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How to Increase Website Conversions to Get More Sales

Updated

Conversion graphic

One of the main goals of any website is to drive visitors to perform a desired action, such as make a purchase, schedule an appointment, or download a whitepaper. These conversions are what generate leads, turn visitors into customers, and keep existing customers coming back. Follow these 11 tips to improve your website conversion rates.

  1. Declutter your website. A simple, clean website design not only provides a better user experience, it also leads to higher conversion rates. According to Google, as the number of elements on a page (images, text, titles, etc.) rises from 400 to 6,000, the probability of conversion drops 95%.
  2. Speed up your site. If your site is slow to load, you may be losing conversions simply because visitors get tired of waiting a few extra seconds. One study showed that even a 1-second delay in load time resulted in a 7% reduction in conversions. To improve your website load times, streamline page content, compress large images, and make sure to use a high-quality website hosting company.
  3. Build trust. People are more likely to do business with companies they trust, so make sure your website projects a professional, trustworthy image. To show visitors your site is safe and your business is legitimate, display trust seals such as Better Business Bureau Accredited Business, Norton Secured, and McAfee Secure; upgrade to the more secure HTTPS/SSL communication protocol; include customer testimonials on your site; and make sure you’re effectively managing your online reputation.
  4. Optimize your site for mobile devices. As more and more people use their smartphones to browse and buy, making sure your site provides a good experience for mobile users is crucial to improving your conversion rates. Your site should be responsive, with a mobile-friendly layout, simplified forms, and easily clickable callouts and buttons.
  5. Use high quality images. People respond to images, and having quality images on your site draws interest and creates an emotional response. A positive, professional-looking image that makes your site visitors feel good is a great way to get them to take action. If you have an ecommerce store, use multiple product images showing different angles and key details to boost conversion rates.
  6. Create custom landing pages. If you use PPC or social media ads, don’t include links that send people to your home page. If they’re interested enough to click, they want to learn more about that specific product or service, not wander around lost on your website trying to find the information they want. To increase conversions, create a unique landing page for each campaign, with a streamlined design and a single clear call to action.
  7. Focus on benefits. If you’re selling a product or service on your website, go beyond a listing of features to show potential customers what benefits they will receive if they purchase your product. Putting the spotlight on benefits demonstrates value and shows visitors how buying your product or service will improve their lives.  
  8. Make it easy for customers to get help. If a potential customer runs into problems or has a question, they need to know how to get the issue resolved quickly—if you make them wait or don’t give them an easy way to find help, they’re likely to leave your site. Make customer service easily accessible via phone, email or live chat.
  9. Include video demonstrations. People are watching more videos than ever, and not just for entertainment. Having video on a landing page can boost conversions up to 80%, and 81% of people have been convinced to make a purchase by watching a video.
  10. Include site search. Your website navigation should make it easy for site visitors to find what they’re looking for, but in case it doesn’t, or for people who want an immediate answer to a very specific question, including a site search feature on your website can keep people from leaving your site to look for the answer elsewhere. According to research from WebLinc, people who use on-site search are 216% more likely to convert.
  11. Have clear calls to action. Site visitors are much more likely to become customers if you clearly show them the action you want them to take. Create compelling calls to action on your site to prompt visitors to take the next step toward conversion, whether that’s signing up for an email newsletter, scheduling a demo, or making a purchase.