home / skills / flpbalada / my-opencode-config / trust-psychology
This skill helps you design landing pages and checkout flows that reduce perceived risk by applying proven trust signals.
npx playbooks add skill flpbalada/my-opencode-config --skill trust-psychologyReview the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.
---
name: trust-psychology
description:
Build trust signals that reduce perceived risk and enable user action. Use
when designing landing pages, checkout flows, onboarding experiences, or any
conversion point where user hesitation is a barrier.
---
# Trust Psychology - Reducing Risk to Enable Action
Trust is a psychological mechanism that reduces perceived risk and uncertainty,
enabling people to make decisions in ambiguous situations. In digital contexts,
trust serves as a critical bridge between hesitation and action.
## When to Use This Skill
- Designing landing pages and conversion funnels
- Creating checkout and payment flows
- Building onboarding experiences
- Reducing cart abandonment
- Launching new products or brands
- Entering new markets
## Core Principle
```
TRUST-RISK RELATIONSHIP
User Decision Process:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ Perceived Value vs. Perceived Risk │
│ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Desire │ │ Hesitation│ │
│ └────┬───┘ └────┬─────┘ │
│ │ │ │
│ └───────┬───────────┘ │
│ ▼ │
│ TRUST SIGNALS │
│ Tip the balance │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ACTION │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Trust reduces perceived risk without changing actual risk
```
## Trust Components
### Multi-dimensional Trust Model
```
Trust = Competence + Benevolence + Integrity
COMPETENCE (Can they deliver?)
├── Expertise indicators
├── Track record evidence
├── Professional presentation
└── Technical proficiency
BENEVOLENCE (Do they care about me?)
├── Customer-first language
├── Generous policies
├── Helpful resources
└── Responsive support
INTEGRITY (Are they honest?)
├── Transparent practices
├── Consistent messaging
├── Ethical behavior
└── Promise fulfillment
```
## Types of Risk to Address
| Risk Type | User Concern | Trust Signal |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| **Financial** | Will I lose money? | Guarantees, secure payment |
| **Product** | Will it work as expected? | Reviews, demos, trials |
| **Service** | Will I get help if needed? | Support visibility, SLAs |
| **Psychological** | Will I regret this decision? | Social proof, testimonials |
| **Privacy** | Is my data safe? | Security badges, clear policies |
| **Time** | Will I waste time? | Quick results, easy cancellation |
## Trust Signal Categories
### 1. Visual Trust Indicators
```
Security & Safety:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🔒 SSL certificate indicator │
│ 💳 Payment processor logos (Visa, Stripe...) │
│ 🛡️ Security badges (Norton, McAfee...) │
│ ✓ Privacy policy link │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Professional Design:
├── Clean, modern interface
├── Consistent branding
├── Error-free content
├── Fast loading times
└── Mobile optimization
```
### 2. Social Trust Elements
```
Social Proof Hierarchy:
HIGH IMPACT:
├── Video testimonials with real customers
├── Case studies with specific results
├── Recognizable brand logos
└── Industry expert endorsements
MEDIUM IMPACT:
├── Star ratings with review counts
├── User/customer count statistics
├── Media mentions and press coverage
└── Industry certifications
SUPPORTIVE:
├── Social media presence
├── Community size indicators
├── User-generated content
└── Real-time activity notifications
```
### 3. Structural Assurance
```
Risk Reduction Guarantees:
"30-day money-back guarantee"
"Free cancellation anytime"
"No credit card required for trial"
"Your data is never shared or sold"
These reduce risk of trying:
├── Financial safety net
├── Easy exit option
├── Low commitment entry
└── Privacy protection
```
### 4. Competence Demonstrations
| Element | Example |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Years in business | "Trusted since 2010" |
| Customer count | "500,000+ customers served" |
| Results achieved | "Helped clients increase revenue 40%" |
| Industry recognition | Awards, certifications, features |
## Landing Page Trust Architecture
```
TRUST SIGNAL PLACEMENT
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HEADER: Logo, Security badges, Contact info │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ HERO: Value prop + Trust statement │
│ "Trusted by 10,000+ companies" │
│ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SOCIAL PROOF: Client logos, testimonials │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ FEATURES: Each with supporting proof points │
│ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ TESTIMONIALS: Detailed customer stories │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ CTA SECTION: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [Sign Up Free] │ │
│ │ ✓ No credit card required │ │
│ │ ✓ Cancel anytime │ │
│ │ 🔒 256-bit encryption │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ FOOTER: Certifications, policies, contact │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
## Context-Specific Trust Strategies
### New Brands/Products
```
Trust Building for Unknown Entities:
Priority Signals:
├── Founder credentials and story
├── Early customer testimonials
├── Third-party validation (press, awards)
├── Generous trial/guarantee terms
├── Transparent company information
└── Active social media presence
Key message: "We're new, but trustworthy because..."
```
### High-Value Transactions
```
For purchases requiring high trust:
├── Extensive social proof
├── Multiple guarantee layers
├── Detailed product information
├── Easy-to-reach support
├── Secure payment emphasis
├── Clear return/refund policies
└── Customer service availability indicators
Key message: "Your investment is protected"
```
### Subscription Services
```
Trust for ongoing commitment:
├── Easy cancellation messaging
├── No lock-in terms
├── Clear billing transparency
├── Pause options
├── Usage value demonstrations
└── Active community evidence
Key message: "Stay because you want to, not because you have to"
```
## Trust Killers to Avoid
```
ELEMENTS THAT DESTROY TRUST
Technical Issues:
❌ Slow loading times
❌ Broken links or images
❌ Security warnings
❌ Mobile-unfriendly design
Content Issues:
❌ Typos and grammar errors
❌ Stock photos without context
❌ Vague or exaggerated claims
❌ Missing contact information
Behavioral Issues:
❌ Hidden fees at checkout
❌ Difficult cancellation process
❌ Aggressive pop-ups
❌ Misleading pricing
```
## Trust Audit Template
```markdown
## Trust Audit Analysis
**Page/Flow:** [Name] **Date:** [Date]
### Trust Signal Inventory
| Category | Elements Present | Effectiveness |
| --------------- | ---------------- | ------------- |
| Security Visual | [List items] | Strong/Weak |
| Social Proof | [List items] | Strong/Weak |
| Guarantees | [List items] | Strong/Weak |
| Competence | [List items] | Strong/Weak |
### Risk Coverage Assessment
| Risk Type | Addressed? | How |
| --------- | ---------- | ----------------- |
| Financial | Yes/No | [Specific signal] |
| Product | Yes/No | [Specific signal] |
| Privacy | Yes/No | [Specific signal] |
| Service | Yes/No | [Specific signal] |
### Trust Gaps Identified
1. [Gap description and impact]
2. [Gap description and impact]
### Recommendations
| Priority | Change | Expected Impact |
| -------- | ----------------- | ----------------- |
| High | [Specific action] | [Conversion lift] |
| Medium | [Specific action] | [Risk reduction] |
### Trust Killers Found
- [ ] Technical issues: [List]
- [ ] Content issues: [List]
- [ ] Behavioral issues: [List]
```
## Measurement Approaches
### Quantitative Metrics
| Metric | What It Indicates |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------- |
| Conversion rate | Overall trust sufficiency |
| Bounce rate | Initial trust impression |
| Cart abandonment | Checkout trust issues |
| Time to conversion | Trust-building effectiveness |
| Support inquiries | Unaddressed trust concerns |
### Qualitative Methods
- Exit surveys on non-converters
- User interviews about hesitations
- Session recordings for friction points
- A/B testing trust signal variations
## Integration with Other Methods
| Method | Combined Use |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| **Social Proof** | Social proof is a form of trust signal |
| **Loss Aversion** | Frame trust as protecting against loss |
| **Cognitive Load** | Simplify trust signal presentation |
| **Visual Cues** | Direct attention to trust elements |
| **Status Quo Bias** | Build trust before asking for change |
## Quick Reference
```
TRUST CHECKLIST
Essential (Must Have):
□ SSL certificate and security indicators
□ Clear contact information
□ Privacy policy accessible
□ Professional, error-free design
□ At least one form of social proof
Recommended:
□ Customer testimonials with specifics
□ Money-back or satisfaction guarantee
□ Industry certifications or awards
□ Real team photos or founder story
□ Live chat or easy support access
Advanced:
□ Video testimonials
□ Detailed case studies
□ Real-time activity indicators
□ Third-party reviews integration
□ Trust badges from known authorities
Near CTA:
□ Security reassurance
□ Guarantee reminder
□ No-risk statement
□ Privacy commitment
```
## Resources
- [Don't Make Me Think - Steve Krug](https://sensible.com/dont-make-me-think/)
- [Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini](https://www.influenceatwork.com/)
- [Neuromarketing - Roger Dooley](https://www.rogerdooley.com/)
- [Baymard Institute - E-commerce UX Research](https://baymard.com/)
This skill teaches how to build trust signals that reduce perceived risk and enable user action. It focuses on practical patterns for landing pages, checkout flows, onboarding, and any conversion point where hesitation blocks progress. Use it to design interfaces and copy that tip the balance from doubt to action.
The skill inspects perceived value versus perceived risk and recommends trust signals that lower uncertainty without changing actual risk. It breaks trust into competence, benevolence, and integrity and maps those dimensions to visual indicators, social proof, guarantees, and competence demonstrations. It also provides an audit template and measurement approaches to validate improvements.
Which trust signals move the needle fastest?
Social proof (recognizable logos, specific testimonials) and explicit guarantees near the CTA typically produce the quickest uplift.
How do I measure whether trust improvements work?
Track conversion rate, bounce rate, cart abandonment, time to conversion, and support inquiries. Use A/B tests and exit surveys for qualitative insight.