Designing for Website Conversions:
8 Must-Have Features

Introduction

Did you know that the average website conversion rate is about 2.35%? (Wordstream)

When measuring the effectiveness of your website in terms of those who make a purchase, small changes can have huge effects on your bottom line. The main focus of bringing traffic to the website should be balanced with converting visitors into customers.

After reading this article, you will understand how important it is to optimize and design your website for conversions and best practices for doing so. 

Agenda:

Demonstrate Credibility

Set Yourself Apart

Go Above & Beyond

Experiment with Calls to Action

Demonstrate Credibility

48% of website visitors say that website design is the most important factor in demonstrating credibility for a businesses’ online presence, (Blue Corona). Here are a few ways to give confidence to your potential customers that you are the right choice.

Visual Credibility

Media engages audiences in a way that text cannot. Photos of awards and events can show how you are involved with your community and gain trust from potential customers. Insert logos of clients that you have previously worked with, especially local or well-known businesses relevant to your industry. 

Get Rid of Stock Photos

Stock photos will diminish your ability to stand out from the crowd. Although they may be tempting to use, they will certainly hurt more than help. Instead, gather approval from clients and employees and use photos of them. This could be a great linking opportunity to grow your website’s ranking presence as well. 

Testimonials

Would you buy a product online that has no reviews? Testimonials are the key to credibility for visiting users. Explain how you solved a problem for a previous customer. Businesses in today’s age must be flexible to serve the needs of their consumers. Video testimonials and finished product photos give your business lots of credibility and are sure to engage visitors. 

Set Yourself Apart

Why would someone choose your company over the next? Do you sell the best product? Tell them why. Have the best customer service? Give them an example.

Competitive Advantages

Your unique value propositions set you apart. Make your competitive advantages very clear for visitors who land on your site. Comparing yourself directly to competitors in terms of your offerings could be beneficial. Put this in a spot they won’t miss before the fold, where users will not have to scroll to see. 

Company Culture

A great way to distinguish your business is something you can do for free. According to Entrepreneur, employees that experience a positive company culture are more likely to influence a more positive customer relationship. It should be no surprise that employees who care about the company will want to provide the best experience for their customers. Your business should have strong values that guide all customer relations and remain consistent. 

Go Above & Beyond

Along with your competitive advantage, describe all of the benefits and features available to your products and services. Examples like free shipping, free installation and 24/7 support could be enough to convince your visitor to purchase. This adds value to the user and could become a great opportunity if your competition lacks those options. 

Answer User Questions Before They Ask

According to Hubspot, 96% of users are not looking to make a purchase when they land on your website. A frequently asked question page can help orientate visitors who may be swimming in questions but don’t know where to start. This is extremely helpful for promoting your complicated business products and services. Make sure this page is visible in your navigation. 

Experiment with Calls to Action

Your website is never a finished product. Many website owners like to set it and forget it when it comes to website calls to action. If you are focused on changing the amount of conversions, you need to focus on changing the messages you are sending to visitors. The best way to measure calls to action against each other is to A/B test them.

A/B Testing

According to Invespcro, 60% of organizations reported that A/B testing was key to optimizing their conversion rates. A/B testing, also referred to as split-testing, is the process of creating two visuals to engage visitors, and tracking the performance between the two. The original (A) is called the “control”, and the variation (B) is called the “experiment”. 

Run each visual on your website for the same amount of time. Gather your data and find patterns.

• If “A” outperforms “B”, create a new “B”.
• If “B” outperforms “A”, “B” becomes “A”, then create a new “B” to experiment with. 

An A/B test can be easily applied to your own website.

For example, say you use the call to action of “Contact”. This would be the control (A), and the experiment (B) could be “Let’s Chat”. After gathering a necessary amount of data on the sample groups, use the one that has brought more conversions. Be purposeful with your changes so they align with your values.

Google Analytics

To track your A/B tests efficiently, implement Google Analytics into your website. These can be tracked as “events”. Events are anything that a user can do to engage with a web page. Scrolls, clicks, page views all count as events. Track relevant events that measure engagements with your A/B test subject. 

With the current transition to GA4 properties from Universal Analytics properties, tracking events has been pushed to the forefront. It is easier than ever to track those events for specific time periods and compare metrics. Learn more about the importance of Google Analytics here.

Conclusion

If you are interested in growing your website purchases, these tips are sure to help guide your decision-making. Remember that your website is never a finished product, and the journey to designing a website to convert will fluctuate. Learn more about Digital Agencies In Wisconsin on our DesignRush partner’s website.