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Your conversion rate is the proportion of people who complete an action on your website, such as filling in a registration form or purchasing a product. It's one of the most important metrics in digital marketing because it measures business profitability and tells you whether people are really interested in your products and services. There are a number of elements on your website that you can test to increase your conversion rate. Here are 15 of them.
1. Calls to Action
Your call to action (CTA) is a crucial component of any conversion campaign. Research shows that a simple anchor text CTA boosts conversion rates by 121 percent.
2. Headlines
Your landing page headline should be short, snappy and informative. You can include numbers, too: numbered list headlines increase conversions by as much as 30 percent, according to one study.
3. Testimonials
Eighty-eight percent of customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. That's why it's important to include a testimonial on your landing page.
4. White Space
White space on your landing page — the space between text, graphics and other visual elements — improves readability, so visitors can digest your conversion offer and find your call to action.
5. Fill-In Forms
Fill-in forms should have a simple design with few questions. Otherwise, site visitors might not want to provide their personal data. One study shows that asking a prospect for their age reduces conversions by 3 percent, asking for a street address reduces conversions by 4 percent and asking for a telephone number reduces conversions by 5 percent.
6. Privacy Policies
Make your privacy policy straightforward and easy to read. When one company simplified its policy, it experienced a 19 percent increase in conversions.
7. Stock Numbers
Including stock numbers — the number of products that are left in stock — on your landing page increases sign-ups to your mailing list. If you provide a free gift to new site visitors, for example, and customers know there are only five of these items available, they are more likely to submit their personal data.
8. Fill-In Form Page Placement
Where you place your fill-in form on your landing page influences conversions. Studies suggest that keeping your form "above the fold" — the upper half of your page — improves engagement.
9. Images
Images break up chunks of text and improve readability. You might want to perform a simple A/B test to see which photos are most effective at driving conversions.
10. Product Videos
Product videos enhance conversion rates significantly. Customers at home retailer StacksAndStacks' online store who watched a product video were 144 percent more likely to make a purchase than shoppers who didn't watch a video.
11. Social Media Buttons
Social media buttons let site visitors share your content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, exposing your brand to a wider audience. One company experienced a 9 percent increase in conversions with social media buttons.
12. Progress Indicators
Progress indicators are graphics that show how long it takes a user to complete a task, such as filling in a registration form. Use these to increase conversion rates and engagement.
13. Contact Information
Make sure your contact information is displayed on your website. Including your phone number on a landing page could increase conversions by 0.5 percent.
14. Trust Seals
Including a trust seal — a badge graphic from a third-party company, such as VeriSign or Hacker Safe — on your landing page boosts customer confidence and encourages more sign-ups.
15. Colors
Colors influence conversions, says research. Clothing brand Ript Apparel changed the color of a call-to-action button from green to yellow and saw a 6 percent increase in conversions.
These 15 tips will help you test your conversion rate so you can better measure the success of your online business. Want to optimize your website even further? Download this free website cleanup worksheet!
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