Conversion
Efficiency of a website = Traffic(visitors) x Conversion
(%)
Conversion means the percentage of your website visitors that have either
turned into a lead or a sale within a given period of time.
Traditionally, website owners spend most of their time trying to increase traffic
and consequently the conversion factor is often either forgotten, ignored or
given a low priority.
It is obvious from the above equation however that conversion is equally important
as Traffic and therefore must be looked at with equal merit.
Conversion
Converting your website visitors into customers is a process that should be tackled step by step. Driving more traffic to a website that has a poor customer conversion rate, is like trying to fill a leaky bucket. When your website visitors are able to achieve their goals, your conversion rate will increase. Make your website about the customer, not your company. Organising it around your company structure is all very well, but will it help the customer achieve their goals? Focus on the user, not the usability i.e. UCD or User Centred Design. Concentrate on the following 5 ways to improve your website’s conversion rate:
1. Planning
This involves the target market, the marketplace, your unique selling proposition, and the ‘storyboard’ of your website. Remember that conversion starts with a single click – even before they reach your site. If a visitor gets what they want, they’ll click again, and with each click become more convinced.
2. Structure
By testing and measuring, find the optimum structure i.e. design, colour, copy and navigation. Make use of storyboarding, prototyping, development and optimisation of your website. However, it is important to keep K.I.S.S. in mind – ‘Keep It Simple Stupid’. Do not assume that any of the basic elements of your website are unimportant e.g. colours, copy buttons. These are part of your persuasion architecture.
3. Momentum
This describes the elements motivating website visitors to move through the pages and take action. To help with this process, make sure you incorporate and answer the questions posed by A.I.D.A.S. - Attention, Interest, Desire, Action, Satisfaction. For example, tell prospects what they’ll get if they click on a link e.g. ‘Download Kit’ rather than ‘Register Here’. The momentum you build up is designed to pull customers through a conversion funnel.
4. Communication
Through copy, imagery and design, make sure you clearly communicate your Unique Sales Proposition (USP) and the ‘value’ you are offering. Anticipate that the website visitor will be asking ‘why this product?’ and ‘how does it help me and why now?’ To help communication, pay attention to the layout and visual clarity – help their eyes find what they’re looking for. The goal of good copy on your website is to expose the business value, and articulate it in a way that matters to the customer. Great copy persuades the reader to take action. As the customer achieves satisfaction at each step, more trust and credibility will be built.
5. Value
Value is not the same as price, and price alone is generally a lower priority
for most buyers.
Make sure your website communicates the benefits of your products/services,
not just the price and features. Value is relative and customer defined. Remember
that the customer will be thinking ‘What’s in it for me?’
(WIIFM). Make sure you distinguish between actions that actually deliver value,
rather just appearing to do so.
The golden rule of websites with high conversion rates is that they have a
high degree of empathy for the visitor – the website is about the customer
and their experiences. Remember that the visitor is there voluntarily. Make
sure that you:
a) Present the right information for the customer
b) Anticipate and answer their questions at each step
c) Stress the benefits, whilst involving the senses and the emotions of the
website visitor
d) Use copy that ranks well in the search engines
e) Use hyperlinks filled with keywords that speak in questions.
Finally, test and measure. You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Active tracking and evaluation of your website and the changes you make to it, means that you can set up an effective ‘feedback loop’ which allows you to track what you planned in your persuasion architecture, and create the optimum conditions for conversion.
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