Conversion Rate Optimization Tips

1. Hiring a Professional Web Designer

   Save time and, ultimately, money by hiring a professional web designer.

   Professional web designers have more experience with websites than the average person. Professional web designers can suggest different ways to arrange content on a web page, suggest using different colors (yes, colors matter) for a submit button, or suggest rephrasing or restructuring your Call-To-Action request.

2. Look at Changing How Your Content is Written

   Focus on writing to your audience.

   When potential clients come to your website they care about their needs, not yours.
   
   Focusing on your customers needs and how you can help them will get you closer to a sale than almost anything else. The words you chose for your content should be persuasive. Will your service or product save them time? Will it save them more money than them purchase a competitors product or service? Use language that your clients uses; drop the acronyms and jargon, speak plainly and promote the benefits of your services and/or products.

3. Make Your Company Human

   Make what you write personal. People like relating on a personal level.

   When making purchases, people don’t buy from companies – they buy from people – especially when it comes to big purchases. Work to make your company more personal. When posting photos on your small business website, try to not use models but use real people. Having your photos and images be more down-to-earth and relatable can help potential customers know they are dealing with real people.
   
   Many people want to support local, small businesses and that can be a competitive advantage over bigger box retailers.
   
   If you are a small business owner, you have a personal brand that you can highlight to your patrons with customer testimonials and stories. Adding images and video content to make your website more personal can be an advantage. Linking to social media showing that your company has a balanced life is another suggestion.
   
   A personal touch to your content will help readers to relate better with someone local. People nowadays trust a business that seems more real.

4. If You Are a Local Company, Show It

   Mention information that reflects your local area.

   In today’s world, customers like the idea of shopping locally. If your business has a storefront, make sure your customers know how you are conveniently located. For example, state that you are minutes from the highway, close to the downtown or near a central shopping center.
   
   If you have a service area business, let your customers know which geographic areas you serve by listing the cities prominently.
   
   The following are suggestions on where to list the cities you service:
   • In the footer (separated by commas) displayed on every page
   • On your Contact Us page
   • Have a stand-alone service area map web page

5. If you have Affiliations, Display Them

   List organizations that reflect your interests and community.

   If you are a member of your local Chamber of Commerce, state it on your website. Are you a member of your local BBB chapter? On your About Us page, list your qualifications and create links to organizations that you are affiliated with.
   
   Displaying your affiliations proudly on your website will help your prospects see that you are involved in your community and that you a credible, trustworthy business. One of those organizations might help someone relate to your business and it could be just the thing that motivates them to call or click that form you want to increase your conversion rates.

6. Use Your Testimonials Effectively

   Highlight your testimonials by linking to them using anchor tags within your website.

   Testimonials are so important. They prove to people that you follow through with what you say you will do when selling your product(s) or giving a service. Testimonials help to harvest the power of social proof and are another way to help increase conversions. It could be just a simple sentence but when it’s consistently repeated by multiple people, it could help to convince the website visitor to pick up the phone or fill out that form. Most website owners don’t take full advantage of testimonials.

   To maximize the power of your testimonials, follow these suggestions:

   • Post testimonials on multiple pages.
     If your design allows it, list your testimonials on multiple pages.
   • Keep your testimonials up-to-date
     Keep your testimonials up-to-date. Try to have some that are only a few months old – consistently; it doesn’t help your website look updated if your testimonials are 3 years old. Besides, it makes you stay in touch with your customers. Asking for testimonials helps you to stay on the top of your game.
   • Use testimonials in your context.
     If you are an electrician and someone gave you a testimonial that praises your creativity in solving a tough problem (such as suggesting the installation of a 4-way switch where there wasn’t one before), it would be great if you could place the testimonial in quotes on a page that describes the depth and variety of your skills.
   • Try to get a testimonial or two on video.
     Video testimonials can be very impactful. If you can get a video testimonial, great! If you can’t, testimonials with pictures of the individual are better than just text.

7. Try to Create a Sense of Urgency

   If you haven’t done it before, try giving special pricing for a limited time to encourage the viewer to act.

   Convincing visitors that they will lose something if they don’t act now – special pricing, a good deal, can be as easy as inserting a date on your webpage. Small business websites need to sell your company, your services and/or your products – and phrase your content to get the potential customer to act now.

8. Keep Improving Your Web Marketing

   It’s good to try new marketing techniques.

   It’s important to keep using the methods of selling that you know work. At the same time, if it’s not going to bust your budget, it doesn’t hurt to try new ways to advertise. One technique that might work for IBM won’t necessarily work for McDonald’s or Amazon Web Services. It’s good to do try new things. What about sending out a post card with a discount when they contact you with a special code? Keep improving your website and finding ways to keep it fresh and to reach out to your customers (which is SO important for SEO too).

Contact ATC Web Solutions for help and/or suggestions with your website and marketing.

Photo by William Iven on Unsplash