10 Ways to Increase Your Website Conversion Rate
Let’s talk about website conversion rate!
We hear a lot about SEO in the website design world and this is amazing because it’s so so important!
But another thing that’s super important is CRO. What the heck am I talking about? What are all these letters?
SEO is Search Engine Optimization – the process used to improve the ranking of your website’s search results
I have a very in depth blog about SEO that you can read here
CRO is Conversion Rate Optimization – the process of increasing the percentage of conversions from a website (tracking the actions people take while on your website)
I have talked to many women in the online space who say they do not need a website because they use Social Media. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using Social Media to market your services. However, you should definitely have a website if you want to legitimize your business!
Think about what you do when you want to purchase something online from a store – you go to their website. Even if that store also sells through their social media platform. And yes, you can purchase through socials as well, but I can almost guarantee that most people will visit that store’s website at least once to see what they’re all about before purchasing – regardless of where they end up purchasing that product.
A website legitimizes your business! I have said this so many times and I will say it over and over again.
You really do need an online home for your business especially if it’s not a brick and mortar.
You may already have your website set up or maybe you’re just getting started with your site. Either way, review this website conversion rate list I have made for you as it will be really beneficial to make some moneyyy!!
Websites aren’t just a “nice to have” or a “vanity metric”. They’re so much more – they can help grow your business!
The list I am going to share with you today is going to help you convert those website visitors into clients/customers!
Everything on your website needs to be intentional. I hope this list helps guide you towards what you need to focus on when designing your website!
10 Ways to Increase Your Website Conversion Rate
These are not in any particular order, they’re all important!
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Define your website goals
I mentioned earlier that there is so much more to websites than just vanity metrics. And to make the most of your website you want to set it up strategically.
Your website should have 2-3 goals (no more than 3!). I would even say have two consistent goals and the third goal can change overtime depending on promotions.
For example:
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Goal 1 – Book a Consultation Call
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Goal 2 – Sign up for Newsletter
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Goal 3 – Can be dependent on what you’re currently promoting in your business. Eg. black friday sale, limited time offer, new course launch, etc.
Once you know the goals of your website you can use these to determine the layout of your website content. Your images, your copy and your CTA’s will all direct your visitor to take these actions!
Become very clear on what it is you want your visitors to do. Keep these goals in mind when strategizing your website conversion rate.
2. Write copy that connects and converts
Copy is the text on your website and it’s extremely important for your website conversion rate!
There are so many courses you can take on writing copy for marketing. You can also hire someone to write the copy for you or you might feel confident writing it yourself!
When you are writing your copy keep in mind that you want to tell a story. Everything should flow and connect (and convert).
The story that you are telling is one that your client can relate you – they should be able to see themselves in your story – this is going to help them feel like you’re talking directly to them.
Your copy needs to make your clients feel. Words do not sell – feelings and emotions do!
It’s also really important to get super clear on your ICA (Ideal Client Avatar) so you know exactly who you are talking to, what their challenges are and how you can help solve that problem!
Write short sentences that are intriguing and clever. You want to capture the reader’s attention.
3. CTA’s throughout the website on every section
CTA is Call To Action. This is what’s going to guide your site visitor to take the action you want them to take.
Have you ever visited a website and thought to yourself “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do here” and just could not figure out how to take the next step or any step for that matter?
This is because they did not do a good job of using the website copy combined with their CTA’s to direct the user.
You need to tell people what to do very clearly! Especially these days, our attention span is so little that if we do not know what we need to do next, most likely, we’re going to leave that website.
Have a CTA on every section of your site keeping website conversion rate top of mind.
Basically you want to be able to see one CTA at all times on the screen!
This might seem like a lot but I promise you, it’s not going to bother the visitor but it sure as hell is going to make it easier for them to take action!
4. Maximize the space Above The Fold!
Speaking of short attention spans, you have approximately 8 seconds to grab the attention of the user!
This means you need to keep their attention as soon as they land on your website.
You know that space right up top on your website – before you start scrolling down the page – this space is called “Above the Fold”.
And this space has to connect to your user in order to keep them on your website! You’re going to do this by providing them with the information they need right away and telling them exactly how you’re going to help them!
Share the following information here:
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Who you are
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What you do
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How you are going to serve the user
Answer these three questions and put them together into 2-3 clever and enticing sentences – keeping the visitor on your page wanting to learn more!
5. Add Testimonials
What’s the best way to build trust with your potential clients? Sharing previous work and results you helped someone else achieve!
Use testimonials from past clients strategically throughout your website.
If you are talking about a particular benefit within a package and you have a testimonial where someone talks about that benefit – insert it there!
This is going to reduce objections along the way as users read your content!
We have all heard many times over “build the know like and trust factor” in order to get people to buy. Testimonials help build the trust factor!
6. Have a clean and visually attractive layout
If you have an existing website and are redesigning – be sure to remove any distractions. If you are building from scratch then build it in a very clean and organized way.
You do want to use images/videos throughout the website to keep the users attention, just make sure this is done in a tasteful way that makes sense.
You don’t want to have stuff on the website that isn’t necessary – this is just going to take away from the actions you want your client to take! Distracting from your goals for your website conversion rate.
7. Decrease Load Time
Ever been on a website and it takes a little too long to load? What do you do? I’m sure I’m not the only one who leaves that website!
I am not putting us down for this, I promise, but this does go back to that short attention span again.
In order to decrease load times you want to make sure the content on your site isn’t too heavy. Best practice is to make sure that all images uploaded to your website are under 500 KB.
8. Optimize for Mobile
“As of November 2022, 49.78 percent of the total web visits are currently mobile, compared to 50.22 percent coming from desktops.”
Every business is different and that percentage may vary. You want to track your own website usage through the analytics section to see where your specific clients are viewing your website. But either way, 49% is a very high number as you can tell!
You want to create a beautiful yet strategic layout not only in the desktop version but also on the mobile version!
The great thing is, with both Showit and Squarespace you can edit your mobile layout independently from the desktop version. This is huge! Make sure you utilize these features!
You also want to make sure you enable AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) on your Squarespace website. This is going to create lightweight versions of the pages on your website to help them load quicker when someone visits your site from their phone.
9. Add a Promotional Pop-Up and Announcement Bar
A promotional pop up will do just that – pop up, according to the settings you have chosen!
This is a great way to promote sales, get people to opt-in for a freebie, sign up for a course, etc.
Remember that third goal we had talked about? The pop ups are a great way to promote those! And if you don’t have a special sale or offer at that time, you can use these to promote either of the first two goals as well!
The Announcement bar – you guessed it, is the perfect place to make announcements.
I like using this to let visitors know when I am booking for, since I book my calendar in advance.
You can use this to make an announcement or even to promote an offer as well.
I have a blog that walks you through exactly how to add both of these on your Squarespace 7.1 site which you can view here
10. Offer a freebie to get them on your email list!
If you don’t already do email marketing, it’s a really great way to build your community and to increase sales!
On average it takes a customer approximately 7 times of viewing the offer before making the decision to buy. And we can’t guarantee that someone is going to visit your website 7 times. But if someone visits it once and then signs up to join your email list they are more likely to see your email 7 times!
Building an email list is a really really great way to grow your business and increase your sales. I highly recommend getting started with email marketing if you haven’t already.
But guess what? The universe works in mysterious ways…
Remember that website design idea I had back in 2020 that had always lingered in my mind? That popped back up when I somehow landed on a Squarespace website design course by Paige Brunton
Honestly, I don’t know how I stumbled upon this course at this time. I had registered to Paige’s Newsletter so I would get updates about her programs all of the time. But I never paid attention. And then this one day, mid January when I knew I had to make a change, somehow I landed on this Squarespace course.
And I just knew, I knew this was my blessing in disguise. Everything clicked. I had been listening to these online podcasts for years and now it finally dawned on me that I could be that person. I could launch an online business and work from home on my own terms and make money doing it!
All of a sudden it all made sense! I enrolled in the program. I started learning website design and launched my website design business.
Now I am happier than ever! My body is healthier, I still have pain and get flare ups but I can manage them! My mind is healthier! I just feel so good.
This is my story. This is how I got to where I am today. And if I’m being brutally honest, sometimes I get scared.
There’s so much more for me to learn, so much more for me to grow.
But I would way rather learn and grow than be stuck doing something that makes me so unhappy.
It’s actually a great trade off! Even if you’re not an expert yet, or other people are so much farther than you – you’re still learning and growing – that’s beautiful!
I sometimes think to myself what it would have been like if I had just started the website design biz when I learned about it in 2020 and saved myself so much heartache and physical pain.
I also think, what if I had known about website design when I graduated highschool and went to University for it and had been doing this since 2006!
The truth is, there will always be what ifs. You will always be able to come up with scenarios and think maybe that could have been better. Or you wish you had done it sooner. But the reality is, you didn’t.
You’re doing it now, and that’s better than not having ever done it or figured out you could do this.
Everyone’s story is different. You have your own story and your own reasons for wanting to start an online business. And I wouldn’t always recommend doing what I did and quitting your job when you’re still figuring it out. You have to do what’s best for you.
I do hope my story inspired you and got you thinking about how you do have another option.
We don’t have to stay stuck in the 9-5 mindset. There’s a whole world of online entrepreneurs who are making money and living their life on their own terms. You can be a part of that world as well. You just have to work at it and be committed and keep showing up!
If you have a story to share, I would love to hear it! You can send me an email here and tell me about yourself. Tell me what you are doing now and what you dream of doing.
