No matter how interesting your site is, how much traffic you get, or what your possibilities for growth are, your online success is still dependent on one critical variable: your conversion rate.
Your conversion rate is your ability to secure “conversions,” which could refer to anything from product purchases to filling out a lead generation form to even watching a meaningful video. The sticking point is that a conversion is some measurable action that makes a user more valuable to your site.
Why Your Conversion Rate is so Important
If you can’t get conversions, you can’t make money on a site meant to generate paying customers. Advertising and affiliate links are still options, but if you’re selling a product or service, conversions are the only way for you to turn visitors into real value. It’s great to be able to generate thousands of monthly visitors, but if none of those visitors are converting, they’re practically worthless to you.
Tweaks that Make a Difference
Fortunately, there are some relatively easy strategies that even non-experts can use to improve their conversion rates:
1) Choose the right platform.
Before you start making too many tweaks, make sure you’re using the right web builder or design platform. Different platforms allow for different levels of customization, and some might even have built-in conversion optimization features. If you don’t have much liberty to change things on your site, you’ll have trouble integrating the rest of these strategies.
2) Ensure mobile optimization.
Unfortunately, conversion rates for mobile devices stand at about half that of desktop devices, despite mobile being the biggest source of online traffic. This is likely due to the fact that many online stores aren’t adequately optimized for mobile, so make sure all your text is easily readable, your forms are easy to interact with, and you’ve designed your site with mobile users in mind.
3) Make your CTAs more prominent.
You can also increase your conversion rate simply by making it easier to convert. Make your calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout the site more prominent by placing them in more conspicuous locations, and by making them a different color from the rest of your background.
4) Play with better headlines.
Your copy has a significant impact on whether your visitors convert; your headline is often the first thing people see when they get to your landing page, and it can form their impressions immediately. Experiment with different phrases and keywords to see what works best for your audience.
5) Make your forms shorter.
People don’t like to be inconvenienced. If it takes more than a minute to fill out your form, chances are, they’re going to turn back. Making your form shorter, by requiring fewer fields, can speed up this process and make your visitors more likely to see it through.
6) Make your buttons easier to see and click.
The buttons on your forms also play a role in your eventual conversions. You should include some prominent text on them, which prompts action and use a color that makes them stand out.
7) Add trust indicators.
Make your users trust you more by adding trust indicators. These can be trust badges that show your affiliations, logos of other companies you’ve worked with, or even reviews and testimonials from other customers who have been satisfied with their purchase with you.
8) Set a time limit.
Some people don’t convert because they figure they can do it later if they so choose. If you instill a sense of urgency in those visitors, they’ll be compelled to convert now, rather than miss out on the opportunity. You can do this by adding a time limit to your products, indicating that the price may increase if not acted upon now.
9) Add a guarantee.
You can also boost conversions by adding a guarantee to your products or services. The standard money-back guarantee works well, as does a free trial offer (especially for services or software products).
10) Increase the value offered for each conversion.
Finally, consider upping the value of the conversion exchange you’re offering. For example, you can throw in a free gift with the purchase of your best product, or you can offer a premium piece of content in exchange for new email list signups.
Final Words:
Whether you use some or all of these strategies, the power to increase your conversion rate is already in your hands. Start by making one change, and measure its effects on your overall conversion rate. If it works, let it stick and move onto another change. If there isn’t an improvement, revert back to your original setup and try something different. Through this process of experimentation, you should be able to optimize your site for conversions in a matter of weeks.
Web Developer & SEO Specialist with 15+ years of experience in Open Source Web Development specialized in Joomla & WordPress development. He is also the moderator of this blog "RS Web Solutions".