Using Trust Seals On Your Site
By Vanessa Salvia, 4/16/11
There are a few things that convey safety and security to your shoppers. One of them is the construction of your site as a whole . . . the color scheme, navigation, graphics and content all have a psychological effect. Another thing that can add to a sense of security when shoppers visit your site is the use of trust seals, in the form of privacy seals, business validity seals, compliance seals, hacker-safe seals and others.
Trust seals are third-party endorsements, so to speak, that can help establish credibility for your site. But in order for them to impact the conversion rate they should be recognizable to your audience and identifiable as important. So choose 3 or perhaps 4 that convey security and safety to your customers.
Three types of seals
There are three main type of seals:
1. For SSL security-to show that the order page is secure.(Verisign.com, Thawte.com, Comodo.com, Entrust.com)
2. Hacker-safe-to show that the site and server have not been compromised (McAfeeSecure.com)
3. To indicate good business practices, such as assuring customer privacy. (BBBOnline.org [Better Business Bureau], Truste.org, Trustbuild.com)
Pros
Site seal vendors claim that they can increase visitor-to-sales conversion rates, decrease shopping cart abandonment, and increase average purchase prices. Often, visitors to a site are inexperienced online shoppers and may be looking for the extra assurance they get from a trust seal.
Cons
Unfortunately, though the trust seals can add a lot of credibility to your site, they can be expensive. Verisign trust seals, for instance, can cost around $1,500 per year to implement on your site. This may simply not be realistic for most small businesses. Users may not look for a seal and may only notice it if they happen to see it. In other words, if it's not there, the thought that it's missing may not cross their minds. And it can be a lot of money to spend on something that you don't know for sure will help.
If your site doesn't radiate trust on its own, through design and clear navigation, then a seal might not help much. Also, too many seals can make a site look "spammy," like the site owner is trying too hard to be convincing.
Trust seals should work in tandem with other trustworthy elements on your site, for instance, complete contact info (800-number, address, customer service info) and easy to navigate order pages.
Do Some Testing
Some seals, like Verisign, offer free trial periods. First, take some baseline measurements of your site traffic and conversions (sales). Then test your site with the seals on, and see how the traffic measurements and sales measure up. That might help you to determine if the seals are worth the expense for your site. If there is a noticeable difference in sales, calculate if the increase helps pay for the seals. Turn the seals on your site, and then have a trusted friend or family member browse your site and tell you if they notice anything different.
Before you commit to a seal, ask the vendor for some references of other customers using their technology. Verisign says their customers have seen an average of 17.8% more conversions. Ask to see their case studies, and try to find businesses that are about the same size as yours. Talk directly with the business owners if you can.
Although we have not seen trust seals dramatically boost sales on websites, they are an important part of an overall strategy to build trust with your customers and offer a safe, friendly shopping experience.
There are a few things that convey safety and security to your shoppers. One of them is the construction of your site as a whole . . . the color scheme, navigation, graphics and content all have a psychological effect. Another thing that can add to a sense of security when shoppers visit your site is the use of trust seals, in the form of privacy seals, business validity seals, compliance seals, hacker-safe seals and others.
Trust seals are third-party endorsements, so to speak, that can help establish credibility for your site. But in order for them to impact the conversion rate they should be recognizable to your audience and identifiable as important. So choose 3 or perhaps 4 that convey security and safety to your customers.
Three types of seals
There are three main type of seals:
1. For SSL security-to show that the order page is secure.(Verisign.com, Thawte.com, Comodo.com, Entrust.com)
2. Hacker-safe-to show that the site and server have not been compromised (McAfeeSecure.com)
3. To indicate good business practices, such as assuring customer privacy. (BBBOnline.org [Better Business Bureau], Truste.org, Trustbuild.com)
Pros
Site seal vendors claim that they can increase visitor-to-sales conversion rates, decrease shopping cart abandonment, and increase average purchase prices. Often, visitors to a site are inexperienced online shoppers and may be looking for the extra assurance they get from a trust seal.
Cons
Unfortunately, though the trust seals can add a lot of credibility to your site, they can be expensive. Verisign trust seals, for instance, can cost around $1,500 per year to implement on your site. This may simply not be realistic for most small businesses. Users may not look for a seal and may only notice it if they happen to see it. In other words, if it's not there, the thought that it's missing may not cross their minds. And it can be a lot of money to spend on something that you don't know for sure will help.
If your site doesn't radiate trust on its own, through design and clear navigation, then a seal might not help much. Also, too many seals can make a site look "spammy," like the site owner is trying too hard to be convincing.
Trust seals should work in tandem with other trustworthy elements on your site, for instance, complete contact info (800-number, address, customer service info) and easy to navigate order pages.
Do Some Testing
Some seals, like Verisign, offer free trial periods. First, take some baseline measurements of your site traffic and conversions (sales). Then test your site with the seals on, and see how the traffic measurements and sales measure up. That might help you to determine if the seals are worth the expense for your site. If there is a noticeable difference in sales, calculate if the increase helps pay for the seals. Turn the seals on your site, and then have a trusted friend or family member browse your site and tell you if they notice anything different.
Before you commit to a seal, ask the vendor for some references of other customers using their technology. Verisign says their customers have seen an average of 17.8% more conversions. Ask to see their case studies, and try to find businesses that are about the same size as yours. Talk directly with the business owners if you can.
Although we have not seen trust seals dramatically boost sales on websites, they are an important part of an overall strategy to build trust with your customers and offer a safe, friendly shopping experience.
