How to Improve your Conversion Rates [Guide and Infographic]

If you are a web entrepreneur, brand- or nonprofit owner, converting traffic and viewers into clients, donors and customers should be on top of your to-do list. Traffic is great, but unless you can find a way to convert that traffic, it is simply useless in most cases. Many of the world’s top businesses and brands spend millions of dollars perfecting their sales collaterals and sales funnels online and optimizing their websites for conversion. For those without large budgets, conversion is equally important, and with these ideas, tips, and hacks it’s totally achievable for any website.

Here is a guide to some of the top changes and improvements that have worked for some of the world’s most successful online entities, brands, and businesses. With the implementation of these strategies, you can boost your engagement and ultimately your business by optimizing your sites for conversion.

Conversion Rate Optimization Infographic Source

Speed Matters

The modern consumer is one who wants instant gratification. Gone are the days of potential customers waiting for you or your sales team to make their rounds. If your website doesn’t load fast enough, customers will move on. A one-second delay in website speed can result in a conversion reduction of 7%. This means if your website was to be optimized for speed, conversion can be boosted exponentially. If your website is loading slow, a simple boost in speed may be all you need to up your results.

Simplify Site Navigation and Landing Pages

Over cluttering and having difficult-to-navigate pages, regardless how informative, will not convert the way they are intended to. Landing- and homepages should be used to draw in the viewers and get them hungry for more information. The Weather Channel, for example, increased conversion by a whopping 225% by simplifying their homepage. Compressing a landing page increased DesignBoost’s sign-ups by 13%, and improving site navigation increased conversion by 7.74% on The Olympic Store. Draw the customer in and improve navigation to informational pages to see gross engagement levels increase profoundly.

Add Customer Care Channels

Sometimes a customer simply needs a few questions and concerns addressed prior to clicking on your call to action. Having a FAQ page is a great way to boost conversion. Adding live chat support is another way to address the customer’s concerns promptly and push viewers toward action. Intuit.com increased conversion by 20% and sales by 211% after adding a live chat to their website.

Streamline Checkout

If you are seeing a lot of abandoned carts and simply not getting the order volumes, your traffic would suggest it might be your checkout is simply too complex. Once you have convinced a viewer it is time to act, having them fill out countless forms and fields, or go through lengthy sign-up processes, will throw them off. ASOS store was able to see conversion rate increase by 50% by allowing customers to check out as guests. Additionally, adding common payment methods used by your customers help speed up the checkout. Adding check out by PayPal button, for example, increases mobile conversion by up to 34%. Check out this guide if you want to learn how to make money with Shopify.

Related: How to Make an Extra $2000 a Month with Sides Hustle from Home

Use Ratings & Reviews

Using customer testimonials and product ratings can boost your brand and product’s market credibility. 63% of customers are more likely to make a purchase after checking out product ratings, so having a review of your online platform is definitely a good idea if you want to get more conversions. Furthermore, 50 or more customer reviews per product can increase conversion by 4.6%. A great example of this strategy in practice is Wikijob, which was able to increase conversion by 34% after adding testimonials to their homepage.

Better Content – Add Videos & Use Better Quality Images

We live in a media-saturated world and having poor quality media does not do your brand or its products justice. Hyundai, for example, increased requests to test drive their vehicles by 62% after using larger product images on their site.

Using video media is one of the best converting types of advertising and can make a huge impact on conversion rates, as well. Voices.com was able to increase conversion rates by 400% by implementing demonstration videos on their site, and Candlemakers was able to boost conversion by 166% after adding video testimonials to their site. Video media is the future and adding video will help show the benefits of using your brand without oversaturating or cluttering your website with words. In the media-driven era of today, quality images and video are key to boosting brand image and conversion.

Invest time in quality Content Creation strategies and activities and capture your audience’s attention and imagination. People love beauty. Create Content that stands out.

Use Special Offers

Online shoppers are notorious bargain hunters and will look around for the best possible deal. Using a wide array of special offers, discounts, promotions, and coupons can boost conversion and sales. Adding an instant discount coupon to your site might increase your conversion by 6.8%, as it did for Namebadge,com. According to the data, 26% of customers prefer using online coupons when making purchases. Another great way to avoid your customers looking around your sector is to add a free trial. Muscle and Motion increased conversion by 14.5% after emphasizing a free trial on their homepage. In the psychology of the bargain hunter, a free trial means they get to use the product and are far less likely to go to a competitor once they have used your product and are familiar with it.

CTA Buttons

For whatever reason, placing a call to action button in different places or simply changing its color can impact conversion more than you think. Changing a call-to-action button from green to red increases conversion by up to 34%. Additionally, try moving it around to see where it gets the most engagement. Changing the place of your CTA button can increase sales by 36%. Put your CTA buttons at the top of your page, like Unbounce.com, and benefit from up to 41% better conversion as they have.

There are many types of changes that can make a huge difference in converting your hard-earned traffic into profits and actions. Though many of the ones covered above will work across the board, some may not be best for your specific customer base and viewership. With that in mind, it is important to always A/B test your website and try different things until you get the right mix that is converting the way you want. These are just a few tested ideas that will act as a guideline to building a stronger business and website that does its ultimate job: converts.

FAQ

What are conversion rates, and why are they important for businesses?

Conversion rates measure the percentage of website visitors or users who take a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. They are essential for businesses as they indicate the effectiveness of their marketing and sales efforts in driving desired outcomes.

What are some common reasons for low conversion rates on websites?

Common reasons for low conversion rates on websites include poor website design and navigation, unclear calls-to-action, lengthy or complicated checkout processes, slow page loading times, lack of trust signals, and irrelevant or insufficient product information.

How can businesses optimize their website design to improve conversion rates?

Businesses can optimize their website design by ensuring it is user-friendly, visually appealing, and responsive across devices. Clear navigation, prominent calls-to-action, streamlined checkout processes, and compelling product descriptions can all help improve conversion rates.

What role does website performance play in improving conversion rates?

Website performance, including factors like page loading speed and uptime, plays a crucial role in improving conversion rates. A fast and reliable website provides a better user experience, reduces bounce rates, and increases the likelihood of visitors completing desired actions.

How can businesses use A/B testing to improve conversion rates?

A/B testing involves comparing two versions of a webpage or marketing asset to determine which performs better in terms of conversion rates. Businesses can use A/B testing to experiment with different headlines, layouts, calls-to-action, and other elements to identify strategies that resonate most with their audience.

What are some effective strategies for optimizing landing pages to increase conversion rates?

Effective strategies for optimizing landing pages include crafting compelling headlines and copy, using persuasive imagery, incorporating clear calls-to-action, reducing form fields, providing social proof and testimonials, and ensuring seamless navigation and mobile responsiveness.

How can businesses leverage customer feedback to improve conversion rates?

Businesses can leverage customer feedback through surveys, user testing, and analytics tools to identify pain points and areas for improvement in the conversion process. Addressing customer concerns and preferences can lead to higher satisfaction and increased conversion rates.

What role does personalization play in improving conversion rates?

Personalization involves tailoring content and experiences to individual preferences and behaviors, which can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates. Businesses can use data-driven insights to deliver personalized recommendations, offers, and messaging that resonate with their audience.

How can businesses optimize their checkout process to reduce cart abandonment and improve conversion rates?

Businesses can optimize their checkout process by offering guest checkout options, providing multiple payment methods, minimizing distractions and friction points, displaying trust badges and security assurances, and sending reminder emails to recover abandoned carts.

What are some effective ways to build trust and credibility to improve conversion rates?

Building trust and credibility is essential for improving conversion rates. Businesses can achieve this by displaying customer reviews and testimonials, showcasing industry awards and certifications, highlighting partnerships and endorsements, and implementing secure payment options and data protection measures.

How can businesses use persuasive copywriting to improve conversion rates?

Businesses can use persuasive copywriting techniques, such as addressing customer pain points, highlighting product benefits, creating urgency with limited-time offers, and using power words and emotional language, to compel visitors to take action and improve conversion rates.

What role does social proof play in improving conversion rates?

Social proof, such as customer reviews, ratings, and testimonials, can significantly impact conversion rates by providing evidence of a product or service’s value and credibility. Businesses can leverage social proof to build trust and confidence among potential customers and increase conversions.

How can businesses optimize their email marketing campaigns to improve conversion rates?

Businesses can optimize their email marketing campaigns by segmenting their audience based on demographics, behavior, and preferences, personalizing content and offers, using compelling subject lines and visuals, and including clear calls-to-action that direct recipients to conversion-friendly landing pages.

What role do incentives and offers play in improving conversion rates?

Incentives and offers, such as discounts, free trials, and exclusive promotions, can motivate visitors to take action and improve conversion rates. Businesses can strategically use incentives to incentivize first-time purchases, encourage repeat business, and reduce cart abandonment.

How can businesses track and measure the effectiveness of their efforts to improve conversion rates?

Businesses can track and measure the effectiveness of their efforts to improve conversion rates using web analytics tools, conversion tracking pixels, and CRM systems. By analyzing key metrics such as conversion rate, bounce rate, and average order value, businesses can identify trends, optimize strategies, and drive continuous improvement.

Improve your Marketing with the Power of AI

See how you can start with AI Marketing and reach your goals faster than ever before. Check out the Tips, Strategies, AI Tools, Masterclass, Courses, and Community. Unleash the true potential of your brand with the help of AI.