not trust—your brand.
So ignore website trust signals if you wish. But ignore them at your peril.
To learn more, see this comprehensive list of "68 Tips for Designing a Trust-Centered Website" on the Idea Grove blog.