How to acquire new

customers and keep them

An essential guide from Thawte

WHITE PAPER 2014

Contents:
SEO for multi-device Platforms 3
SEO for Multi-device Platforms 3
Landing Page Optimisation 3 - 4

Security Practices that Will Improve Your Conversion Rate

Using Trust Logos to Drive Visitor acquisition 6

Using Trust Logos to Improve Customer Conversion

Web-based marketing is widespread amongst companies of all sizes however at

the same time, online advertising is undergoing significant changes. As a result
many web developers have become frustrated as previously successful search
engine optimisation (SEO) and online advertising methods arent generating the
types of return in terms of increasing website visitors and conversion rates as
they have in the past.
Its worth noting that website developers should not lose sight of the original purpose of SEO and online ads, which is to
provide an efficient way to find prospective customers using websites and search engines (and vice versa). With that in
mind, surely there are many other ways to find and exploit potential growth opportunities.
And now is the time for businesses with an online presence (not just those who do their business online but all those
that have a website) - to consider a new approach to traditional SEO and online advertising in order to maximise the
return on investment in online marketing.
This whitepaper offers advice to frustrated web site developers, ecommerce managers and web marketers who feel that
their web marketing return has levelled out, with some hints on how to improve visitor acquisition and conversion rates.

How to acquire new customers and keep them

The rebirth of SEO and Online Ads

Ad Preview and Diagnosis tool: An example of a

search where the client uses Google AdWords

SEO for multi-device Platforms

As we all know, internet access trends show we are now driven by
smartphones and tablets rather than by conventional computers.
Search engines such as Google tailor search results and ads in
accordance with various factors, including location, language and,
more recently, by device. Its possible that the difference in order
of search results between a computer and a smartphone may
result in stagnant sales via the website.
Google offers advertisers a tool that lets them simulate search

A search made using a desktop computer in the United States.

results and listing ads according to different location,

language and, importantly, by device. This enables advertisers
to gauge the differences in search outcomes depending on the
location, language and devices that consumers may use to conduct
their searches therefore allowing the business owner to constantly
change, tweak and adapt search campaigns on the fly.

Landing Page Optimisation

A search made using an iOS device in the United Kingdom

Even if you have the highest ranked search results this can all mean nothing if the visitors you attract leave your site
quickly after arriving, without looking closely at your products or pages. Landing page optimisation is a vital way of
ensuring visitors can be enticed to stay and shop. It is no longer enough to show content that matches the
keywords the visitor used when they found your site; these days, you need to try harder as described below.
On average, a visitor to your website will spend a maximum of 10-20 seconds (probably less) on any one page. So
first impressions are often the only impressions. When you review and assess the effectiveness of your landing pages
or key site pages you might want to consider the following:
What is the first thing you see? Remember in most cases this is the only thing most visitors will see.
Is there any information you couldnt absorb in 10 seconds? In that case does it need to be there?
Is there a visible sign of your websites security? Consumers are looking for signs of credibility, such as the Thawte

Trusted Site Seal.

Is there an obvious and easy call-to-action visible without the need to scroll down the page?
Are you asking the right type of questions on your site? If you dont ask, you dont get.
What is your loading speed like? Google has found that people will visit a website less often if it is slower than a

close competitor by more than 250 milliseconds. Thats less than the blink of an eye. So keep your page simple

and keep it fast.

How to acquire new customers and keep them

Smartphone/Tablet friendly sites

Its worth bearing in mind that two-thirds of consumers use their smartphones to research product information and
nearly a fifth of consumers use their smartphones to shop. You dont necessarily have to develop a mobile version of
your site, but you do need it to be mobile-friendly:
Make calls-to-action and links big enough for touch-screens
Keep your website text simple and clear
Dont use Flash on any vital parts of your site
Keep your shopping basket process simple and allow visitors to buy as a guest rather than having to register to

reduce the amount of form-filling on phones (this also in most cases stops people abandoning).

Proof point: Dominos Pizza achieves 13% of all digital sales through mobile devices
(source http://econsultancy.com/blog/10604-pizza-hut-takes-aim-at-domino-s-with-new-mobile-site ).
Dominos have invested in a mobile specific site and app; but optimising for mobile is quite often enough without a
huge additional investment.

Displaying a security mark so visitors know the site is reliable

How can an e-commerce site boost sales to site visitors? In one study, 115 of 152 respondents (about 75%) said they
have quit a purchase because they could not find a trust logo on the website. It can therefore be concluded that many
visitors hesitate to enter into a transaction on a website they cannot trust. In other words, a trust logo on a websites
landing and payment pages can help strengthen new visitor acquisition by indicating the sites trustworthiness.

Have you ever not purchased something because you did not recognise any of the trust logos?
Choices

Percentage

Count

Yes
No
Not sure

115

75.66%

20

13.16%

17

11.18%
Total

75.66%
http://www.actualinsights.com/2011/shopping-cart-abandonment-trust-logos/

How to acquire new customers and keep them

152

Security Practices that Will Improve Your Conversion Rate

How then, in an age when SEO and online ads are commonplace, should you set about maximising sales via your website? Before looking at the nitty-gritty, let us first consider online purchasing behaviour.
The diagram below illustrates that most websites work on online purchasing behaviour of a visit, look, buy premise.
To maximise sales, each of those elements requires its own special measures. But investing your resources in all those
areas is not effective.

SEO

Landing pages

LPO

Contact forms

Listing
ads
EFO

Recommendations

Banner
ads
Usability
improvements

Customers
Email
ads
Product pages

Blogs

Reassurance

Shop

Shopping carts

SNS

PO
VISIT

LOOK

How to acquire new customers and keep them

BUY

Using trust logos to drive visitor acquisition

According to a Macromill survey (source http://www.japaninc.com/pdf_stats/stats45.pdf), the trustworthiness of a
website is more important to online consumers than product prices and the sites appearance when deciding whether or
not to make a purchase or application. Thus, to ensure ongoing support from online shoppers, website operators need
to earn and maintain their trust.

Which of the following criteria do you

use when choosing which website to buy
from? (Choose all that apply)

84.5%
Users seek

trustworthiness
in online
shopping sites!

84.5%

75.8%

80

An Investigation of Consumer Perceptions of

Online Shopping, March 2009, MACROMILL,INC

72.1%

60

45%

44%

42.1%

40

36.6%

28.1%

20

23.1% 22.9%

17.4%

1.7%

0
Other

Extensive
after-sales services

Quick delivery

Solid site
construction

Full range of clear

product images

Ratings and reviews

from other purchases

Extensive range
of products I like

Full range of
payment options

Thorough product
explanations

Free or cheap
shipping

Affordable
product prices

Trustworthiness
of the site

Well-known companies and brands have an advantage when it comes to the perceived
reliability and security of their websites. But most website operators are small and
medium-sized enterprise which have to win that trust through hard work. One means
of reassuring website visitors is to make effective use of trust logos issued by widely
recognised organisations to show that the site meets the standards required to receive
the mark. Websites that use the Thawte SSL Certificates can display the Thawte Trusted
Site Seal for free on their site. Visitors can click on the seal to ensure that Thawte has
authenticated and validated that the website operator is an actual existing entity, thus
making the site more trustworthy.

How to acquire new customers and keep them

Using trust logos to improve customer conversion

Landing Page Optimisation (LPO) and Entry Form Optimisation (EFO) are known methods of improving customer
conversion rates (e.g. the rate at which people who visit and view a website go on to make a purchase or sign up for
membership). Here, too, trust logos can be useful.
If you accept credit cards online or ask users to submit personal data or create an account, you need to show that your
web site can be trusted. Displaying a Seal on landing and payment pages serves to reassure visitors. By clicking on the
seal, visitors can confirm the following:
1. That data is encrypted
2. That the company or organisation operating the site actually exists (if the site has an SSL Certificate)
The Thawte Trusted Site Seal gives your web site instant credibility in the online world by visually reassuring
customers that your sites identity has been verified and that it is secured with SSL.

Secured by

Valid Certificate

[ organization ]

Woodgrove Bank

[ domain ]

www.woodgrovebank.com

[ country ]

United States

[ current status ]

Valid

[ valid from ]

2008.11.19

[ valid until ]

2010.01.17

Displaying the Thawte Trusted Site Seal is not simply a case of posting an
image on your site. The mark has been developed to prevent unauthorised
copying. Clicking the seal brings up the authentication data of the website,
which was verified when the certificate was purchased and is subsequently
provided by the verification page that appears.
This information is included in the SSL certificate that we issue. This
enables you to check the site's validity yourself. Always check a site's
certificate before entering any sensitive information. Below are the details
for certificate: THAWTE, INC.
[ organization ]

THAWTE, INC.

[ domain ]

www.thawte.com

[ country ]

US

[ current status ]

Valid

[ valid from ]

07-Oct-2013

[ valid until ]

31-Aug-2014
[ buy ssl certificates ]

How to acquire new customers and keep them

An Extended Validation SSL Certificate is also an effective way to improve conversion rates; by displaying the name of
the authenticated company or organisation in a special section of the address bar shown in green a website visitor can
tell immediately that this site is trustworthy and secure. EV SSL Certificates are issued only to websites that undergo a
more stringent authentication process than that of a regular SSL certificate, and indicates that the site offers a higher
level of security. When visiting an EV SSL secured webpage in your browser, part of the address bar turns green, which
serves as a visual reminder of the trustworthiness of the site. Moreover, the padlock icon and display of the authenticated
companys name further add to the visual reinforcement of the sites security.

When optimising your site to attract greater visitor numbers and improve your conversion rate, designing your site to be
secure is an effective way of enhancing your optimisation measures. For instance, using a well-known trust logo and EV
SSL can make your site seem more trustworthy and secure. Displaying trust logos and maintaining solid security in your
website increase the likelihood that first-time visitors to your site will perceive your site as trustworthy and come back
time and time again. And when viewed over the long term, the difference can be huge.

How to acquire new customers and keep them

Contact Details
If you have further questions,
or would like to speak with a Sales Advisor,
please feel free to contact us:
Email: sales@thawte.com
UK: +44 203 450 5486
Germany: +49 69 3807 89081
France: +33 1 57 32 42 68
Live Chat: https://www.thawte.com/chat/chat_retail_new.html
www.thawte.com

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