Creating a conversion-oriented website may appear to be a no-brainer. Naturally, you want a website that generates conversions. Otherwise, why would you do it?
While the majority of people have the best of intentions when it comes to increasing website conversions and conversion rate, the reality is that it is frequently done half-heartedly. That is not to say that the new site was created without effort or thought. Typically, the opposite is true. However, the reality is that the majority of people are not web design experts. They have no idea how to improve your website's conversion rate because they are not experts in website conversion optimization. We occasionally place a higher premium on the look and feel of the site, mistaking it for conversion optimization, which results in a haphazard approach to web design.
What Is a Conversion on a Website?
A website conversion is any action you want users to take that can be tracked and quantified in relation to your business objectives.
What Are Some Typical Conversion Types?
Conversions are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Oftentimes, organizations will classify conversions as primary, secondary, or even tertiary. By identifying and prioritizing your conversions, you can focus your optimization efforts on those that will have the greatest impact on your business goals.
A website conversion for a B2B lead generation website could be the submission of a contact form or a request for a demo. Additionally, you can track interactions via a live chat feature or an interactive project estimate tool.
The primary conversions for an eCommerce website are transactions and sales. You'll want to track your conversion rate on a transactional basis, but also on a revenue and profit basis.
Selecting the appropriate conversions is critical for determining your conversion rate and your website's ability to convert.
We use a conversion rate to determine your website's conversion-friendliness.
How is the Conversion Rate of a Website Calculated?
Calculating the conversion rate of a website in Google Analytics is straightforward.
Conversions / Sessions = Percentage of Conversions
You may have to slice and dice the data in order to extract only primary conversions (GA by default pulls in ALL conversions which may not be helpful if you have secondary goals like newsletter sign-ups or whitepaper downloads.)
As an example, suppose I own an event planning consulting business. I've set up two primary objectives: a contact form and the ability to schedule a consultation. I add these two numbers together to get the total number of conversions, then divide by the number of sessions during that time period.
100 Conversions (50 contacts + 50 appointments scheduled) / 2,000 Sessions = 5% Conversion Rate
What Constitutes A Sufficient Website Conversion Rate?
It's an age-old question, and the answer, unfortunately, varies significantly by industry. You'll notice a wide range of conversion rates depending on your business's focus on B2B, B2C, eCommerce, or lead generation.
While there is no definitive answer, we typically see a conversion rate of between 3% and 5%.
In terms of conversions, this varies by industry as well. A B2B lead generation site with a highly targeted product offering may generate only five leads per month, but it may also receive only 100 visits. Thus, those five leads would generate a 5% conversion rate.
Additionally, those five leads could generate $500,000 in revenue for the organization, implying that increasing the conversion rate by 1% or 2% could have a significant impact on ROI.
How Can Website Conversions Be Tracked?
Conversions on websites can be tracked in a variety of ways, but the simplest and most common is through the use of Google Analytics.
Google Analytics includes a number of methods for tracking conversions on your site that can be customized to your specific needs.
The most common method of tracking conversions on lead generation websites is via a destination page. When a user submits a form, he or she is typically directed to a thank you page. Once a user reaches this page (which is only accessible through the submission of a form), it can trigger the submission of a goal completion to Google Analytics for further analysis.
The most common method for tracking conversions on eCommerce websites is to use Google Analytics eCommerce tracking. This type of tracking is more technical and will require the assistance of a development team to implement. Once completed, Google Analytics will begin sending transaction, sales, and revenue data to be viewed in reporting.
Why Is It Critical to Increase Website Conversions?
Website conversions are critical to the survival of any business that relies on a website for sales. Research is almost entirely conducted online, with your website serving as the hub of the ecosystem.
By providing a rich, conversion-focused website, you can ensure that you are engaging customers appropriately and directing them to your products and services in the most direct manner possible.
What Exactly Is a Conversion-Oriented Website?
A conversion-focused website is one that is conversion-optimized. While optimizing a website may appear straightforward, it requires expertise, data, and patience.
A good website has consistent calls to action (CTAs) throughout the site, which keeps things simple.
A great website anticipates the user's needs and optimal page paths in order to provide an experience that guides them to the shortest path to conversion.
Consider the user's needs when developing static pages and landing pages to boost engagement and, ultimately, conversions for your product or service.
How Do I Increase Conversions on My Website?
There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to increasing the conversion rate of your website. However, adhering to best practices, utilizing established expertise, and utilizing hard-to-deny data can be an excellent strategy for increasing website conversions.
When examining your website, you should consider the following:
Page layouts that adhere to UX best practices. Is it logically tailored to the user's path? Are there any impediments or areas for improvement?
The shortest possible page paths. What is the quickest way to convert users from the initial touchpoint? How do you strike the right balance between providing information and promoting a sale?
A/B Testing. Are your customers' expectations met? Will a new page layout make your users happier and increase conversions?
Awakening (CTAs). Is the primary call to action prominently displayed? Is it straightforward for a user to convert when the time is right? Do you provide them with multiple conversion options?
Information that is geared toward the user. Make every effort to respond to your user's questions as quickly as possible. Whether it's information about your products or services or answers to frequently asked questions, providing them with a path forward is critical to an optimized website.
While this checklist will get you started, you may want to consider hiring an agency to assist you in developing a more comprehensive conversion rate optimization strategy.
What Is the Definition of a Conversion Page?
A conversion page is one that is designed to persuade the user to convert. Its primary purpose is to direct users toward a call to action in order to accomplish a task. Conversion pages should take into account the user's previous journey.
For higher-consideration products, you may wish to avoid preemptively directing users to a conversion page. On the other hand, low-consideration products may benefit from quickly redirecting users to a conversion page.
For instance, suppose you work for a healthcare system and specialize in cardiology. You probably do not want a conversion page to be the first point of contact for someone seeking additional information about a recent diagnosis. You want them to learn more about the diagnosis, consider treatment options, and discover why you are the best treatment option, before proceeding to a conversion page to schedule an appointment.
Alternatively, suppose you work for a company that sells coolers. You're approaching the Fourth of July weekend and decide to promote your best seller: an American Flag cooler featuring a giant bald eagle atop Mount Rushmore. You're investing a significant amount of money in Instagram and need to generate sales quickly. In this case, redirecting users to a conversion page is an excellent way to boost sales and move users further down the website conversion funnel.
Choosing the optimal way to use conversion pages is a critical component of website conversion optimization.
How Do I Begin?
To begin, determine your primary conversion points. Ascertain that you understand what is critical to you and your business.
Then, using the checklist above, double-check that you've addressed all of the highest-level considerations.
Make data-driven decisions and strive to see your website through your users' eyes. If that proves difficult, consider hiring a group of users to test and document their experiences with your website. Occasionally, simply having another set of objective eyes examine your website can reveal valuable information that will assist you in optimizing it for our users.
If all else fails, consider hiring a conversion rate optimization (CRO) expert to assist you in developing an optimization strategy. In some cases, increasing conversion rates by just 1% or 2% can cover the cost of expertise for an entire year. Consider the return on investment versus the effort.
You can request a free consultation with on of our specialist to look into your website for you.
Best of luck with your optimization!