Your website’s privacy information and security settings can
be significant hurdles when it comes to gaining trust with your visitors.
Establishing trust is paramount to enticing visitors to make that final
commitment, whether that be making a purchase, choosing to provide their info,
or simply making initial contact with you.
Your job is to make sure your visitors feel confident that
their information is kept safe and will not be used for nefarious means, or
anything other than what they fully expect. While providing assurances are
nice, those assurances only go so far as what actually happens. Be sure that
your small print reinforces what your visitors already expect to find in
regards to how their information is used.
Page
Structure
You should have specific pages developed that address both
privacy and visitor security issues. These pages should be easy to access and
structured in an easy-to-read fashion.
Scanability
Be sure your privacy and security pages are easy to
scan.Categorize information into
sections allowing visitors to easily find information that is most important to
them.
Section
summaries
With each page divided into sections, each main section
should start with a short summary or introduction that then leads to more
specific points outlined in greater detail.
Information
types
Identify the different types of information that is
collected from your visitors and explain how that information will be used. Be
specific so visitors get a complete understanding of what happens to the
personal info details they provide.
Cookies
If cookies are used for the purpose of storing information,
explain why and how long the cookie stays active on their computer.
Info
sharing
Explain to your visitors if any information collected will
be shared with other third parties and explain the circumstances and reasoning
why.
Data
protection
Explain how user’s data will be protected and kept safe once
their information is collected. Note if any SSL encryption is used, and
specifically how information on minors (if applicable) will be protected.
Additional
protection
As an additional benefit, it’s a good idea to provide
further information on how your visitors can protect themselves and their
information on the web in general.
Footer
links
Footers are often the “expected” location of links
to your privacy and security pages. If not already included, it’s best to find
a permanent place in your footer for these links.
Contextual
/ form links
Don’t let your footer be the only place for such links.
Links to your privacy and security pages should be included in all appropriate
locations, such as with forms, shopping cart, etc.
Security
images
If and where appropriate, use visual images to indicate to
visitors they are viewing secure pages or sections of the site, or are entering
information into a secure web form. These images give visual confirmation of
security that helps establish additional layers of trust.
Site
links
The security and privacy pages are a good place to provide
additional links to sections of the site that allow users to change
preferences, contact info, opt out etc.
When establishing trust and credibility it is often the
littlest of things that can make the biggest difference. Shoppers simply want
to feel comfortable about their purchase. The more small comforts you can
provide them the more apt they will be to complete the shopping/purchase
process.
Stoney deGeyter runs a leading search engine marketing business with a small team of seasoned Reno SEO and marketing experts. Stoney pioneered the concept of Destination Search Engine Marketing which is the driving philosophy on how Pole Position marketing helps their clients succeed.
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