7 Steps to Convert Your Website Users into Customers

Tue, 19 Jul 11

Creating a digital shopfront to build awareness and traffic for your business is one thing, but developing your website into a sales outlet is the ultimate goal for many businesses. Increasing your conversion from website users to website customers can be done sooner rather than later by applying these 7 important steps:

1. Link to the pages that will increase chances of a sale - Don't make the mistake of always linking from external pages to your home page. Direct a user to the page they are really looking for, which may be more information on latest products and promotions, your shopping cart function or an enquiry page with the main points they need to know.
2. Optimise your page content - The online users who are ready to buy will be searching on Google and other platforms for exact and specific product terms. Make sure the words and phrases that are found on your pages match what your ideal customer will be looking for. Make sure there is also an easy-to-use search function on your site for users who have begun looking within your site, rather than via Google.
3. Place contact information and enquiry forms in more locations - Make it as easy as possible for your users to talk to you. As well as a clear Contact Us page, you can also add your contact details and online enquiry forms to relevant pages within your site. For example, if you have a page explaining in detail one of your products, add a short enquiry form (eg. Name, Email, How Can We Help?) at the end for anyone wanting more information.
4. Guide your user to where they want to be - It is not always as simple as you might think for your customer to choose which product is right for them. Help them find what they want, and be confident enough in their choice to buy then and there, by offering recommendations and customer profiles for each product.
5. Avoid log-ins - Conversion is proven to be lower when shopping-carts or interactivity that leads to sales is hindered by asking a customer to log-in. You don't want to distract your customer or cause them to hesitate because they think they are signing up for more than they are willing to buy.
6. Follow basic shopping-cart tactics - If your customer can buy via an online shopping cart attached to the website consider basic tactics such as providing a shopping cart preview, notifying of bulk value (i.e. "Did you know you can get some other product for half price with the purchase of that?") and bragging about the product they have added (i.e. "Was $19.90 now only $10" written in the price column). For more information about shopping-cart tactics visit Conversion Counts.
7. Declutter your overall design - As with a physical shop, cluttered and messy websites look unprofessional and untrustworthy. If you are serious about using your website as a sales tool, spend the time and money on developing your website into a clear, easy-to-read and navigate shopfront which will provide a pleasant experience for anyone who comes across it.

For more information about website conversion visit Conversion Counts and MarketingProfs, who contributed to this article.

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