Boosting your online credibility in a digital world

In the latest monthly column from PR agency MIH Solutions, Communications and PR Officer CHARLIE GREGORY offers some tips on building your presence in the digital world and building credibility

IN today’s digital age, it’s more critical than ever to have a robust online presence.

No matter whether you’re a plumber, painter, solicitor or security firm, potential customers and clients increasingly want to put a face to a name – and know they can trust you – before they look to you for help. Having a well-designed digital ‘shop front’ is therefore imperative for any business or organisation looking to thrive in a competitive market.

If you fail to establish yourself, you could run the risk of being left behind.

You don’t need to panic, though. There are plenty of simple and costeffective ways to catch the eye.

By creating a professional website, you can add credibility to your business while also showcasing your team ethos, corporate social responsibility activities and any case studies that endorse your work.

According to Linkedin, 75 per cent of consumers admit to making judgements on a company’s credibility based on the design of their website, with 81 per cent of shoppers conducting online research about a business before deciding to make a purchase.

It proves just how much influence an online presence has – and if your website doesn’t hit the mark, or if you just don’t have one, it could mean that people are unlikely to push ahead with using you.

So, how can you stand out in your sector?

Having a short video on your website to introduce yourself is a great way to build confidence from the start – people are more likely to trust you if they can put a face to a name, with evidence suggesting they are far more likely to watch a video than scroll through text.

Videos are very adaptable resources too – they are easily cropped to provide perfect bitesize content to engage your audience via social media.

Through a video you can:

■ Introduce a human face for your business – you aren’t just words on a page.

■ Explain and show your services, articulating what makes you better than your competitors.

■ Tell your story – including your experience, history and connection to the area.

■ Explain to potential customers what they need to do next (a ‘call to action’).

At MIH Solutions, we have extensive experience in producing quality corporate videos for both national and local organisations, as well as eye-catching websites.

We’d be more than happy to have an informal conversation to tell you more – visit www.mihsolutions. co.uk for further information, or call us on 01283 215605.