5 Tips for Building Trust Through Your Website Content
- Jennifer Johnson
- Feb 18
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 17
How to Write High-Quality Website Content for Your Online Store
If someone doesn’t trust your website, they won’t buy from you.
It’s that simple. And that frustrating.
You could have a brilliant product, fast shipping, and customer service that goes above and beyond, but if your website content makes people hesitate, you’ll lose them.
And that hesitation doesn’t always come from big red flags. Sometimes it’s a slightly weird tone on your About page. Or a product description that feels copy-pasted. Or an FAQ section that sounds like it was written under duress.
It’s the small things that build trust, or chip away at it.
So if you want your content to help people feel more confident shopping with you, here are five ways to make sure it’s doing its job.
1. Keep your tone of voice consistent across your site
Trust gets shaky when the tone doesn’t match from page to page.
Let’s say your homepage introduces you as a family-run skincare brand. You talk about helping people with sensitive skin feel more confident. You share a personal story; something thoughtful and specific. It makes people want to explore.
So they click through to a product. One you’ve featured front and centre.
And then the tone drops. Instead of continuing that warm, helpful voice, they get a few vague bullet points and a flat line about ingredients. No context, no care, no link back to the story that drew them in.
That disconnect is where trust starts to wobble. If the voice feels stitched together — homepage warm, product descriptions cold, FAQs grumpy — it makes people wonder what else might be out of sync.
Are there any other things this business doesn’t pay much attention to?
But when your tone is consistent, it sends a different message: someone’s paying attention.
If your story is warm and thoughtful, your product descriptions should be too. If your About page builds connection, your FAQs shouldn’t undo it. Every part of your site plays a part in backing up who you are.
That consistency is what makes people feel sure about you.
2. Consider the practical, real-life elements of shopping online
A question you want to ask yourself is, why are people so concerned with trust?
And the answer lies in the very real, concrete fact that you are asking them to part with their money.
They’re handing over their details and hoping the order arrives when it’s supposed to. So they want to feel like the system works. Like the store’s properly set up. Like someone’s thought it through.
This is where your website content can make a big difference, especially in the functional parts of your site.
Make it easy for people to get in touch: If they have to scroll through your footer and click three tabs just to find an email address, it starts to feel a bit off. Like you’re hoping they won’t get in contact at all.
Reassure them at checkout with helpful microcopy: Let them know their payment details are safe. Tell them when their order will arrive. Give them a quick pointer on what to do if they’ve got a question. Be generous with your knowledge — helpful, and guiding them through. A simple line can stop someone from second-guessing their decision.
Write an FAQ section that provides solutions nicely: Focus on what real customers ask and pay attention to tone. I read some recently that made me feel like I was being annoying just for wanting to know about returns, and I made the conscious decision not to shop with them because of it.
These are the signals that show your store runs well. That you’re prepared, reachable, and ready to follow through — from the first click to the parcel arriving.
3. Mirror the language and expectations of your customers
A huge part of trust is feeling understood.
If your copy is too technical, too templated, or trying too hard to sound like a brand, it creates distance. It might be accurate, but it doesn’t feel familiar. It doesn’t sound like something your customer would say or search for. And that can make people hesitate.
Unsure if the product’s right for them.Unsure if you get what they’re looking for.Unsure if they’ll be happy once it arrives.
Your goal is to close that gap. To show that you know what they care about and how they talk about it.
Start by listening:
What kind of words do your customers use when they leave reviews, ask questions, or message you on social?
Are they casual or cautious?
Are they asking about textures, routines, results, sizes, guarantees?
What do they call your product?
Then use those cues in your product descriptions, FAQs, homepage, and navigation.
Say you sell dinner plates.
Your product description says: “Hand-glazed stoneware in a matte mineral finish with artisanal colour variation.”
But your customers are asking:
“Are these microwave safe?”
“Will they stack easily in my cupboard?”
“Do they chip easily if the kids use them?”
If your copy doesn’t answer those questions, it’s missing the mark, even if it sounds beautiful.
This isn’t about dumbing things down. It’s about meeting your customer where they are. Because if the words on the page match what they’re already thinking, they don’t have to interpret anything. They don’t have to wonder if your version of “artisanal” means the same as theirs. They don’t have to stop and translate. They just read, recognise, and keep going.
Less confusion. More confidence. More sales.
4. Keep your content up to date
Nothing shakes trust like something that feels out of date.
An old promo still showing on your homepage. A blog post with last year’s Christmas shipping deadlines. An FAQ that says “We’ll be launching soon” when your store’s been live for eight months.
They might seem small, but they leave a lasting impression. Because if the content hasn’t been updated, what else hasn’t been?
Does the product info still apply? Will the parcel actually arrive on time? Is this business still running?
That’s not the kind of doubt you want sitting in someone’s mind when they’re deciding whether to buy.
So do a regular content sweep:
Check your shipping info and delivery timeframes
Update any seasonal banners or promotions
Keep product descriptions and availability accurate
Make sure contact details, returns info, and policies still reflect how you operate
You can also bring your site to life by:
Writing behind-the-scenes blog posts (fun facts, milestones, or what’s happening in the business)
Putting together a welcome sequence for new customers
Keeping your About page updated — and told like a story
These are the moments that show your site is alive. That someone’s behind the screen. That someone wrote this, checked it, and still cares enough to keep it going.
And that’s what gives someone enough confidence to place their first order.
5. Show your products in real life
There’s only so much trust you can build through a product page alone. To really help people feel confident buying from you, you need to show your products out in the world.
How are they used?
What do they look like in real homes, real routines, real weather, real wardrobes?
Who buys them and why?
This is where your blog becomes one of your most useful tools.
You could:
Write how-to posts that guide people through using your product
Share roundups of customer favourites for different occasions
Interview customers or collaborators who use your products in interesting ways
Walk people through common questions, like what size to choose or how to care for the item
Show seasonal edits and gift guides with thoughtful product pairings
These kinds of blog posts help bridge the gap between interest and purchase. They answer unspoken questions, show the product in context, and give someone that moment of recognition: “Yes, that looks fab, I’ll take one of those, please.”
And that’s the moment you’re aiming for. Not just clicks, clarity. Not just visits, sales.
Blog posts can help make the product feel more real. And when it feels more real, it feels more trustworthy.
Summary
Keep your tone consistent: Make sure the voice on your homepage carries through to your product pages, FAQs, and every other part of your site.
Help people feel confident shopping: Include clear contact info, helpful microcopy at checkout, and well-written FAQs.
Use the language your customers use: Pay attention to the words people say in reviews and messages, and reflect them in your product descriptions and navigation.
Keep everything up to date: Regularly check for old promos, outdated delivery info, or anything else that could shake trust.
Show your products in real life: Use blog posts to bring your products to life, with customer stories, how-tos, roundups, and seasonal edits.
Trust is built through the little things — and the right words help
We’ve covered a lot: what makes website content feel trustworthy, where things tend to fall flat, and how small tweaks can make a big difference.
Now here’s the part where I tell you… I’m a copywriter who can help with all of that. I know — completely unexpected.
But in all seriousness, this is the kind of work I love. Helping e-commerce brands keep their content clear, current, and working hard in the background. Whether you need help tidying up a few key pages or want someone to manage your blog long term, I’m here to make content one less thing on your list.
Want to chat through what that could look like for your business?
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