How to increase website conversion: 15 effective ways

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The owner of an Internet resource of any kind solves many problems in order to increase conversion.

Such a person initially has a lot of situations that must be correctly played in order to get a result. He has many small goals for any day of the week. This means that every day you need to take at least one confident step in the right direction.

Such a person understands that everyone should do their own thing: copywriters - write, managers - sell, SMM and SEO specialists - promote.

If such a person is deeply immersed in his product, he simply will not have time for routine, even creative. He will think strategically, look beyond the horizon and play long.

If such a person has created a relevant, useful and facilitating proposal - he has every chance, but ... You cannot delegate the work to swindlers and amateurs - there are no trifles here. Better to do it yourself, or control the process.

If the layman ruins the brand image and creates a negative image, it will be difficult to fix it.

Content marketing strategy, target audience research and work with it, search engine promotion and other related things - they all strive to hit the same target.

And one without the other is as effective as a bow without a bowstring: to hit the bull's-eye, you have to go up and stick the arrow with your hand.

But such a hit is unlikely to be counted. For example, SEO will bring a website to the top, but people will close it faster than following a link. If the content makes the reader think that it is better to look at a working welding than at the text, then the site will not last long in the top lines of the search results.

The search algorithm records the rate at which visitors leave the page and lowers the site in the SERP.

So what? Paying SEOs again? Sales from the site did not even cover the costs, although unique visitors are an ocean.

On the other hand, the most interesting content without keywords for search algorithms will not bring customers from Google and Yandex. Only by direct links scattered here and there.

An arrow fired from a bow with all the details will accurately hit the target - the target audience, and with a guarantee. If the sight is correct.

What do editors, managers, marketers, copywriters, webwriters, designers, and other professionals work for?

The whole mechanism of the site is spinning for one thing - conversion.

What is website conversion and how to calculate it​

Conversion is one of the main indicators of the efficiency and profitability of a resource.

Conversion is expressed as a percentage. The coefficient is calculated as follows: users who performed the target action are divided by the total number of site visitors for the selected period.

The target action can be different depending on the area of the business:
  • registration on the site;
  • registration for the service;
  • placing an order;
  • subscription to the newsletter;
  • like or repost articles from the blog.
Also, in the sales chain there can be a whole sequence of such actions. For example, a streaming service such as Netflix can be distinguished by such micro-target actions - registering an account, registering a test free subscription, buying a paid version, switching to a more expensive version of a tariff package.

If the business has such a complex sales funnel, then it is advisable to track micro-conversion at each stage of the funnel. This makes it easier to notice at which step the problem is, and to optimize the process of attracting customers.

Now let's take an example of how to calculate the conversion. Let's say we have an online clothing store. The action that the visitor must take is to buy a product on the site.

The site was visited by 600,000 users in a week. Of these, 10,000 people placed an order.

We consider: 10,000 / 600,000 * 100% = 1.7%

It turns out that in a week the conversion of the online store was 1.7%.

Is this enough for the site to be considered profitable? Let's talk about this further.

What is the normal conversion rate?​

There are two important things to keep in mind when we talk about which conversion rate to look up to.

First, there is no single conversion standard that all online entrepreneurs should strive for. This metric varies greatly from industry to industry.

For example, according to Statista data for April 2021, the average conversion rates by business area were distributed as follows:
  • the highest percentage in the category “Food and Beverage” - 5.5%;
  • the lowest - for luxury bags and furniture - 0.6%;
  • electronics and accessories to it - 2.2%;
  • clothing - 2.7%;
  • health and personal care products - 2.8%.
In addition, within a specific area of business, the conversion results are influenced by many other factors, for example, sales geography, seasonality, devices from which users log in. So you always need to be careful when comparing yourself to your competitors.

Second, conversion is a metric that must always be monitored over time.

Let's go back to the example where we counted a 1.7% weekly conversion rate for a clothing store. Is this good or bad? Do you need to continue to work to increase sales conversion?

If you look at the averaged data for this area, then our site is slightly behind. But in order to get really effective answers to the questions above, you need to look at your own indicator for the past period.

So, 1.7% is a normal ratio? Yes, if it’s more than you had in the past weeks. But even if the dynamics are positive, this is not a reason to stop. So, let's talk about how to increase the conversion rate of an online site next.

Ways to increase conversion​

Website optimization​

An online resource should be simple and straightforward to use. And all its pages can be loaded without delay, both from a computer and from a smartphone. It doesn't matter if you have a multi-page website or just a landing page.

The faster the site is, the faster users will reach the checkout page. Research by Deloitte and Google shows that if you increase the speed of a resource by just 0.1 second, you can already get a plus in conversion.

So, in retail, after such a change, conversion increased by an average of 8%, and in travel by 10%. So, if you are thinking about how to increase the conversion of your site, start from this point.

Correct copywriting​

The first thing that a person sees when he gets to the main page of the site is photos and headers.

The purpose of the headline is to catch the visitor's attention and interest in the content.

The title should:
  • Benefit for the client.
  • Be specific.
  • It is logical to intertwine with the text of the advertisement or banner from which the transition to the page was made.
  • To be honest. Clickbait is negative and frustrating.
  • Offer something of value.
The text should continue the thought of the headline and answer the questions of the potential buyer.

How will the client benefit? How will it change his life? What problems will the purchase solve?

If the titles on the site are just the names of the services, and the text does not tell about the benefits for the client, but only about what a great company - this needs to be corrected.

It is better to demonstrate professionalism than to write about it.

High-quality traffic​

It happens that a lot of visitors come to the site, but there are no sales. There may be several reasons for this:
  • business tries to take on quantity and attracts people who are not interested in their product;
  • advertising and promotional materials mislead potential customers: they are promised one thing, but people on the site find completely different information;
  • the company basically sells to the wrong segment of users.
What to do in this case:
  • narrow down targeting in your advertising campaigns: even if you reach fewer people, it will be a clearer hit in your future client;
  • optimize your advertising messages and be consistent across all online manifestations;
  • revise the portrait of the target audience in order to understand exactly who should be offered a product / service.

Photos and description​

Most of the users start to study the landing page with large images, then pay attention to the headings, after which they read the text under the pictures, and only then the main content.

Why describe a product verbatim when you can show a photo of the product from different angles? You can add a 3D model, or even better - a video.

In the description it is necessary to provide information that cannot be seen in the photo. Smell, taste, weight, feel and other details.

But we must not forget about the benefits of the client. An effective description does not sell features, but opportunities for the buyer.

A site that inspires trust​

Sites that use the insecure HTTP protocol are becoming less and less common. But they are still there.

Browsers mark such sites as unsafe and have little confidence from visitors. There is no guarantee that personal data entered in the payment form will not fall into the hands of intruders.

Increasing the conversion of an online store directly depends on obtaining an SSL certificate and transferring the site to the secure HTTPS protocol. All user data is transmitted in encrypted form and is not available to third parties.

Also, having an SSL certificate is one of the ranking factors for Google.

Simple and fast payment​

Overly complicated buying process is one of the main reasons for abandoned carts and, as a result, lost profits.

What can you do at this stage to get an increase in the conversion of your online store:
  • connect the possibility of online payment to the site;
  • add several payment methods to the payment page: cards, e-wallets, Google Pay and Apple Pay, payment via online banking. Let the customer choose the familiar and most convenient way;
  • configure the “link card to account” option so that customers can pay in one click without filling out a form.
All of these solutions are easiest to implement using services such as Interkassa. For example, online merchants who work with Interkassa can choose from 20+ methods and accept payments in different currencies around the world.

In addition, at the stage of payment, you should not arrange surprises for the buyer: when it suddenly turns out that you need to pay more. All additional expenses - delivery, packaging, taxes, service charges - must be warned at the time of ordering. For example, show this data in the shopping cart or in the product card itself.

Another way to improve the user experience here is to display order information next to the payment form. So the client will have the opportunity to make sure once again that he has chosen the right product and correctly entered the data for delivery.

Convenient search​

If the visitor cannot find what he wants on the site, he will leave. Even if what you are looking for is in stock. It's just that the complex navigation of the search scared him off, and he went in search of an easier option. Where the search for a product does not take much time and you do not have to perform too many actions.

Make the search bar on your site easily visible.

Configure functionality:
  • The product can be found by name and catalog number.
  • Take into account the typos in words, suggest auto-correction.
  • If a specific product was not found, suggest similar ones.
  • Think about autocomplete - a drop-down list of products when the user enters its name.
  • Customize your search by category.

Guest purchase without registration​

Indeed, which is more important - the number of registrations or the growth in sales?

If a person likes to make purchases on the site because of the speed and convenience, he will register anyway. Or leave the site bookmarked.

And if, before paying, you have to go through mandatory registration, with filling in many fields, a potential client can go to competitors.

If, after all, it is important for the client to create an account for himself, it is better to offer to do this after the purchase. For this, the user must be interested. For example, a promise to send by mail a report on the status of an order, on a collection update or upcoming discounts.

The most convenient registration is when you only need to specify your email address. He will be the login, and the password will be sent by letter.

Quick registration using social networks is not the best option, because the account can be hacked or blocked.

Explain why it is better to buy from you​

Indeed. The person looked at the product on the site, read the description ... and then left and bought it where it was cheaper.

Show the value of buying from you, even if the price is more expensive than the competition.
  • Maybe free shipping?
  • Cashback or discount for the next product?
  • Free departure of the measurer?
  • Ready-made design project?
Any advantage of yours in the eyes of a potential buyer increases his loyalty, then - conversion.

Limited time promotions​

Reception, worn out to holes, which was spoiled by rogue sellers. The time for the discount ends, but the cost of the goods does not change.

Such actions will only alienate visitors.
  • But if it is possible to sell something for a week less than the competition, this is a good way to attract buyers.
  • If some product is being sold well, show its quantity in stock and how quickly it decreases. Popularity piques interest.
  • If you can arrange for fast delivery on the same day, please indicate so. For example, if an order is placed before 12 noon, the customer will receive it today. This is an advantage that should not be kept silent.
But deception for the sake of momentary gain, tomorrow can dramatically negatively affect the conversion.

What is valuable is that which is rare. In our time, unfortunately, this is true.

Social proof​

Testimonials and case studies from your customers are a great tool to increase conversions. It works at such a stage of the funnel as “consideration”, when the prospective buyer wants to learn more about the product / service in order to make an informed decision and proceed to the purchase.

Place a block with reviews on the home page. It's good if the review has a specific author: with a name, photo and links to his social networks or website, if this is a review on behalf of the company. If you can verify that a real person left a review, that kind of feedback really inspires confidence.

And to collect audience feedback, add feedback functionality. Make it so that the buyer can attach a photo or video to the message. Add the ability for visitors to ask a question to other users and mark the review as helpful.

Blog​

A blog or You Tube channel is a great tool for retaining customers and acquiring new ones.

True, only if:
  • The blog is not focused on sales, but on useful content for the target audience. Content that solves user problems: life hacks, recommendations, expert articles.
  • Helps to get closer to the audience. Show the inner "kitchen" of the company, important events, acquaint with employees. It's always easier to buy from people you know rather than a faceless brand.
  • Comments under posts will help you understand what is really interesting to visitors and, possibly, adjust the product line.
  • Sometimes show what problems the product can solve. The main goal of a blog is not to sell, but to show benefits for the reader.
Visitors see value in the content and then in the product.

Don't forget about SEO optimization of articles. This will help bring new visitors from search engines.

Call to action buttons​

The call to action button solves one of the most important tasks on the site. Which one - to choose the owner, of course. It depends on the focus of the resource.

There are several rules for its design:
  • It should be self-contained, with empty space around it.
  • The appeal must be energetic and clear.
  • The color of the button should contrast with the surrounding background.
  • Remove flashy elements next to the call to action.
It all comes down to making the Call To Action (CTA) button eye-catching.

Exit-intent попапы​

This is a pop-up window in the shopping cart when the user leaves without placing an order.

The message should contain a value proposition in exchange for the user's contacts.

For example, ask if a person wants to purchase an item with a 3% discount. And give the answer options: “Get a discount”, “Not ready now”, “I don’t want to, thank you”.

The visitor is not always ready to make a purchase right away, sometimes something bothers him. It can be bad mobile Internet, work colleagues, lack of money at this moment, you need to persuade the management. Anything.

But a letter in the mail at the end of the month, closer to the salary, can return it to the site.

Pop-ups and remarketing help reduce cart abandonment rates by up to 30%.

Competitor analysis​

Analyzing competitor sites is essential to running a successful business.

This will allow you to identify weaknesses in the site, fix them, and highlight the benefits for buyers. Distinguishing from the competition will help create a unique selling proposition that is difficult to refuse.

All these methods, taken together, will definitely increase the conversion of an online store, attract new visitors and retain old ones, turning them into regular customers of a convenient site with useful content.
 
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