Having a website can be instrumental to the success of any modern business. However, simply creating just any website is not enough. To maximize the value of its benefits, you should set it up in a way that will maximize your conversion rate.
In this blog, we will cover what conversion rate is, why it’s important, and how to design a website that will inspire your target audiences to convert.
Conversion rate 101
The conversion rate is the percentage of users who have completed the desired action on your website, such as clicking on the subscribe button, relative to your total number of visitors.
Conversion rates can predict success or failure by pointing out the strengths or weaknesses of your website. By keeping an eye on your conversion rate and the factors that affect it, you’ll discover how to make your website more valuable, which will naturally lead to new customers.
Now, you must be wondering how to increase your conversion rate. Well, we have some tips for you that will help you out.
And if our tips are not enough, you can also contact your local web design agency. For instance, if your business is set in Florida, a website design agency from Florida will be able to help you out.
Build a blog
Nobody likes when an ad pops up out of nowhere. Many people don’t even look at online ads. So how do you promote your products or services online? That’s where content marketing comes to the rescue.
A blog enables you to build a relationship with your prospective customers, which is the right path to building trust. And people are more likely to buy a product from someone they trust.
Research from 2017 conducted by global communications firm Havas Group shows that nearly 85% of consumers want to read content by brands. Keep in mind: your competitors understand this, too, so make sure to put as much effort as you can into the content you want to stay relevant to your customers.
Know the laws of visual hierarchy
Visual hierarchy is a design principle that allows web designers to highlight the important elements of a website that command more user attention. The so-called rules of visual hierarchy state the following:
- Users notice larger elements more easily. Big and bold headings have become very popular in web design recently, and for a good reason.
- Strong contrast and unique colors are more eye-catching.
- The elements placed at the top of the page stand out more than the ones at the bottom.
- Videos and animations attract the users’ attention.
Use these guidelines to tell your future customers where to look.
Keep it simple
When it comes to web design, complexity is not what you’re looking for. Research shows that people like white space and, therefore, tend to perceive simple designs as beautiful.
So, ask yourself if your website is straightforward enough. If the answer is negative, think about the ways to make it look cleaner.
There are many ways to do that. For instance, many successful businesses use a single-column layout with up to two visual elements at each scroll depth. This helps the visitors understand where to look and their focus is set on one thing at a time.
Use color to emphasize the call to action
In the 1930s, German scientist Hedwig von Restorff discovered the “isolation effect.” This phenomenon explains how people tend to remember certain things better because of their distinct colors.
Even though it might seem that colorful buttons are the only thing that matter when it comes to emphasizing a call to action, it’s not entirely true.
If you want your CTA buttons to be more visually prominent, contrast their color with the background and the button text. Also, use a different color than the one used for the nearby elements.
Stop using generic subheadings
There are many companies whose websites are full of generic subheadings. They use phrases like “Our Products” and “Meet Our Team,” and that’s where they miss out on a great opportunity.
Instead of using generic subheadings, customize them for your business to inform the visitors about your products and the basic information about your company.
For example, if your company makes microphones, put “Our Microphones” in your navigation tab. Instead of using a boring “Meet Our Team,” use “Meet Our Microphone Experts.” This way, you’ll help your visitors see what your company is about.
Watch where you put the subscription form
The position of the subscription form and its visuals often play a crucial role in helping you generate leads. When designing a website, use the following subscription form design guidelines:
- Make the form stand out within the visual hierarchy. Remember the tip about visual hierarchy? Pay attention to the size of the subscribe button, its color, and its placement.
- Tell the readers what they’ll get by subscribing and how often.
- State the number of subscribers or a testimonial as social proof.
The speed of your website is crucial
People are impatient, and nobody wants to spend their time waiting.
If your website loads slowly, you risk losing many potential customers. In other words, you risk losing up to 7% of conversions for every second of delay in the website loading time.
So, if you notice that there’s a problem related to your website loading speed, make sure to resolve it quickly. There are many tools available online that can help you assess your website’s speed and improve it.
Use negative space wisely
Negative space can help you guide your visitors’ attention. A negative space is a white space of your website that is clear of all visual elements.
Choose carefully what you decide to put in the negative space. If you make a wise decision, you’ll tell your users where exactly they should look. For example, you can place a call-to-action button in the negative space.
Use a responsive design for your website
A responsive design allows visitors to easily navigate your website on many different devices, regardless of the display size. It makes your site look good on mobile phones, tablets, and computers.
You might be wondering why this is so important. Well, mobile phones fit into our pockets and we carry them everywhere. We use it to surf the internet all the time.
So, chances are that a big portion of visitors will view your website on their mobile phones. If your website looks chaotic or out of proportions, they may not come back to see what your products are about.
We say you shouldn’t take that chance. Set up your website to look great on all devices and enjoy the benefits of this approach.
A properly optimized website is very important when it comes to attracting your target audience.
However, don’t forget that it’s not only important to attract visitors to your website, but also to convert them. Follow the tips we’ve listed above to boost your website’s conversion rate and increase your brand awareness.
Author bio:
Tomas is a digital marketing specialist and a freelance blogger. His work is focusing on new web tech trends and digital voice distribution across different channels.