Fast and Easy Ways to Improve Your Website Conversion Rate Today

Just because your website gets a steady flow of traffic doesn’t mean it’s successful. If the vast majority of those visitors leave without buying anything, you’re lucky if you’re able to pay to keep your website up and running.

When it comes to running a successful website, traffic isn’t enough. Your conversion rate needs to be up there too. If yours is abysmal, don’t worry.

There are plenty of quick, easy and affordable ways to improve it.

Keep it Simple

If visitors are greeted by a confusing mishmash of things upon landing on your website, they’ll probably bounce away well before they become paying customers.

Keep the design of your site simple. The need for simplicity goes beyond mere aesthetics too. For example, ask for the bare minimum when requesting information.

Give people the option of creating accounts, but don’t require them to do so. When visitors see that your site is simple and straightforward, they’re more likely to buy something.

Establish Trust

No one is going to hand over sensitive financial information without feeling safe and secure about it. Prominently display a brick-and-mortar address on your main webpage, and plaster your phone number somewhere at the top of the screen.

Make your privacy policy readily available, and demonstrate proof of your SSL certification with a VeriSign logo. Make sure your site looks professional and that its content is well-written.

Make it Easy

People shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to buy what they want. Keep user-friendliness in mind at all times. No one on the planet should have trouble making purchases on your site.

Provide plenty of information about each product, and place prominent “add to basket” buttons on each product page.

There should also be a prominent shopping cart icon somewhere at the top of the screen at all times too.

Be Reasonable About Returns

When people are unsure about how easy it will be to return stuff, they’re far less likely to bother buying things from you. Come up with a generous, easy returns policy, and advertise it as much as possible.

Give people plenty of time to make returns, and provide ways for them to do it that are simple and stress-free.

You may not like taking things back, but it’s far better to have an excellent returns policy in the long run.

Have a Unique Selling Point

Your website needs to be more than just an online catalog. After all, you’re competing with behemoths like Amazon. Come up with a unique selling point for your business.

For instance, perhaps you personally have in-depth knowledge about the kinds of products that you sell and can create videos about them.

Offer Help via Live Chat

It pays to offer exceptional customer service, and there are many ways to make that happen. In addition to offering a phone number and email support, you should invest in live chat software too.

Many people prefer to be able to quickly chat with an associate for help. It’s a lot like asking a salesperson in a brick-and-mortar store for assistance. There are many great live chat programs out there, but make sure to choose one that’s easy to use.

Keep People in the Loop

Nothing’s worse than placing an order with a new company and not knowing where your stuff is. Potential customers will look for signs that you will make life easy for them, so be sure to do so.

For instance, reassure them that they will receive email confirmations of their orders. Let them know that you will provide shipping information as soon as it’s available.

Make sure to follow through on these promises, or you will alienate people.

Accept Many Forms of Payment

It’s far better to deal with a few fees than to limit the number of payment options that you offer to your customers.

If you don’t accept the type of payment that a person wants to use, he’ll probably head for greener pastures where his method of payment is accepted.

Don’t limit yourself to credit cards, either. Accept PayPal too, and you might also want to look into accepting online checks.

Offer Terrific Deals

Some companies treat their coupon codes and promo codes like big secrets. Instead of making people search high and low for them, make them available right at the checkout screen.

This will make people feel like they’re getting even better deals, which will increase the odds of them recommending your site to others.

In addition to the points mentioned above, add as much value to your site as you can. Don’t make it a place where people can just buy things.

Make it an invaluable resource where people can learn what they need to know. This can be accomplished by regularly posting articles, blogs and videos.

In addition to drawing in people who want what you have to sell, you’ll attract people who need information about your niche.

Those same people can be converted into customers later too.

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