If your website does not have the conversion rate you want, then understand it is not your fault. Each year, holding a prospects attention becomes harder than the previous. As consumers are exposed to more advertisements on more platforms, companies are forced to further optimize for conversions.
Sometimes it can be difficult to keep up with the best practices for SEO, copy-writing, and web design. But that is why we put together this article for you! Together, we will analyze 5 conversion tactics used by high performance websites. So if you want wildly ramp up your conversion rates, read on!
Captivating Headlines Convert Customers
You have heard it before. People do not read articles; they read headlines.
The same concept applies to your landing page. The second the user visits your landing page, your headline will grab their attention. For that reason, it should be captivating. However, your headline should not be creative. They should be converting.
One of the top copywriting mistakes companies make is trying to craft creative headlines. The truth is that creative headlines confuse readers on most occasions. For that reason, your headline should be clear and should manifest the one thing your visitor wants most.
MailChimp is a leading example when it comes to headlines.
They are dominating the email marketing industry where others are failing to survive. When surfing through MailChimp, you will notice that each headline clearly explains what the page is about. The headlines offer value, they are clear and they are concise.
Use Short Forms to Capture Information
Time is a significant constraint when it comes to filling forms. Today’s users, with a short attention spans and limited time, do not want to waste time completing long forms.
The more information you ask from your visitors the lower your conversion rate will be. Privacy is also an issue. Most visitors do not know who you are, they do not trust your website yet, and they do not owe you anything yet.
When you ask for personal information such as a phone number or address, your users might get defensive and leave the website. The more private the information you request, the more your conversion rate will drop.
Therefore, applications should be simple, easily understandable and must require minimum details. However, once the user signs up or purchases, then you can request more information.
Dropbox requests only the essential information from the user to create and manage an account. It does not even need a captcha, security questions, or repetitive password reentry which makes it one of the best services for signing up.
Minimize the Checkout Steps
Most purchases happen on impulse.
The user either buys your product because they are excited about it or because you are helping them deal with an immediate pain. The longer the check out process is, the more likely your users are to hesitate on purchasing. Aside from the buying temperature, life happens. Mid-way through checkout, the user could receive a phone call, text message, Facebook notification or other distraction that interrupts the process. The faster your checkout process is, the more your conversions will increase.
The average checkout procedure is 5 stages, keeping yours to a 4 step checkout processes will help you close more deals.
Crate & Barrel is competing for the number 1 converting commerce website and it uses a 3 step checkout process. Their system is incredible efficient because they only ask for necessary information.
As a side note, some websites go as far to include “guest checkout” options to avoid asking customers to create an account. This option will dramatically increase your conversion rates.
Keep in mind that the best checkout process is the one that lets the buyer ride their buying impulse.
Focus on the Emotional Benefits
People are rarely sold on features – they are sold on the benefits that the features bring. If you want to wildly increase your conversion rate, start focusing your sales copy around your products benefits. Tell your customers the satisfaction they will get from using your product. Tell them how they will feel, what others will think of it, what pain will be resolved. 74% of products sold are done so on their benefits rather than their functionality.
For example, when you are selling shoes online, you are not just selling shoes; you are selling the customer on the comfort their feet will feel, you are selling them on the status the shoe will bring, you are selling on the performance the shoe will bring. Remember, consider benefits vs features.
To further optimize your copy, take an SEO course, use your new-found abilities to gather search data and prepare yourself for dramatically higher conversion rates. Search data will provide you with the specific words your audiences are using to find your landing pages.
For example, if they search on Google for “most comfortable sprinting cleats” then your landing page should use the same words your audience was searching for. A product description with “comfortable sprinting cleats” will outperform “athletic shoes” because your audience is already receptive to those emotions.
Speaking the same language as your audience will spark the impulse to buy because they will think “perfect! This is exactly what I was looking for!” You will validate their emotions in return they will be more likely to purchase from you.
Emotional pleasure is something the most relatable aspect for customers. For a prime example of this, hop on Amazon and search for Protein Supplement. If you click on any of them, you will see copy that appeals to the exact desires and emotions that most athletes crave. For even more examples, do a search for skin care products – notice how most of them use the word “feel” – “look and feel ten years youngers”.
In short, emotional benefits trump physical features.
The Single Most Important Aspect is Testimonials
(Source: marketingcharts.com)
Displaying actual customer testimonials promotes a feeling of confidence in your visitor about the products. 68% of users will only trust a business after reading 4 reviews, and that from someone with whom they can relate.
Avoid using celebrity testimonials and provide reports from the average user with their actual name and headshot, for better credibility.
If you are targeting multiple audiences, provide testimonials from a variety of sources and of users from different countries, if you are an international business. Instapage shows specific testimonials that are short and on point providing accurate information.
Employing the above tips will compound the engagement on your website and will convert visitors into customers with ease. An increase in brand awareness is priceless when used in conjunction with high amounts of traffic turning those users into loyal customers, by taking these tips into account. In short, the theme to take away from this article is to give your users exactly what they want, as fast as possible, with as few obstacles and as little confusion as possible.