Simple Website Conversion Strategies - Two Key Elements to Increasing Online Conversion Rates

2009 February 2

presented by Karen Scharf: Helping You Improve Web Conversions

By Benoy Tamang

If done right, Web sites are great 24/7 selling machines. They can peak a visitor’s interest for your product or service, entice them to buy something, or persuade them to leave their contact information. Yet, on average, 98 out of 100 people who visit your company’s Web site will leave without a trace.

Despite large amounts of time and money invested in corporate Web sites, most aren’t reaching their site’s true conversion potential. Statically, most sites are fortunate to convert 2% of Web site visitors into potential customers.

Many Web sites could increase their Web site conversion rates - without investing additional time and money into traffic generation - if they implemented two simple but extremely critical elements.

Instantly Engage Visitors

Grab your visitors’ attention immediately. Having something relevant but eye-catching about your product or service can start visitors down the path to becoming a potential customer.

Think of creative ways to engage your audience. It’s been said that pictures are worth a thousand words. Are there diagrams, images, or interactive elements that catch your visitors’ attention and succinctly explain your product or service? Perhaps a short, rich media presentation or a simple yet informative product demonstration can be more effective than a standard Web page. Words only say so much.

In Web advertising, rich-media ads are four times more effective than standard banner ads. Why? It’s because rich-media ads catch peoples’ attention more than standard, static banner ads. I’ve seen similar results with Web site pages. Conversion rates double when visitors are given a chance to watch something as opposed to just reading.

Offer Something They Value

People value their privacy. However, they are willing to trade their contact information if you can offer them something they value.

The key here is to know your audience. For one business, it might be detailed whitepapers about their technical service. For another, a short, free trial period of their product. Whatever you decide to offer, make sure it’s something your Web site visitors value more than their email address or phone number.

Also, remember that the more contact information you want, the better your offer should be. Today it’s pretty standard to ask for a name, phone number, and email address. If you’re asking above and beyond that, expect a drop in response rates or be prepared to provide a proportional offer in exchange.

Engaging your visitors and offering them something of value are two ways you can quickly increase traffic conversion on your Web site. Instead of spending more time and money driving traffic to your site, find imaginative ways to turn your current traffic into potential customers.

Higher lead and sales conversion rates are possible if you verse yourself in the art and science of Web site conversion.

About the author

Benoy Taman is the founder and CEO of Sapha, a company that helps companies fill their sales pipeline and grow their revenue by converting website traffic into high-quality leads. By combining software, direct marketing best practices, analytics, and our own secret sauce, we routinely generate double-digit conversion rates for our clients. Learn more at http://www.sapha.com