Is Your Website Converting Visitors into Customers?
If you answered no, then you will find some good tips in this post, but please bear in mind that these tips are aimed at website owners who already have a website that is successfully converting their visitors into buyers. If you answered yes, keep reading for some great tips on maximizing the effectiveness of your website through conversion-conscious web design.
Click on this graphic for a larger version — See the original post by KISSmetrics here
Easy to Use + Attractive = Conversion Gold
Pay special attention to your navigation
How easy is your website to navigate? How obvious is your navigation menu? Do you have a sitemap, and is there a link to it on every page that is easy to find?
These are all very important questions that can affect your website’s conversion rates more than you might think. If people cannot find what they need they are more likely to leave your website in search of one that is easier for them to use. Usability testing is very useful if you have multiple possible navigation met-ups and would like to see which one is reported as easiest to use and most intuitive.
Don’t make people work when they visit your website
Your goal in designing a website that converts should be to do the hard work yourself so that your customers don’t have to. The fact is that people do not like to have to work too hard or too much to accomplish their goals, and this definitely extends to surfing and shopping online.
Everything they need to make a purchase from you should be in plain sight, and at most no more then 2 or 3 clicks away from any given page. Of course these are ideal numbers but you can probably see what we’re aiming at: make it as easy as possible for people to find what they need when they visit your website, and your conversion rates will begin to rise.
Cut the clutter and your visitors will thank you for it
Few things are more unattractive than a website that is packed with every manner of information imaginable. Do you really need a dozen ad blocks on your home page? How about that really long sidebar full of random links?
Chances are there is at least one thing on each page of your website that could be removed in the interest of de-cluttering. Generally speaking, the more things you have on a page, the more potential distractions there are that could prevent a visitor from converting.
Structure and Content are Key
Tell your visitors where to go and what to do
Using white space and visual elements such as eye-catching graphics, draw your visitors a map. Let them know where they need to go to find the information they need and then what to do with it once they decide to buy. There is an unwritten understanding that you want your visitors to become customers, so while you don’t need to spell this out for them, you still need to make sure that your content includes clear calls to action. Taking the guesswork out of their experience is a great way to increase the number of people who convert.
Keep things simple and make sure your page degrades gracefully
If there is any way to avoid using Flash animations it is a good idea to consider available alternatives. If you are using JavaScript for your website, make sure that your page degrades gracefully and functions well even for people who do not have JavaScript enabled in their browsers. Of course they won’t have the exact same experience as someone who does have it enabled, but you should still make sure that they are having a good experience regardless.
Video: Maximize Your Store’s Conversion Rate
More Conversion-boosting Tips
Want to learn more about increasing your conversion rates by improving your site’s design? Check out these posts!
- 5 Web Design Tips to Help Double Your Conversion Rate - by Andy
- Web Design Tips to Increase Conversions – by Adam Heitzman
- 17 Tips for Improving Website Conversion – by Jason Amunwa
- 7 Visual Design Tips and Tricks that Boost Conversion - by Babar Suleman
- 8 Simple Website Design Tips To Improve Sales Conversion – by DoDynamic
- Improve Website Design & Increase Conversions - by Adrian
Comments:
If you could only pick one of these things to do to your website, which one do you think would boost your conversion rates the most?
