Conversions are the lifeblood of a business. A consumer sees a product, and it’s the business’s job to convince the consumer that this specific product is worth their money. However, a successful conversion isn’t just about showing a consumer how great a product is. It often includes a number of other factors: do consumers trust a business’s online presence? How easy is it for a customer to make a purchase?
Addressing how business owners can best capture consumers’ attention online is a subtle game of guiding user interactions while providing the right combination of marketing, striking visuals, and clear value propositions. Here are 6 strategies to increase your business conversions online:
1. Speed up your website’s load time
In the digital age, consumers prioritize speed and convenience above all else. To convert more visitors into paying customers, your website needs to load quickly. 40% of website visitors will abandon a web page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. To better engage visitors, make sure that your site loads quickly by optimizing the size of your images and utilizing a caching mechanism, so you don’t lose any potential customers before you have a chance to try to convert them in the first place.
2. Be ready for mobile
Catering the online experience to mobile devices is now more important than ever. More Google searches occur on mobile devices than on desktops, and 30% of US ecommerce is conducted on mobile devices. To capture the mobile audience, it’s crucial to build an effective responsive website that can gracefully support mobile devices and desktops and provide a catered experience to each platform. To convert more customers, your business needs to be able to meet them on their terms.
3. Utilize email
There are many marketing tactics out there, but email marketing campaigns are one of the few must-use strategies for any business. 67% of businesses indicate that email marketing has the best ROI out of any of their marketing campaigns; for context, the second best is online marketing at just 38%. While it may take some legwork to build up your email list and to produce content for your email campaigns, tools like MailChimp can help you automate the process. Bottom line: email marketing is proven to be one of the best bang-for-your-buck means of converting customers.
4. Don’t believe in ‘the fold’
When it comes to landing pages, many experts will tell you that it’s crucial to put your call-to-action (CTA) above the fold, or visible to the visitor as soon as they open the landing page. In fact, research shows that the best CTA’s convert after the right amount of good copy. Depending on what your business is selling, that could be above or below the fold. The key point to remember is that the trends don’t matter: don’t worry too much about the fold. Follow your instincts, and then let user data and testing correct you if you’re wrong.
5. Show social proof
One of the best ways to get people to convert is to show them who has converted already. 70% of consumers look at product reviews before making a purchase decision. To boost your conversion rates, add customer testimonials and a list of your clients on your website. Establish your business as a trustworthy brand that other people use, and consumers will be more likely to follow in their footsteps and convert too.
6. Don’t give too many options
It seems counterintuitive, but offering more can mean selling less. A famous study conducted by Sheena Iyengar from Columbia University found that offering more options to consumers actually translated to fewer sales. In the study, Iyengar sold jams outside of a grocery store, alternating between a stand offering 6 kinds of jams and another offering 24 varieties. She discovered that 30% of consumers would buy jams when confronted by 6 options, but with 24, only 3% bought. When converting customers, keep in mind that you should offer limited products and services. Focus on the core value of your business, and don’t let consumers get distracted by inconsequential options.
These are just a few ways to increase business conversion rates, and if you’re looking to increase your user base, keep in mind the golden rule: test everything, and optimize. What strategies have you used to increase your business’s conversions? Leave a comment below!
