Everyone wants a high conversion rate, because that’s your return on investment for developing your online shop. After all, what’s the point of having a beautiful website if it doesn’t translate into sales?
Ideally, users will visit your site, and then they buy something, or sign up for a service or to a mailing list, whatever your conversion goals may be. However, there might be elements on your site that are holding you back from reaching those goals.
Here we’re taking a look at some of the common reasons why sites suffer from low conversion rates, and what you can do to improve them.
Simplify the Checkout Process
The checkout process can often be a sticking point for ecommerce businesses, which is a shame because by this point, your users have already picked out the products they want, and are falling at the final hurdle.
Lengthy forms and mandatory account creation can be major turn-offs for potential customers. We already give away so much personal data online, so make sure your checkout forms are only asking for the information that is absolutely necessary, and condense these into as few pages as possible. Maybe even consider a progress bar so that your customers can see the finish line.
You should also seriously consider offering a guest checkout option. Allow customers to complete their purchases without the hassle of creating an account, streamlining the path from product selection to payment. You can always offer a quick account creation prompt once the transaction is complete, where the customer might be more amenable.
Leverage Social Proof and Positive Reviews
Many customers have their trusted brands, but there’s always trepidation when shopping somewhere new for the first time. Is this brand trustworthy? Are the products genuine? Is my money safe? A lack of assurance could be a reason for your low conversion rate.
To calm these fears, use the endorsement of your existing customers – social proof and positive reviews are powerful tools to build trust and credibility.
Showcase your happy customers by prominently displaying reviews and testimonials on your website. Customers are more likely to make those final clicks when they see that others have had a positive experience with your products or services.
Craft Strong and Clear CTAs
Calls-to-Action or CTAs are a key part of your site’s UX design. They demonstrate where your customer should navigate to as the logical next step on their journey. It could be ‘shop here’, ‘sign up’ or ‘read more’, but whatever you need that next step to be, it should be steering your users to the conversion.
Ensure that your CTAs are not only compelling but also visually striking. They should stand out from the rest of the page and clearly communicate the action you want the user to take. Button colours, sizes, and text use are all important considerations in finding the right CTA to get your customers to the next step.
Optimise for Mobile
We beat this drum a lot, but it’s worth repeating – MOBILE FIRST DESIGN! Over 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices and it can turn visitors away almost instantly if they’re trying to navigate a small-texted desktop page squeezed onto a portrait phone screen. It’s a real conversion rate killer, especially when you consider you could be turning away half of your audience.
Your website should adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes and devices. A responsive design ensures that mobile users have a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience, and that positive experience increases the chance of them taking the leap and buying your products.
Offer a Clear and Fair Returns Policy
Customers are more likely to complete a purchase if they feel confident they can return the product if it doesn’t meet their expectations. While you don’t want to lose revenue by your customers returning products, a transparent and fair returns policy gives your brand credibility and also subtly demonstrates your confidence that most people won’t feel the need to return your goods.
Clearly communicate your return policy to potential customers, and give them enough time to make an informed decision and get the items back to you, assuring them that their satisfaction is your priority.
Not having a fair returns policy won’t prevent people returning the product, but it might prevent them buying it in the first place.
Streamline Navigation and Include Site Search
You should always aim to make navigation intuitive and user-friendly on your site. Much like non-responsive designs on mobile devices, poor navigation can quickly deter your customers and have them taking their business elsewhere.
Implement a clear menu structure that allows users to easily find the products or information they seek, and group products or services into logical categories. You should also consider including a site search feature that allows visitors who are in a rush to quickly find the items they are looking for.
Don’t let poor conversion rates hold your business back. Simplify the user experience, use trust markers and make it as easy as possible for visitors to become loyal customers. If you need help implementing these tips on your site, or you need a new site building from scratch that’s designed for hitting those conversion goals, then please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.