Every business owner knows the importance of having a strong, appealing, and up-to-date website. This is an essential part of any digital marketing strategy. However, all your efforts will amount to nothing if your website cannot convert at least a fraction of your visitors into healthy sales prospects. Over the last five years, the median conversion rates for business websites have been in constant flux. However, with the right approach, you’ll consistently see good conversion rates.
In this article, we’ll outline the most common website conversion faux-pas that you should steer clear of. These tips are sure to come in handy!
Unappealing Website Design and Layout
When potential clients visit your website, they subconsciously form opinions about your products and services based solely on how your website looks. For example, a cluttered website with too many links is enough to send people away. At the same time, your website should not be too difficult to navigate.
The same applies to the layout. Some websites look great when viewed on a computer but look terrible when opened on a phone or tablet.
Key Takeaway: It’s important to put a lot of thought into designing your website. While you are at it, focus on creating distinct layouts for mobile and PC views.
Not Having a Strong Landing Page
To convert visitors into sales, you need to hook them instantly. That’s why your landing page is so vital. Never underestimate the impact that a well-planned landing page can have.
For example, if your page does not have clear and actionable CTAs, it’ll only leave your visitors confused. What’s more, no one wants to encounter a wall of text, and having this on your landing page will only deter potential sales.
Key Takeaway: Perform thorough A/B testing before your landing page goes live. Ensure that it has a good balance of all elements, and a clear CTA.
A Website That Takes Too Long to Load
According to Google, if a web page takes longer than five seconds to load, there is a 90% chance that the visitor will leave. Now you wouldn’t want that, would you?
Even if your website has a top-notch landing page to welcome visitors, this won’t matter if it takes too long to load. This applies to all the web pages on your website – product pages, the about page, your online store, and so on.
Think about what a slow and inefficient website says about your business. Undoubtedly, it’s not how you want your business to come across.
Key Takeaway: Use an online tool to analyze how your business website is performing. Identify the weak links, and work towards getting them rectified.
The Lack of Customer Support
This is another biggie. How many times have you visited a website and had questions that needed answering? The same can happen with your website visitors too. They might have queries regarding a product’s features, the pricing, or whether or not shipping is available.
Additionally, you can’t anticipate all their questions beforehand. Therefore, it’s important to have 24/7 customer support available in the form of a helpline, live chat, a contact form, or a chatbot.
It’s elementary – if there is no customer support to help your visitors, the less likely they are to purchase from you.
Key Takeaway: Integrate your business website with high-quality customer support services.
Multiple Payment Methods Are Not Supported
Picture this. One of your website visitors has added a few products to the cart and is all set to make their purchase. They are directed to the payments page, only to realize that their preferred mode of payment is not supported. What happens next? Most likely, they’ll abandon their cart and go shop somewhere else.
To avoid this fiasco, set up your website so that it can support multiple payment methods, from card payments to digital wallets and internet banking facilities.
Key Takeaway: Payment compatibility is a big swing factor. Don’t miss the opportunity to capitalize on it.
All Smoke and No Fire
Let’s say that your business has launched an exciting new product. Your marketing team has brought their social media A-game, and they have promoted the product extensively on social media while giving a link back to the product page on the website.
However, here’s the problem: the product page isn’t live yet. Or worse, the link is broken. This will reflect poorly on your business, and you’ll lose many sale prospects in the process.
Key Takeaway: Triple check to make sure that the links to all the pages on your website are working. Update every page, big and small, with accurate and helpful information.
Summing Up
So now you know what you should not do if you want to convert your website visitors into sales. Apart from the points discussed above, it’s a good idea to regularly monitor and evaluate your SEO practices.
It would help if you did this, as it impacts your Google SERP ranking and your overall website traffic. Try not to commit these errors, and your website will be ready to convert visitors and make sales!
