The conversion rate of a website is defined as the percentage of users who take a desired action on a website. For example, if the main goal of a website is to sell products, the conversion rate would look at the percentage of people that visit the website and make a purchase. To work out the conversion rate you need to divide the amount of sales by the number of unique visitors to the site, then multiply by 100 to get the figure. For example, if a website had 8 customers and 1 sale the conversion rate would be 12.5%. Regardless of the company, improving the conversion rate should be a priority and there are several ways to do it.
Include as few input fields as possible
Most people that want to buy a product from a website will want to do so as quick as possible. Much like high street shopping, you wouldn’t want to be in one queue and then be moved to a second one. Users want to be able to use a website as quick as possible (once finding the item they want). This can be easy to overcome by including as few input fields as possible to ensure a quick and happy purchase. Any unnecessary fields that extend the process may put customers off.
Mobile usability
As the features of mobile phones continue to evolve so does the number of people who use their mobile phone to access the internet. As of April 2015, Google gave higher rankings on its website to companies who have sites optimised for mobile devices. A simple and easy to follow design for mobile will make sure that you make the most of the traffic coming to your website and increase conversion rate.
Use testimonials and consumer reviews
There is always a degree of uncertainty in the mind of a customer shopping online. Many questions and doubts can come into play stopping the purchase. With the addition of testimonials and/or customer reviews it can give relief or comfort to the potential customer knowing that others have had a positive and good experience using your website. Therefore improving the chance of them making a purchase on your website.
Include Contact Information
When buying something online most people would want a point of contact should they need it. It is important to have at least a phone number and an E-mail address to provide support. This allows a trust to be built up between the customer and the company and they will be more likely to purchase an item.
Offer various payment options
The ways of paying for products and services has changed over the years and now there are a variety of different methods. Whether that be through PayPal, cheque or card it is important to offer them on your website to maximise the amount of people that can make a payment on your website.
Be clear and address any objections that people may have
When shopping online people may have objections to certain areas of the purchase. These objections may be strong enough to stop people from purchasing which will lower your conversion rate. It is important to address any issues that people may have. By answering those doubts or objections you could give those unsure more clarity and increase the likelihood of them purchasing from you.
Include subscriber or social-media follower count
Much like the mobile usability of the internet, social media has become a key point for businesses to grow their reach. With the number of users currently on social media (Facebook reporting 1.71 billion active users) it is a resource that all companies should take advantage of. By having a link to your social media pages (and in turn the follower count) it allows customers see how many people are interested and viewing your company. Much like the testimonials and consumer reviews it can have a positive impact on conversion rate. This can also work the opposite way. Having a link to your website on your social media accounts can help increase traffic to the website.
Make sure the language is clear and understandable
When visiting a website you want to have an enjoyable experience. One thing that can stand in the way of that would be the language used on the website. If a customer is having to guess what you mean due to a lack a clarity in the wording it may result in them leaving the website. It is important to make sure that all content on your website is easy to read and understand to ensure the most enjoyable experience.
Tell your visitors exactly what they’re going to get
As a customer, you are more likely to continue to use a brand that is honest with you and will let you know what is happening. Customers are less likely to go back to a company a second time if they have withheld information from them or not contacted if anything has gone wrong and there is a delay. A trust must be created between the customer and the company for them to continue using your services. If you are not honest with your customers they may write a negative review or tell close friends and family members about their negative experience. This could not only effect your web conversion rate but the number of people that go onto your website in the first place.
The call to action is more visible
Call to actions are the parts of a website that provoke a response from the audience. Things such as ‘find out more’ or ‘subscribe today’ are examples of a call to action. These are import parts of a website that can in some instances help customers progress through the website. It is important to have these clear and visible to make it easy for your customers to know where to click to proceed. If the ‘add to cart’ option on your site is not clearly visible they may not purchase from your website. A good method to help is the colour of the call to action. Something bold and in a bright colour is more likely to be clicked than a small button that blends in with the rest of the site.
These are only a few of the ways you can improve your website conversion rate. However, these reasons alone should go a very long way to improving your conversion rate.
If you have any questions about how to improve the conversion rate of your company go to the message bar on the bottom right of this page and we will be happy to give some more advice and tips.
