Trust building blocks for website content creation

After studying dozens of books on trust and defining the building blocks of trust from them, I was eager to put these insights to work. As the head of a content marketing agency with new website projects coming up all the time, it was natural to incorporate this as a key component in the workshops with my clients. There are comprehensive kick off workshops and often separate workshops on content creation for the website.

The purpose of such a kick-off workshop is to get to know each other well. As an agency, we in particular need to learn everything we can from the customer. We often take a tour of the company beforehand or on the same day. We want to know everything about the current situation and future plans. Where does the company stand, who are the competitors, what are the biggest challenges, what are the goals for the coming years? How is the brand composed, what is the corporate design, what other advertising materials? Most importantly, who are the customers and other target groups? What are the priorities? How can they be characterized? What is their buying process like? What about SEO and organic growth? All this information flows into the website project.

Either on the same day or in a separate workshop, we then start with the conception of the content modules. So what should be where on the page? According to the priorities, the first content modules are defined and used on the start page and other important page types.

For the vast majority of our clients, the topic of acquiring new customers is clearly the number one priority. Exceptions confirm the rule. I remember well working with a management consultancy. They told us that the website was there exclusively for the acquisition of new employees, they had enough customers. That may happen, but it is the total exception. Even though it is becoming more and more important to find good employees, new clients are usually much more important. I then like to have the individual priorities defined from a pot of 100%. For new clients, the result is rarely less than 70%, leaving a maximum of 30% for employees, journalists, service providers and the general public.

So we look at what is important for new customers. The topic of trust usually plays a big role here all by itself. I then started to go through the trust building blocks one by one and ask the employees present what they could think of from their company. With about 10 main points and about 20 sub-points, that's always a lot. What expertise is there in the company? What experience in each area? How does the passion show in product development and service? What values does the company stand for? Oops, that's where it often gets a lot thinner. Years ago, someone wrote something in an image brochure. We'll have to look it up. No idea what it said. I've often had experiences like that. It's a great pity. The development of meaningful and meaningful values in a company can be immensely helpful guidelines for every individual in everyday life. And it is also motivating to know that you are working for a company that behaves honestly, closely and loyally, for example, not just on paper but in a very real and tangible way in everyday life. Or creative, individual and open to everything new. Or highly innovative, lateral thinking and oriented towards top performance. Three very different types of companies. I always find it nice when I hear such value frameworks and can directly understand them in the external view of the company.

This is just one example of how the trust building blocks quite often encourage reflection on important things in the company. I have always found it enriching when entrepreneurs are open to this. In everyday life, this has always led to an extra round - either in-house or with our support.

Over time, I have expanded the analysis of the individual building blocks of trust. For example, when it comes to passion in the company, I ask about attention to detail. That's often where the most beautiful stories come out. Every company that operates successfully works with passion in its business. This can be observed particularly well in family-run companies. I remember well the workshop at a manufacturer of electronic components. The founder and boss is an engineer himself. When asked about his passion, he didn't say much at first. Can an engineer be passionate? Oh yes. And how. When I asked about attention to detail, the gentlemen (in this industry with a very large share) were unstoppable. Exemplary was the story of the employee who spent weeks just working on increasing the efficiency of a tiny magnet (one part of about 200 in the component) by 2%. A huge effort for a small yield, which was not only tolerated by the boss but praised to the skies. In the sum of many small optimisations, which are hardly noticed by the big worldwide competitors, it led to the fact that the company produced by far the best components in their branch. Over a few years, they had become the world market leader in their niche.

When collecting content for the website, the trust building blocks always produce a considerable collection, which then needs to be weighted. Some content should go directly on the homepage, perhaps even in the immediately visible area. Others can follow on later pages or be communicated via stories and blog posts.

As a result, the trust building blocks method has been such a great success in my workshops that I have used it successfully over a hundred times with a wide variety of companies. It works everywhere, whether it is a one-man business, a small, medium-sized or large company.