Who Should You Trust Online? Don’t Fall For a Shark

allierambles
Allie writes and runs Ramblings of a WAHM blog , which started back in September 2010 with little money. She helps aspiring work from home moms get their businesses noticed online through email marketing, blogging and social media. Come visit her WAHM Blog .
allierambles
allierambles
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Millions of blogs fill Internet space. These blogs do not come with warning signs. There is no club or organization that bloggers can join to prove they are worthy of a reader’s attention. So how do you know when you visit a blog that the writer/affiliate can be trusted?

Trust Online, Don’t Fall for a Shark

How do you decide if the content a blogger releases is worth your time? And not to mention, sometimes your money.

1. A referral from a trusted friend and/or other blogger is golden. A friend would never steer you in the wrong direction, they too have a reputation to uphold and want to remain a trusted friend to you. I assume they would send you to a great blogger.

If you need a quick referral from trusted online friends, Google Plus Your World is happy to give you the search results you need.

2. The age of a blog is a good indication of wealth of knowledge and persistency. How do you know how long a site has been online?

The Way Back Machine is a fun yet accurate tool to see how long a blogger and his/her site have been churning words.

3.

Have you seen this blogger elsewhere? Maybe on another blog or social media platform? Do they seem to be accepted by their peers?

This is related to #1 above but you are not getting a direct referral from a trusted friend but indirectly from trusted blogs you frequent.

4. When you visit the blog do you feel welcome?

Does the owner of the blog have a bio or about section you can explore? Do he/she have links to other posts and pages they have written? These not only help you to explore the blog, it gives the reader a sense that there is nothing hidden.

Does the theme and appearance of the blog have a nice ambiance? The appearance of a blog can reflect a blogger’s intent. It looks like a lot of time and effort went into creating a warm blog experience.

The blogger also takes great efforts to participate in discussions within the comment section. Again, the owner takes great strides to make his/her readers feel like they are wanted at the blog. And thus can create a sense of trust.

Trust online needs to be earned. Readers need to know if they follow advice or purchase something from someone that they are going to be around after the fact.

What if you have a question? Will he/she answer back?

What if you lost your version of their ebook? Can you email them and he/she will send you another copy (this happen to me).

You cannot always guarantee someone is trustworthy but you can look for the signs I listed above.

How do you determine if you can trust someone online?

 

Comments

  1. That’s a great advice on how to be trust online, without it, we can’t believe what we are seeing. Thanks for the share.
    Trung Nguyen recently posted..Free WordPress Themes: Best Of The Best Free WP ThemesMy Profile


    • Twitter:
      Trust is one of the major things we have to build a blogger or website owner because people only buy from people they trust.
      kezanari recently posted..Google Hates Adsense!!My Profile

    • Trung,

      Very true. Sometimes we can’t decide to trust by only what we see or even read. A referral from someone you already trust and/or doing some research can help be a better way to see if you can trust someone.

      ~Allie

      • Hi Allie,

        I have a few readers who have followed my blog for over 2 years, although it is a blog about personal development, are written in my native language, Vietnamese, and of course on this blog, I was not apply any make money method such as Affiliate or Adsense (you know, in my country, making money online for bloggers through these programs are very difficult – almost is impossible). However, I’m sure that I made readers believed about what I said to them. And when I posted an article about “Why blogging helped me to develop skills and acquire new opportunities?” – I had gotten many question from them, and most of the question is “how to make a blog”. You know, I answer all their question, help them build a blog, and of course, I send to them my affiliates link . Something amazing happened, I got many commission through that. So – why that thing happened? I thought that because of trust.
        Trung Nguyen recently posted..How I’ve Gotten No.1 Ranking on Google For My Keyword?My Profile


  2. Twitter:
    When you land on a blog, it should make you feel safe and calm. Sometimes you visit some pages that are too stressful. The blog must be “neat”, well organized, and clean.
    The non reliable blogs, mostly target to people that don’t know much about internet and become a nutrient meal for sharks!
    Thank you for sharing, it is very informative :)
    elena_anne recently posted..Sick Day: When to Put Your Health Before The GymMy Profile

    • Elana,

      Yes. I agree. I don’t care if I was referred by my best blogging friend, if I don’t feel comfortable visually at a site, I will just leave. They can have the best content but I just can;t write if my eyes hurt looking at the blog, lol. I laugh but it is true.

      Organization and cleanliness don’t just matter offline, they do online as well.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

    • Nothing gives us more confidence than the organized site. It can be compared with nicely set brick and mortar store with a friendly atmosphere and helpful staff. If you walk in a cramped store, with too much going on and with staff who could not care less, you do exactly what you do when you come across such page – leave with no intentions for coming back ever.

      • Evita,

        That is so true! The other day I walked into a store and there were clothes everywhere and nobody even trying to clean it up! I wanted to leave right away. Blogs aren’t much different. They need to be presentable also.

        I am happy to see someone else think like me. Many times I do stuff online and wonder if it is already done offline. I model what I do online after many offline writers and marketers. It’s all the same concepts just different tools.

        ~Allie
        Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

  3. there is always a look to the site when you know …”hmm somethings not right here”

    sometimes its painfuly obvious that its fake or scam (especially scam websites)
    but if money is involved with online purchases its always a good idea to double check things

    (even if its just submitting an email address, it could mean 100′s of SPAM)

    thanks heaps
    james
    james recently posted..profileMy Profile


    • Twitter:
      By is so true James, there are so many fake and scan websites out there BUT Even if we do get scammed we can still get our money back from the used PayPal or a credit card.

      as you said we do need to do our duty Diligence before purchasing a product from an unknown website so like allierambles said ” using way back machine is a great way to get some background information on the website”
      kezanari recently posted..3 Reasons Why You Need Less Traffic To Your BlogMy Profile

    • James,

      I have been to those sites and I even think they sent me viruses. I am thankful I am married to an IT guy and he fixed my computer. But it was scary. I went venturing out for new blogs, I felt a little uneasy about commenting but I did anyway and before I knew it 100′s of windows started popping up saying I did something wrong. After many attempts at closing them, my computer just shut down and I couldn’t get it to start again. It was scary.

      So sometimes you need to trust a site simply to comment there.

      ~Allie

  4. I can trust the legitimacy of a person by their online presence. If they have a real personal picture or an about page, then chances are they are more trust-able.
    Ben Thomas recently posted..Review of the Aakash Tablet. The worlds cheapest tablet priced…My Profile

    • Ben,

      You have a point. It is nice to see an about page for a person or company. Even if you are visiting a niche site that doesn’t have engagement, you want to be able to check out who they are and maybe a little about their company and it’s procedures.

      And most importantly, a way to contact them through email and maybe phone.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile


  5. Twitter:
    Hi Allie,

    The internet is indeed full of scams and fraudulence, and chances are great that you would fall for them whenever you don’t take careful precautions enough. I do agree with the points you have stated above especially if you can’t have any signs of reputation from someone who would tend to offer you such promotions. Often, it would be best to take some time seeking for solid proof rather than just simply rushing in without even knowing the consequences.
    Argie Monroy recently posted..3 Easy Ways to Boost Traffic to Your Business through Local SEOMy Profile

    • Argie,

      You make great points. Unfortunately, there is someone new to the Internet and its ways every moment that will fall for the scams. We just need to be more aware and protective of our emails and credit cards.

      Thanks for your comment, it is awesome!

      ~Allie


  6. Twitter:
    Thanks a lot for these advise.. I sure and hope it will helps and make understand a lot of people, who are new, feel unsafe and don’t trust online..!! :)
    Saket Jajodia recently posted..How Minors (Under The Age Of 18) Can Earn And Get Cheque From AdSenseMy Profile

    • Saket,

      I hope it does help. I hate to see people trust a pretty blog or someone trying to scam them. It happens all the time. I even have received viruses from such sites. It is hard to trust online and sometimes it does take time and research but it can be done.

      ~Allie


  7. Twitter:
    I’ll trust someone on internet if he/she give a feedback for my question. Feedback will be another reputation poin to trust someone online :)
    aufa recently posted..What is a web browser?My Profile

    • Aufa,

      Great point!! If you are looking to purchase something or ask a question, if you get great feedback then you can possibly trust them.

      That is a great way to test an online marketer.

      ~Allie

  8. Provided a great insight on these scammers. Sometimes, it’s good if you have a group of community that shares their story as well. That is why the recommendation from friend is important as well.
    Ricardus recently posted..7 Proven Unique Ways in Reducing your WordPress Blog Bounce RateMy Profile

    • Ricardus,

      I am glad I posted this on Comluv, I am getting so many ways to learn about trusting people online.

      Many times being a part of a forum or group that can discuss whether or not a company or blog is trustworthy can definitely help. Your peers think differently than you do and will have different information.

      Great advise.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile


  9. Twitter:
    These are really great points another way to build trust in someone is to see how consistent they are when writing & posting content on their site.
    Toshiba Burton recently posted..10 Prospecting & Recruiting Tips That Will Knock The Socks Off Your BusinessMy Profile

    • Toshiba,

      Great point! Not only how often but is their content consistent? Do they jump all around with there ideas and subjects? If so, maybe they are not even there and actually just buy cheap content to stick into a blog. You want someone there for feedback so you can trust them.

      Thanks. :-)

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile


  10. Twitter:
    Great article! We often ignore the trust factor of sites and just begin to explore what they have to offer us. These are good tips to consider before investing time and certainly before making a transaction. Thank you for sharing.

    • Jennifer,

      Thank you. And it’s not just trust to buy something or to spend time somewhere but also trust that they have a great product that will help you. Many trusted bloggers have put out horrible products. So sometimes you want to be sure you read reviews or even see how ell they write and conduct themselves online before buying.

      Thanks for your comment.

      ~Allie

  11. There are many genuine people on the net but then you have equally bad people who are there to scam others. Over a period of time you get to know who’s who. As you mentioned, that trust needs to be earned.
    Shalu Sharma recently posted..1. Brahmins ingnored, humiliated, neglected = End of that government.My Profile

    • Shalu,

      Trust can take a long time and a lot of effort to earn. But once you have it, awesome! You are doing great!

      So true, you do get to know who is who in different niches. I know many in the blogging and social media circles but if I wanted to venture out and read some photography blogs I would need to almost start over in finding people I can trust. Or find some friends that know.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

  12. I think it’s definitely time and experience on the net that teaches you what to trust and not. After a while some pages you land on just scream out shark and you know you should move on quickly.
    Matt Kinsella recently posted..Think Like a Dog and be HappyMy Profile

    • Matt,

      And a few mistakes. I made a bad mistake not too long ago and have learned a valuable lesson to not trust so quickly. Just know there are scammers that will use the popular and trusted names and tools in blogging to pretend to be trustworthy. There are some good scammers out there.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

  13. Rizza Gamutan says:

    Yes, in times as these, you need to be careful so you won’t be victimized. It is hard to trust a site unless you try it! But if you are not sure whether to try it or not, I guess it is best to check out references as what the article says. Nice article!

    • Rizza,

      If in doubt, wait. Check it out. Don’t do something in haste. I learned the hard way and got burned. Ask the seller/blogger questions. Get referrals. Just be careful. :-)

      Thanks.

      ~Allie

      • Learning the hard way! What happened girl? Did a referral go wrong?

        • Hajra,

          Not necessarily “wrong” but I probably took a referral from the wrong person. Our goals and techniques were different so the product matched him but not me. It happens.

          I guess that is why we need to access what works for us after the referral but before the buy.

          Hey girl! Thanks for commenting!

          ~Allie
          Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile


  14. Twitter:
    There are actually some organisations you can apply to which monitor and report quality websites. In the health sector the main one is HONCode – “The HONcode certification is an ethical standard aimed at offering quality health information. It demonstrates the intent of a website to publish transparent information. ” Learn more here: http://www.hon.ch/HONcode/Patients/Visitor/visitor.html

    There should be more organisations like this really, especially in the SEO, marketing and affiliate industries!
    Jon recently posted..How To Lose WeightMy Profile

    • Jon,

      Thanks for the link. Very helpful.

      I wish there was. It is a big endeavor to take on so someone with a lot of know how and money would have to take that on.

      I know the Better Business Bureau exists but honestly, I have seen horrible companies listed with them or there were complaints listed on their account that should have had them taken off the good list at BBB.

      We need a Better Blog Bureau. :-)

      Great idea.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

  15. There are a lot more sneaky practices and things online now than what there were years ago. It is getting crazier by the day. I am just not so quick to jump into anything. I do a lot of research and checking before I commit to something unless it is a very reputable company and well known. In the end there are always risk anything.
    Ray recently posted..So You Want to Claim the Top Spot in GoogleMy Profile

    • Ray,

      So true. I will pay more to go with a reputable company than get a discount with one I don’t know. I would rather not take the risk that my credit card number would get stolen or get a horrible product and just pay more for the guarantee of a better experience.

      Thanks for your comment.

      ~Allie


  16. Twitter:
    Nice article, I really like your first point and it is very true. I was speaking to a window cleaner and I was asking him about having a website for is business and he said to me ” there’s no point because he gets all these business from referrals”

    So referrals from people is one of the Most Effective ways to get sales and Leeds.
    kezanari recently posted..How I Get 5,000+ Backlinks With One Click Of A Mouse Button Without Using SoftwareMy Profile

    • Kezanari,

      He has a point, sort of. My husband gets all his business from referrals, always has. But he also has a simple site for information and contact. But then again, if he is public he is probably listed in the local Google searches. I would assume it depends on the business.

      That is a great point though. It got me thinking because so many social media marketers say you must have a web presence these days but do we really?

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

  17. Alan Fagan says:

    Great article. Some really sound advice. I have to agree with elena_anne; you can’t overestimate the importance of your blogs aesthetics. A lot of how we feel about a certain blog or web page will be formed on a very subconscious level based on how the page looks.

    I know the old adage about not judging a book by it’s cover is very important but if a blog is clean and well designed, it will instantly put you at ease and go a long way towards building that all important trust…

    • Alan,

      We do judge first by appearance, it’s a habit we can’t leave behind online. Blogs are very visual places. Even fonts need to be presented so we can read the posts easily. if someone put a lot of time and effort into making a nice looking blog we can at least read the content then decide. But if it is a messy place, I personally don’t feel welcome. The blogger seems to not care.

      The online times I don’t judge by the cover is people. I wait until they open their mouths. LOL.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

  18. These are great ideas thanks. The Internet seems to attract some definite “sharks” and it’s always nice to know what to do to avoid them.

  19. Hey Allie,

    You are guest posting by the minute! Yikess… scares me out you know! :)

    I always fall for references; I don’t know why. If a blogger I read consistently has suggested someone then I just have to go and check it out. Also, for the look, I wouldn’t bother so much, just be net and clean and you have my loyalties! :)

    A credible comment also makes a whole fine impact on me. I feel if someone has taken the time to read a post and write a nice comment on it, then there must be genuine concern for blogging and reading. Nothing makes me more interested than a good comment. Maybe I am weird that way.

    Thanks for directing me here! Will come back and comment bomb it soon! :)

    • Heeeyyyy Hajra,

      You still stalking me? See people, the Internet is not a safe place. LOL!!!

      I’ll be done soon with the GP’s and then back to blogging as normal. As “normal” as that can be. :-)

      Isn’t that true? Sometimes I may judge character more by the way a person comments than their own blog posts. The comment is not thought out and researched for hours, it is just usually on a whim and the person’s thoughts. No chance to clean it up except to check grammar. You really get to know someone from the way they comment.

      Thanks.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

  20. Those are some great set of things to lookout for. I generally trust websites with age and reputation. When I started using the internet, I have learned it the hard way by losing a lot of money to scam websites.
    Cheolsu recently posted..Myspace LoginMy Profile

    • Cheolsu,

      That is horrible. It is so unfortunate that scammers even exist. They are so immoral.

      You would think a good reputation would be good enough but age counts also. You want to be sure that blog or salesman will be around after you purchase something. If they have been around for a while chances are they are not going anywhere.

      ~Allie
      Allie recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

  21. Luba Santhuff says:

    The whole trust thing does not only apply offline in real life but also online. Your post speaks truth that the visitor needs to be welcomed in reading your post. The layout has to catch the attention of every visitor.


  22. Twitter:
    i think the best in every field trust is necessory whethere its blog website or offline work . the point in site is that every writer should writer a good content so that it can save a lot problems
    issac recently posted..Cool And Funny Pictures Volume 1My Profile

  23. thanks for your great ideas. Internet Online attract us, but it’s very dangerous the same as “shark” :D


  24. Twitter:
    Don’t talk to me about trust and the internet! I thought I was pretty savvy when it came to online kudos, but got stung by what I deemed to be a very reputable company who specialise in templates. Let’s call them “Template M”. No, too obvious. I know, “T Monster”. Yes that’ll do.

    And my measure of trustworthiness? A PR7 of course.

    Well, one hack later, and they’ve got access to my control panel, admin, hosting, FTP, the lot. To say that I didn’t sleep a wink that night is no understatement.

    As with all good business, referrals and reviews tend to be the best measure of trust.
    Chloe B recently posted..Post Boxes UK live!My Profile

    • Chloe,

      Wow! I am so sorry for what happen! And there is no way to police this?

      Thank you so much for your story, it really helps everyone to understand the ins and outs of online trust. We know now that scams do occur and we know this first hand. You even looked at their PR and it was high, signalling they have been around for a while and are hopefully trustworthy. But that is not the best signal, is it?

      You are right, get a referral if possible.

      ~Allie

  25. When it comes to trust of a website the main thing I look at is the overall design. If it’s a blatant wordpress site with no effort to add a logo or design. If they’ve clearly spent time and money then I give them time of day!

    • Louis,

      A good design can be an indicator of trust. But I just have to say that designing a site is not that hard or expensive. Given, I bet most scammers don’t bother with good design but I bet there are some that do.

      ~Allie

  26. Per-Erik Olsen says:

    Allison, thanks for your advice. As you said, there is no gurantee that a person can be trusted, but your simple steps are useful!

  27. James L says:

    Being somewhat new at IM trust is a subject that means a lot to me. I’m slowly beginning to understand that some marketers will say anything to sell their product. For me over hype is the first trip wire. What I look for now is common sense. Don’t try to sell me the moon just lay out logical progressions that lead to the end of the road. If you do that the trust wil be there and I’ll trust you for life. Honesty is the best policy.

  28. Per-Erik,

    True there is no guarantee of trust in a person but it is good to take some precautionary steps.

    Thanks.

    ~Allie

  29. I like the list your provided, Allie. I agree to use waybackmachine. I use it from time for something else, like finding old blog posts to run off ideas from.
    James recently posted..How to sell anything in this hard economyMy Profile

    • James,

      Seeing is believing. And if I can see there blog or site from 2 years ago and actually see it evolve, then it makes it easier for me to trust them.

      ~Allie

  30. i have seen alot of fraudulant activity from product sales sites
    using banners and logo’s for verification that have been wrongly used

    even in this line of work its used sadly, but seeing how much this happens through larger buisness sites, i can’t imagine how often sneaky activities is going on behind the scenes in lower tier sites.
    thanks

    • Hampton,

      You’re right. And you know what is really scary? If someone gets caught and then decides to hide by shutting down their site, it is very easy to start another one as another person. It is so cheap and easy to scam.

      ~Allie

  31. Charles says:

    I’m with you on #4. Blogs that are comfortable and clean make it easy to make yourself at home there. Light colors, easy navigation. An easy to peruse site builds trust quickly.

    • Charles,

      A clean design is one step to proving you can be trusted. One has to put a lot of effort into making your site look nice and inviting- not just slapped together over night. If it comes that fast, it might just leave that fast also.

      ~Allie

  32. I agree with the referrals, but many things that seem like they would convey trust can be faked by malicious users. Comments and praise on both their own blogs and social networks can easily be posted by themselves or a friend and not a genuine endorser.
    Andrew recently posted..Free online string combination toolMy Profile

    • Andrew,

      I have heard of business, like travel sites, faking reviews. They write them themselves under an alias or have friends do it like you said.

      Also, it is easy to pump up a comment count almost the same way. Friends and cheap labor can come in handy if you want to look trustworthy.

      ~Allie


  33. Twitter:
    Hi Allie,

    I’m agree with the #4 so true auhtor bio and some other blogs links are trustable. And also if we purchase something online and we ask question if they reply back to you with your own needs so we can trust on them. On internet now a days its really hard to trust but some research going to our favour :)

    Thanks.
    Ajnabii recently posted..5 Benefits Of Guest BloggingMy Profile


  34. Twitter:
    As you siad, you are talking by expirience.It happend to me also many times.It is really essential for a blogger to register at the footer of his blog the section ”about us” because it’s necessary for the guest to know who will provide him all the informations that he may be needed.Really good post and advices.Thanks for sharing.
    Sara recently posted..No-Fail Flowering Trees and ShrubsMy Profile

    • Aida,

      Yes. And the more info we can find like email, twitter, phone number, etc, the more we know this person may not hide if we need to contact him.

      ~Allie

  35. undeniably trust is something we cannot live without especially online. When your customers trust you, they don’t actually spend much time researching about you tell them. and this actually saves time and cost. Great insights thanks!

  36. It’s definitely important to understand that blogs are oftentimes opinions. As with most information on the internet, you shouldn’t trust the first thing you read. Do some research and see if what you read in one blog is consistent with other bloggers’ opinions or other published information on the web.

  37. Srujan Madikanti says:

    Allie,
    Thank you for the post…
    I am a tyro in blogging…
    Your post is a lesson to me.
    Thank you…:)

  38. Thanks for this, we can forget that because things are online that they are not what they seem.

    A worthwhile and important reminder, thank you!
    Sarah DW recently posted..Top Tips: Travelling with an InfantMy Profile

    • Sarah,

      Things can be even more deceiving online than off. We cannot see the person face to face so it is easy to lie or cheat. At least if there is a sale offline one can get a “feel” of a situation and back out. Online is a much harder platform to gain trust.

      ~Allie

  39. My biggest thing as far as trust goes is that they follow through with what they say. For instance, I had one blogger leave a comment on my site and say that she would be back to find the answer – So I spent a butt-load of time trying to figure out the answer..and guess what – she never returned for the answer. I quickly lost my faith in her and her blog and haven’t gone back since.
    Bellaisa recently posted..Signs of No AttractionMy Profile

    • That is a real quick way to lose readers. If you tell someone you are going to do something you do it. Speaking of…I promised a blogger an invite to Pinterest, I better follow thru. LOL.

  40. Mike Snow says:

    Great blog…Lots of great comments.The key is..never trust anyone till you have built a good relationship.These days its so hard to judge someone face to face.

  41. Very important piece of advise this is as you can not blindly trust online. You need to check the credibility of blog and blogger before following or referring them. Nice one.

  42. To be honest, I trust my brother only, he is the source of my knowledge.

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