While many factors contribute to a Web site s power to influence, one key factor is credibility. Without credibility, sites are not likely to persuade users to change their attitudes or behaviors to embrace the site s cause, register personal information, make purchases, click on ads, complete surveys, or bookmark the site for return visits. For this reason, it s important to understand and design for Web credibility.

What makes a Web site credible? What elements cause people to believe what they find on the site? Web credibility what it is, how it is won, and how to understand it better is the focus of this chapter.