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Archived in A couple of weeks ago we offered a few tips on driving traffic to your website using pay-per click ads. Now, driving traffic is one thing, but you still need to know what you’re going to do with visitors when they arrive. So here are bda’s 8 vital website conversion tips for turning more clicks into sales:
1. Help people find what they’re looking for
People on the web have the concentration spans of goldfish. So if they don’t quickly find what they’re looking for they’ll be gone before you’ve had a chance to reel them.
- Provide a clearly labelled navigation bar using familiar section names
- Align elements so they flow in a Z pattern and mirror how people scan web pages
- Avoid too much clutter and space elements evenly
- Use arrows to direct visitors along a clear path around the site
- Break up long blocks of text into sections to aid skin reading and so they don’t appear too daunting to read
2. Use your ‘About’ page to build trust
As the old adage goes, ‘people like to trade with those they know and trust’, which is why the ‘About’ page can have a big impact on sales.
On the web you don’t have the luxury of introducing yourself in person, so the ‘About’ page is the next best thing. Use this page to tell visitors about your company’s history, what you’re passionate about and about your brand’s message.
The more people know about you the more reasons they have to trust you. It can also differentiate you from your competitors who stay anonymous.
3. Answer questions that might block a sale
In the bricks and mortar world people can ask questions to decide whether a product solves their problem and if it’s the best solution for them.
In the digital world you don’t shop assistants to respond to questions, and you can’t expect people to email or pickup the phone. So instead you have to answer queries through your content.
Write a list of the questions people might ask before they’re ready to buy. Then write blog posts or an faq section in which you answer them in an open format. Include links on the relevant product pages and you’ll be removing hurdles that might otherwise have tripped up a sale.
4. Invest in high quality images
Avoid clichéd, stale stock photography. Instead, invest in high quality shots of your people, products and your workplace. Give people the visual reassurance that you’re an established, professional company, and not a fly-by-night organisation that’ll vanish once they’ve placed an order.
If you’re selling software include screenshots. And if you’re feeling ambitious, you could record a video talking about your company and to show off your products. After all, isn’t video supposed to be the next big thing in online marketing? So get a head start on your rivals.
5. Choose your words carefully
A mistake a lot of business websites make is to complete the design stage first and then crowbar in the words (a.k.a. copy) wherever there’s space.
This is a mistake because it’s the words that do most of the selling. It’s your words that speak to your customers and will persuade them that buying your product is the smart thing to do.
As in the real world, people buy things based on two triggers: emotion and logic. Hard hitting copy using time proven copywriting techniques appeals to both these triggers and hammers home your USP.
In fact, your website’s copy is the most influential element when it comes to selling the benefits of your business. So don’t leave it as the last element to tick off the list.
6. Offer free content
Software companies often give away free limited versions of their products so that users invest time in them before buying the full upgrade.
Even if you don’t sell software, you can mirror this tactic by giving away free content, such as an eBook, newsletter or podcast. If you offer free gifts in exchange for an email address you can maintain contact with visitors and build a relationship long after they’ve left your website.
People are also more likely to reward you with their business because of the psychological impulse to reward generosity.
7. Remove nasty surprises that cause shopping cart abandonment
It can be agonising watching the number of people visiting your site, filling up their shopping basket and then abandoning it at the checkout till.
One way of minimising cart abandonment is to eliminate nasty surprises. Consider offering free postage, by including it in the original price, and reassuring customers they can get a refund due to your ‘no quibbles’ returns policy.
8. Test, adjust and test again
The beauty of the internet is you can endlessly test every element to improve clicks and conversions. So experiment with different font sizes, calls to action, images and copy.
If budget allows, invest in usability testing to see how easily people can find their way around your site and whether they’re persuaded to buy your products.
Use analytical software to track what pages your visitors are interested in and which send them fleeing. Continuous testing will highlight your site’s strengths and weaknesses, and, ultimately, show you how to convert more clicks into sales.
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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.
September 14th, 2009 at 8:47 am
[...] 8 Vital Website Conversion Tips for Turning Clicks into Sales [...]
September 17th, 2009 at 11:10 am
[...] 8 Vital Website Conversion Tips for Turning Clicks into Sales [...]
January 1st, 2010 at 6:27 pm
I’ve been enjoying ur posts. Thanks for all the tips and tricks and keep ‘em coming. Cheers:)