Short answer: most customers choose the business that looks the most trustworthy, not the cheapest. You can build that trust before anyone calls you with seven things: real reviews, replies to those reviews, real photos, a clear name and address, honest credentials, a plain guarantee, and a real person on your website. Each is free to add, and I show you how below.
*Written by Barry Scheurweghs, Sureway Marketing, Peoria, AZ.*
What makes a customer trust a local business?
People decide fast. They look at your Google profile, then your website, and ask one quiet question: “Can I count on these people?” Everything below answers that question without you having to say it out loud.
How do reviews build trust?
Real reviews are the strongest signal you have. Google’s review guidance says you can ask customers by sharing your review link or QR code, and that you should reply to your reviews, short and useful rather than generic. Google also says a mix of positive and negative reviews often looks more trustworthy than a perfect record, so a single three-star review is not a disaster. It is how you reply that people read.
Never offer a discount or a free item for a review. Google calls that strictly prohibited, and fake or incentivized reviews can get your reviews removed. See how to ask every customer for a review without feeling pushy.
Why do real photos matter?
Photos of your own work, shop and team show a customer what they are getting. Google lists photos and videos among the things that help your profile. Use real pictures. Stock photos are easy to spot, and they say you have nothing real to show.
What does a clear name and address say about me?
A profile that matches your sign, your website and your invoices says you are a real business. Google’s guidelines say your name must match your real-world name and your address must be a real location, not a P.O. box. Keeping those exact everywhere is a trust signal in itself.
Which credentials and guarantees should I show?
If you are licensed, insured, bonded or certified, say so, with your license number where the law or your industry expects it. If you offer a guarantee, write it in plain words. “If you are not happy, we come back and fix it” beats a page of legal language. Only claim what you really do. A false claim is worse than no claim.
Why should my website show a real person?
A name, a face and a short local story answer “who am I calling?” Say where you are based, how long you have worked in the area and what you do. People hire people, especially when someone is coming to their home.
What can I do this week?
- Reply to your last five unanswered reviews.
- Add five real photos of recent work to your Google profile.
- Check that your name, address and phone match everywhere.
- Put your license, insurance or guarantee on your website in one clear line.
- Add a short “about us” with your name and photo.
- Ask three happy customers for a review today.
If your profile is missing the basics, start with what Google says matters on your Business Profile. For turning visitors into calls, read turning website visitors into phone calls.
Which trust signals should I avoid?
Skip anything you cannot prove. That means made-up badges, invented “customers served” counters, copied testimonials and awards you did not earn. If you do win a real ranking or award, say exactly who gave it and link to the source, so a customer can check it. For example, our own page on the BusinessRate ranking says plainly that it is a BusinessRate ranking and not a Google award. Honest wording is a trust signal too, and it keeps you inside Google’s rules on misleading content.
How do I make trust signals work on a phone?
Most people see your business on a phone first. Put your best review and your phone number near the top of your page, make sure photos load fast, and keep your license or guarantee line short enough to read without scrolling sideways. If a page is hard to read on a phone, the trust you built elsewhere is wasted.
Frequently asked questions
How many reviews do I need before people trust me?
There is no magic number. Recent, specific reviews with replies matter as much as the total. Compare yourself with the businesses you compete with.
Should I delete a bad review?
You cannot delete a real one. You can reply politely, and you can report a review that breaks Google’s content policies. See how to respond to a negative review.
Do trust signals help my Google ranking?
Google says reviews and ratings can help your ranking. For the rest, I treat them as a way to turn more of the people who already find you into customers.
Not sure how your profile looks to a new customer? Get your free marketing report. No contract.
*Barry Scheurweghs, Sureway Marketing, Peoria, AZ.*
Get Your Free Marketing Report
Sureway Marketing is a local marketing agency in Peoria, Arizona. Our free marketing report shows you where you stand against your local competitors and how to reach customers within 30 miles of Peoria, so you can plan steady growth over the next six months.
Leave a Reply