Is your website sinking into the vast oblivion of the Internet? If yes, it is time for you to consider which steps to take to improve the situation before it is too late. In this context, one of the strategies that emerge is Conversion Rate Optimization, because in addition to being effective in enhancing online visibility, it is also economical.
Given the fact that your website is one among millions of portals on the Internet, survival is indeed tricky and requires more than just basic tactics. For any ecommerce website to sustain beyond the teething phase, not only is it important to attract visitors but also find a way to retain them. This is where Conversion Rate Optimization can actually help with.
What is Conversion Rate Optimization?
Best described as a tactic that renders your web pages and landing pages more visible, Conversion Rate Optimization aims to improve the flow of traffic. To understand this concept, it is important to first understand what conversion rate is all about – when used in context of a web page, it refers to the volume of visitors who make an online purchase.
Conversion rate is always expressed as a percentage, and it is a direct outcome of the elements used on the web page to project the product/service. So, a high conversion rate implies success for the ecommerce venture, while a lower percentage means you need to try out new strategies, such as Conversion Rate Optimization. Techniques employed under this strategy not just attract traffic, but also ensure that visitors spend more time on the web page and feel sufficiently convinced to click on the ‘CTA’ button.
Does this strategy really make a difference, especially considering that the changes hardly require an investment of any kind? Statistics have revealed a whopping 400% hike in conversion rate subsequent to optimization, which in turn has translated into substantial profits for the online venture.
Therefore, it certainly deserves to be looked into and tried.
How to Retain Landing Page Visitors
Pick any web page of an ecommerce venture, and you would observe the following behavior –
- A high bail-out rate, wherein majority of the visitors exit the website or the landing page within the first eight seconds;
- Visitors remain on the web page for a little more than eight seconds but eventually bail out soon after owing to having lost interest;
- Prospective leads, wherein the visitors wish to convert but fail to do so owing to lack of clarity on the web page;
- Buyers, or visitors who convert and account for the conversion rate of the page;
Your decision to opt for Conversion Rate Optimization would depend on two parameters, namely the bail-out rate and the conversion rate.
In the event of a high bail-out rate and a low conversion rate, discussed as follows are some optimization techniques that should be implemented –
Use A Catchy Headline – Look at it from a visitor’s perspective, and you are bound to realize the importance of an attention grabbing headline. As the first element that meets the eye as soon as a web page opens, the headline should be big, bold, and interesting. Make sure that it is not short to the point of being insufficient, or a lengthy run-on sentence.
To this effect, a perfect headline is one that is succinct enough to convey the purpose of the page without being overly descriptive. If possible, try adding a dash of humor or wit that would bring a smile to the visitor’s face and convince them to explore further.
Attractive Offer – Is your offer truly enticing? Since you may not be the best judge in this context, always seek an opinion from an unbiased and balanced source, Ideally the offer on the web page is what visitors look out for, thus rendering it crucial for improving conversion rate. Under the circumstances, the onus is to ensure that whatever you are offering comes across as being good value for money and sufficiently enticing as a ‘Call to Action’ button.
Engaging Introduction – Assuming that your website is like a book, the introductory paragraph becomes the all-important first page that can make or break the plot. An engagingly written introduction serves multiple objectives of compelling a visitor to stay on, conveying the benefits, and generating the requisite number of leads. All of these in turn cause a significant spike in the conversion rate, which in turn has a positive bearing on the revenue of the ecommerce venture.
Quality of Images – To improve conversion rate, not only should the images be well-chosen and well-placed, but they should also be captioned and tagged with alt descriptions. Images have a positive impact on the conversion rate when they are relevant to the niche, are placed on the left of the web page, and are accompanied by powerful captions.
Highlight Advantages – Your web page/landing page is an attempt to reach out to the target audience, which is why it should prominently feature all the selling points. Preferably highlight the most important selling point and continue with the list till you will have shared every positive aspect with your target customers.
Overall Credibility – One of the reasons why people exit web pages is because it might be lacking credibility, which is of utmost importance in an online business. To ensure credibility on your web page you must opt for a professional layout, a unique and well-designed logo, and brand colors. Mention your contact information at multiple points and advertise your location.
Mundane though it might sound, these few simple steps do go a long way in building trust and boosting the conversion rate.
Effective Conversion Rate Optimization Tools
Several tools come under the scanner while conducting Conversion Rate Optimization, however not all are born equal when it comes to results. Depending on how effective they are in terms of improving the conversion rate, these tools are classified as primary, secondary and miscellaneous.
Primary tools are the most effective game-changers in context of conversion rate, and include –
- Headlines
- ‘Call to Action’ offer
- Images and graphics
- Quality of content
Secondary tools constitute –
- Buttons, in terms of look, placement, color, and text
- Web page layout
- Ease of navigation
- Testimonials
- Press quotes
Miscellaneous tools that can be used are –
- A professionally designed logo
- Compatible color scheme
- Toll-free number
Final Thoughts
Even a slight increase in conversion rate can bring about an exponential rise in the number of visitors, which in turn spells good fortune for the business. What makes this strategy more attractive is that it does not require any further investment, since the tools are already present.
All that Conversion Rate Optimization requires is judicious and mindful tweaking of certain elements on the web page, so that they become more attractive to visitors. Therefore, this strategy qualifies as being one of the most viable for an ecommerce venture that values long-term survival and non-stop business.