How To Increase Conversion Rate

Conversion Rate Optimization Secrets
By Pete O'Loughlin

What if I were to tell you that your website suffers from a hidden problem? It's something that you're probably unaware of, and a problem that's actually hiding right there out in the open!

Let's get straight to it - I'm referring to your conversion rate. The conversion rate of 98% of all websites is below 4 percent. In other words, 96 out of every 100 visitors are not persuaded sufficiently to engage with you. So let me ask you a couple of questions:

Is this really acceptable? And do you really believe that no improvement can be made to your conversion rate? You certainly can improve things and this article will reveal a few secrets to help you do just that.

Here's the thing: if you want to get better results with your website then there's basically only two paths available to you: the first one is to find ways of growing your traffic, whilst the second one is to optimize your site to boost your conversion-rate.

Now, here's what's interesting: the vast majority of webmasters concentrate solely on the former, but your conversion rate is actually where the easiest gains can be made...

First let's clarify what we mean when we say "conversion rate" - it's simply the percentage of your visitors who are doing what you want them to do when they visit your site.

This is the simple calculation:

Conversion Rate = number of visitors who performed the desired action / your total number of visitors

Obviously this "desired action" includes purchasing your products/services, but can also consist of goals like: form registration, calling/emailing your office, downloading a whitepaper, downloading a software trial - I think you get the picture.

Going back to the formula for a second, you might be wondering where to get this data? Well, you certainly need to install Google Analytics! It's free, and it's brilliantly designed and - just as importantly - well supported.

Now let's get to the techniques:

Copywriting - You should test different headlines, and also test the style and length of the sales copy. Most people shy away from implementing long copy, but for higher priced items/subscriptions it's likely to outperform shorter text. The reason for this is that the visitor's logical mind needs to be convinced alongside their emotional desire for your products. Higher ticket items need more information provided than a free trial of a service.

Navigation - Many sites have images that are prominent, but not clickable. You might be surprised how many people click such images thinking it will take them to a page to buy that item! If your images aren't clickable then you're definitely missing a trick.

Also, you should keep the conversion path as compact as possible. What I mean by that is keeping the number of pages from your landing page to checkout to the bare minimum. A good rule of thumb: the longer the conversion path, the lower the conversion rate!

Design - You need to use color appropriately to capture the visitor's attention and then direct it to where you want it i.e. into your sales funnel. Obviously, red is the best color to do this, but the best color for "buying buttons" is either green or orange. The only way to discover what works best for your site is to test both and measure the results.

Credibility - If you or your website belong to any organizations then you might benefit by adding these graphics to your site. Similarly, any security badges like hackersafe etc. should be added to your checkout page to build trust.

The same principle is at work with testimonials. Without overdoing it, you should definitely add well written recommendations from satisfied customers. Bonus tip: use a photo of the provider if possible next to their quote.

These are the basic steps to consider, try them out and let me know how it goes! After that, you can secure more advanced techniques from our CRO Agency London. Hope to see you there.

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